{"id":14717,"date":"2017-05-02T16:25:44","date_gmt":"2017-05-02T08:25:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinaworker.info\/?p=14717"},"modified":"2017-05-05T13:17:24","modified_gmt":"2017-05-05T05:17:24","slug":"may-day-and-internationalism-in-hong-kong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinaworker.info\/en\/2017\/05\/02\/14717\/","title":{"rendered":"Hong Kong: Internationalist May Day march"},"content":{"rendered":"

Working class unity against racism and capitalism<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Dikang, chinaworker.info<\/p>\n

\u201cWorkers united, will never be defeated,\u201d echoes through the streets of central Hong Kong on May Day.<\/p>\n

Over 100 people joined the first ever May Day demonstration in Hong Kong jointly organised by Socialist Action, migrant group Kobumi and the Refugee Union. The message of the demonstration which gathered in the morning in Chater Garden and then marched to the Government Office was the need to fight racism and for united struggle by all workers regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender.<\/p>\n

Later the marchers joined the main 2,500-strong May Day demonstration from Victoria Park organised by the pan-democratic Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU).<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we don\u2019t stay home. We don\u2019t go to the beach. Today we go on the streets to fight for our rights as workers,\u201d said Ilalang Victoria of Kobumi, one of the co-organisers.<\/p>\n

\"\"
May Day march organised by Socialist Action (CWI) , Kobumi and others.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cOur march is very colourful and lively with a powerful political message of united struggle against capitalist exploitation and against racist divisions,\u201d said Sally Tang Mei-ching of Socialist Action who was MC of the event, together with Ilalang Victoria.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to show the link between the struggles of local workers, migrant workers and refugees, whereas too many other organisations unfortunately see these issues as completely separate \u2013 that migrant workers should just fight for \u2018migrant issues\u2019 for example and not comment on local workers\u2019 demands and the other way around. But we are all part of the working class and we are stronger if we can unite against the government\u2019s attempts to split us,\u201d said Sally.<\/p>\n

Mezzo scandal<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iis speaking for Kobumi told the demonstration about the cruel exploitation of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong and their anger at government rules that favour the money-making agencies and fail to protect the 340,000 migrant women in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want an 8-hour work-day and an increase in the migrant worker\u2019s minimum wage to HK$5,000,\u201d she said. Iis condemned the role of so-called Multi-level marketing (MLM) businesses, which are pyramid schemes that prey on migrants, as shown in the Mezzo scandal, a Hong Kong-based company that cheated hundreds of Indonesian migrant workers by falsely promising high rates of interest on savings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese pyramid-type schemes ensnare the migrant workers who end up plunging us to debt to the bank. The government has not done anything to protect migrant workers, despite the case is over 18 months old,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

League of Social Democrats lawmaker \u2018Longhair\u2019 Leung Kwok-hung drew cheers when he quoted Karl Marx, \u201cWorkers of the world unite, we have nothing to lose but our chains!\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that even after the latest increase the minimum wage for Hong Kong workers is only HK$34.50 (US$4.40) per hour, \u201cso we still have a long way to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Sally Tang Mei-ching and Ilalang Victoria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Minimum wage<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are politicians in Hong Kong who oppose a wage increase for migrant domestic workers,\u201d said Vincent Kolo of Socialist Action, referring to the current HK$4,200 per month minimum wage for migrants. \u201cYet the same politicians spend more than that in a restaurant visit. Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who ran as a candidate to become Chief Executive, spent HK$18,000 just on her hair \u2013 it\u2019s in her election expenses,\u201d he told the crowd.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not asking for any special privileges for migrant workers, but the same protection as for local workers. We want equal treatment,\u201d Vincent told a TVB Pearl news report that was aired after the demonstration.<\/p>\n

Right to work\u00a0for refugees<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than 60 refugees joined the march, some with their children. Their plight was highlighted in speeches both by Adela of the Refugee Union and by Mira an Indonesian refugee and member of Socialist Action. \u201cRefugees need the right to work to support our families to buy books and school uniforms for our kids,\u201d said Mira. \u201cThe government doesn\u2019t allow us to work and this means our children are suffering,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Sally Tang explained that several refugees have recently been jailed \u2013 the penalty for working is up to three years in prison. The government\u2019s raids have increased by 70 percent in the past year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want an 8-hour work day by law, for all workers, including the same right for migrants and for refugees,\u201d she said. Hong Kong has the longest working hours of any city worldwide, 50 hours on average, and for migrants a normal working week is much longer, she explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also fight for an increase in the minimum wage to HK$45 per hour, because today\u2019s minimum wage is too low,\u201d said Sally. She cited government figures that the minimum wages has risen 42 percent since first enacted in 2011, but price inflation over the same period has been 44 percent and average rents have increased 154 percent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe government and the capitalists try to split us, to keep our struggles separate, because then they are in a stronger position. But if we can build a united struggle we can win,\u201d said Sally.<\/p>\n

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May Day protest march in Chater Garden, Hong Kong.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

8-hour day and holiday entitlements<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two hours later our protest joined with the larger CTU demonstration and marched from Victoria Park to the Government Offices around demands for the 8-hour day and abolition of MPF (Mandatory Provident Fund) \u201coffsetting scheme\u201d which is used by employers to cheat workers by deducting money earmarked for workers\u2019 retirement savings when they pay redundancy compensation.\u00a0The demonstration also highlighted serious safety problems in the construction industry. Recently two workers were killed at sea working on the Hong Kong section of the bridge to Zhuhai in mainland China. The contractor was found to have violated safety rules. It brings to ten the number of workers killed on the bridge.<\/p>\n

At another location the pro-government Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) mobilised around 2,000 for their demonstration. They featured a demand for more holidays for blue-collar workers, an increased of five per year. Underlining the double-dealing role of the FTU leaders, their lawmakers did not vote for this proposal in the Legco, when it was tabled by opposition representatives. But of course this \u2018detail\u2019 was not mentioned at their May Day demo. For the FTU, which pledges fealty to the Chinese dictatorship, May Day is a once a year affair where they pay lip service to the problems of workers, only to spend the rest of the year supporting the government\u2019s billionaire agenda.<\/p>\n

\"\"
‘Longhair’ Leung Kwok-hung addressed the demonstration.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

TVB Pearl News report of Socialist Action\/Kobumi\/RU May Day demo:<\/strong><\/p>\n