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In response to a request by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, the four contractors of the Hongkong International Terminals (HIT) involved in the labour dispute have formally written jointly to the Commissioner for Labour this afternoon (May 6) to confirm their pay increase package announced last Friday (May 3).
Mr Cheung said, "The HIT contractors jointly announced last Friday an improved pay increase of about 9.8 per cent with effect from May 1 this year and made clear that the package would be applicable across-the-broad. In view of the striking workers' wish to have a written reassurance to allay their concern, the Government has taken the initiative of playing the bridging role and has now secured the written reassurance. We hope that the workers can return to work and the operation of the container terminals can resume to normal as soon as possible.
"I earnestly hope that the contractors' written reassurance will put the workers' minds at ease and resolve this labour dispute," he said.
Copies of the written reassurance have been made available to all labour unions involved in the labour dispute.
Ends/Monday, May 6, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:43
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