Trouble in Hong Kong

HIT says that the demonstrations are taking place against the stevedoring contractors who provide services to HIT, as well as other terminals in the Kwai Tsing port in Hong Kong. There are reportedly around 250 protesters taking part in the action.

Meanwhile, the operator has formed a special task force to monitor the situation and it says that contingency procedures have been put in place – truck traffic within the vicinity has slowed down due to the action and has had to be diverted as appropriate. This looks likely to also have an effect loading and unloading operations at the port.

The operator says it is working closely with the authorities to ensure that safety and order at the terminal is maintained.

The protesters returned to HIT today having left yesterday because of the temporary injunction served against them, but they initially started the sit-in on 28 March. The demonstration at the port mirrors the wider discontent in Hong Kong in reaction to escalating living costs and record house prices.

There looks to be no end to the demonstration at the moment because talks have stalled. The problem is that HIT is not in a position to negotiate pay for the workers, although it has reportedly asked the contractors to consider giving workers a 5% rise. But this falls far short of the 20% that the workers want, as reported by Bloomsberg.