Strikes and boycotts over national security legislation for Hong Kong would be futile, the government says as at least 23 unions are set to vote on such action.
The unions will hold a referendum on Sunday 14 regarding whether strikes and class boycotts should be organized against Beijing’s imposition of the national security law.

 Labour unions

Involving about 10,000 members, the 23 unions represent 20 sectors - including hospitality, information technology, transport, aviation, catering, accounting, health care and civil service.

Workers will be voting on whether they oppose the national security law and whether they will authorize unions to launch industrial actions or strikes against the law.
“Through this referendum, we want to tell all Hongkongers that we can oppose the national security law by action,” said Alex Tsui Hau-lai, chairman of the Hong Kong Hotel Employees Union. The unions expect 60,000 people to join the referendum, which needs at least 60 percent of votes for the motions to pass, Tsui said.
He pointed out that those who are not yet members can register for the union and vote immediately on Sunday 14.

The times and venues of the poll have yet to be confirmed.

If 80 percent of the unions achieve their respective vote targets, they will organize a joint strike.
But if less than 60,000 people participate in the referendum, the unions will consider other ways to oppose the law, he said.

Tang Cheuk-man, who represents the Hong Kong Information Technology Workers’ Union, said if the proposal passes, the strike will be carried out in two stages.
– The first stage will last for three days and members can take annual leave or sick leave from their job.
– If the government does not respond, they will execute the next stage, which will see workers refusing to work until the legislation is withdrawn, he said.

 Secondary student groups

Secondary student groups are also organizing a referendum on Sunday 14 to decide on a class boycott.
To launch the boycott, the referendum requires at least10,000 votes from secondary school students and needs at least 60 percent of voters to vote in favor, said Isaac Cheng Ka-long, spokesman of Hong Kong Secondary School Students Action Platform.

 Government answer

A government spokesman yesterday “strongly condemned” the move.
“No person or organization will succeed in intimidating the SAR government by extreme means,” the spokesman said.
“The Basic Law and Hong Kong’s legal system do not provide for any ’referendum’ mechanism. Conducting any form of a so-called ’referendum’ will have no constitutional basis or legal effect.”
He said the strike, class boycott and referendums are “obviously taking advantage of students for political purposes.”

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said on his blog that the education sector should prevent politics from “invading the campus,” referring to an online petition calling on students to oppose the national security law.
People should not use schools to express their political demands and should not incite students, especially primary and secondary pupils, to express their views or participate in political issues which are controversial and in progress, he said.

sophie.hui singtaonewscorp.com

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