On Monday afternoon, a wage dispute escalated at the construction site for Smart Car Park Project B near the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port, as over 20 workers conducted a public protest seeking months of overdue pay.
Shortly after 4 p.m. on December 8, ironworkers employed by a third-tier subcontractor gathered outside the arrivals hall, displaying banners to highlight their plight. The workers allege they are owed two to three months’ wages, totaling more than HK$2 million. The disruption underscores persistent concerns regarding timely payment practices within large-scale infrastructure projects in Hong Kong.
Allegations of Chronic Payment Delays
The protesting ironworkers claimed that despite six months of labor, their employers had chronically delayed payments. “They always delay two months, then pay just one,” reported one frustrated worker, indicating a pattern of partial and deferred compensation.
The demands extended beyond the on-site workers. According to Mr. Mak, a site foreman representing the affected group, clerical staff are allegedly owed four to six months of salary, and a fabrication plant involved in the project is seeking approximately HK$1.5 million. Mr. Mak also noted that essential material payments to suppliers had been missed.
Banners featured strong language, including phrases like “Used and discarded—sweat but no pay,” and directly called for intervention, stating: “We demand Airport Authority intervention to resolve this.”
Authority Intervention and Official Response
The foreman confirmed that complaints had been formally lodged with the main and second-tier contractors, the Airport Authority (AA)—the site owner—and the Labour Department. He claimed the main contractor was coordinating with the Labour Department to find a swift resolution, but alleged the second-tier contractor had become unreachable.
Police responded to the scene at 4:02 p.m. regarding the disturbance involving approximately 20 individuals and three banners. Officers requested the protesters lower their banners and promised to establish contact between the aggrieved parties and representatives from the AA and contracting firms to facilitate negotiations. The incident was officially logged by the police as a “request for police assistance.”
Following the police response, the Airport Authority dispatched staff to the site to mediate the dispute between the workers and the contractors responsible for the project.
Protecting Workers’ Rights on Major Projects
This high-profile dispute, taking place at a key infrastructure gateway, highlights the vulnerability of workers under complex subcontracting structures. When primary contractors use multiple layers of subcontractors, the financial distance between the project owner and the workers increases, sometimes resulting in delayed or defaulted payments.
The Labour Department’s role is critical in enforcing the Employment Ordinance, which mandates timely payment of wages. Experts often advise that government agencies overseeing major contracts, such as the AA in this instance, incorporate stronger contractual clauses that mandate transparency in payment schedules and allow for direct intervention or escrow accounts to protect subcontractors and laborers when disputes arise.
Affected workers are encouraged to continue cooperating with the Labour Department, which provides conciliation services and guidance on pursuing legal remedies for wage arrears. Timely and fair compensation is fundamental to maintaining labor relations and ensuring the smooth operation of vital public works.