Hundreds of staff joined calls for a citywide strike next week against the government’s handling of recent protests in Hong Kong.
Finance staff of 34 banks added their voices to an umbrella group of 95 unions from the public and private sectors behind a planned strike on Monday, Hong Kong newspapers reported.
«We hope all working staff will take part, and join one of the seven rallies over the city,» said Confederation of Trade Unions (CTU) chairwoman Carol Ng Man-yee, who was quoted in the «South China Morning Post».
She is referring to the parallel rallies proposed online for Monday in Admiralty, Mong Kok, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Wong Tai Sin, and Tuen Mun. The newspaper could not identify any organizer behind the plan, or whether anyone had applied for permission from the police.
Staff From Major Banks to Participate
Nearly 400 employees at 34 financial institutions launched an anonymous petition to support the Monday strike, as well as scheduling a brief protest in Chater Garden for Thursday evening.
Staff from HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, and UBS were among those who backed the call, some posting pictures of their staff cards, with their names covered. Five workers from the state-owned Citic Bank posted a message which read: «Useless government ignores the people’s will. All Hongkongers let’s go on strike on August 5.»
Strike Gains Momentum
The idea of a strike raised weeks ago on an online forum gained momentum recently. Two protests that descended into clashes saw 44 people charged with rioting.
«To really allow the city to settle down, the government should establish an inquiry, which is not just about the police’s handling of protests, but the entire policymaking and decision-making process,» Ng added.
