Hong Kong unions threaten strikes in push for border closure to curb virus

MTR

30/01/2020 05:14

HONG KONG, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Trade unions in Hong Kong,
including hospital and rail workers, are threatening to go on
strike unless the government closes the border with mainland
China to stop the spread of a new coronavirus that has sent
jitters around the world.
    While Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has ordered the suspension
of the high-speed rail service between the city and mainland
China from midnight on Thursday and all cross-border ferry
services, the unions said it was not enough.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nP8N29E00H
    "Front-line colleagues are in a panic as they are exposed to
high risk of getting the virus while at work," said Railway
Power, which represents about 500 workers from metro operator
MTR Corp  0066.HK .
    The Hospital Authority Employees Alliance (HAEA) said it
welcomed the steps the government had taken but wanted it to
close the entire border and would meet on Saturday to discuss
what more action it could take.
    "There is still a considerable distance from our goal of
full-scale preventive measures of infection control," the union
said in a statement.
    Chris Cheung, treasurer of the HAEA, which has more than
18,000 members, said many of them planned to begin phased strike
action next week unless their demands were met.
    The former British colony has confirmed 10 cases of the
coronavirus, with one person in critical condition. The
epicentre of the outbreak is the central Chinese city of Wuhan,
where it is believed to have jumped to humans from an animal in
an illegal wildlife market.
    The health scare comes after months of at times violent
anti-government protests in Hong Kong sparked by fears its
autonomy, guaranteed under a "one country, two systems" formula,
is being eroded by Beijing.
    Protesters frustrated by the city government's refusal to
make concessions on demands for full democracy have in recent
months formed about 40 unions as a way to press their campaign
and at least a dozen of them have come out in support of the
HAEA's proposed strike. 
    Lam has said it is "inappropriate and impractical" to close
the entire border. 
    The threat of strike action comes as Hong Kong residents
have been scouring shops for face masks and joining long queues
as supplies dwindle.
    Berry So, a waiter, said he had queued up from 2 a.m.
outside one shop.
    "I've been waiting six to seven hours," said So, who failed
to get a mask.
    China's National Health Commission said on Thursday the
total number of confirmed deaths from the coronavirus in the
country climbed to 170, as the number of infected patients rose
to 7,711.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nB9N28U05G
    

 (Reporting By Sarah Wu, Joseph, Campbell and Jessie Pang
Writing by Anne Marie Roantree
Editing by Robert Birsel)
 ((annemarie.roantree@thomsonreuters.com; +852 97387151; Reuters
Messaging: annemarie.roantree.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))