Gov’t says ferry operators pledged to guarantee job security

Companies operating ferry services between Macau and Hong Kong allegedly made pledges guaranteeing employment opportunities for local workers, despite having laid off nearly half of their employees.
Susana Wong, director of the Marine and Water Bureau, confirmed yesterday during the Executive Council meeting that companies initially put part of their staff on unpaid leave, but they have already laid off almost half of their staff.
These companies have dismissed workers from Macau, Hong Kong and mainland China.
At this stage, companies have committed to ensuring job opportunities for local workers, Wong insisted.
According to the director, the bureau tracked the circumstances of the employees and the number of vessels during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Companies adjusted their employee conditions, through unpaid live and dismissal of non-technical personnel. We have followed these issues and the operators followed the concession contracts and labor requirements,” she added.
No exact number of dismissed workers was provided.
Previously, the director said, these companies used methods in compliance with the labor law to cut down on staff members who are neither in core positions nor are technical personnel, such as staff in the marketing department.
Ferry services to and from Macau have been halted since February 2020 due to the pandemic border closures.
Wong was questioned on the matter during a discussion of the new administrative regulations, which will reduce limitations on the registration of maritime passenger transport vessels.
The draft regulation proposes to reduce limitations on maritime passenger vessels based on their port of registration. The amended regulation would allow vessels registered in mainland China, Macau or Hong Kong, to take maritime passenger transport routes in Macau.
Wong confirmed that the bureau has not received any application for new ferry companies wanting to operate in Macau.