There are about 600 Nepalis working for G4S in Hong Kong, making up one in four of its employees. The Nepali workers – many of who had earlier served in the British Army when Hong Kong was its colony – accuse the company of practicing a discriminatory employment policy.
It grades Nepalis as either GSO (Gurkha Security Officer – one with an army background), or NSO (Nepalese Security Officer – one without an army background) and pays each group differently according to their classification; HK$33 (US$4.25) an hour for GSO and HK$28 (US$3.60) an hour for NSO.
Both GSO and NSO do exactly the same job, but this is not why the employees are outraged, the protestors said. Despite their classifications, G4S is hiring ex-Gurkhas and classifying them as NSO, and thus paying them lower wages. The Nepali workers are demanding equal treatment and the abolition of "discriminatory, arbitrary classifications", the website said.
Their other demands include a basic minimum wage of HK$14,000 per month (US$1,804) and an overtime rate of $50. They are also demanding that contract staff should get a permanent post when they reach the age of 45. As these workers told chinaworker.info, they have not had a wage increase in the previous 13 years.
The workers demands were issued on January 12 with an ultimatum.
Today’s protests were in response to the management’s "intransigence". Representatives from the Nepali workers and their union, HKCTU (Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions), presented their demands to the management in front of company headquarters.
The next step will depend on the management’s response, the workers said.
G4S is the world’s largest security company, operating in over 100 countries, which is headquartered in the UK. The company employs over 530,000 staff. It also has presence in Nepal.
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