On 3 October 2021, the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) voted to disband after 31 years under mounting political repression. For decades, the HKCTU had been at the forefront of Hong Kong’s workers’ struggles, from the 2007 bar benders’ strike to the 2013 dockworkers’ industrial action. Beyond these headline events, the HKCTU fought for minimum wage legislation, collective bargaining rights and the growth of independent unions, achievements that reflected the endurance and solidarity of Hong Kong’s grassroots labour movement.
“Dripping Water Wears Through Stone”: A Belief in Perseverance
The phrase “Dripping Water Wears Through Stone” became a motto of the HKCTU, symbolising steady, determined effort. It first appeared on T-shirts during the 2015 July 1 pro-democracy march, and was later worn by HKCTU members at their final press conference announcing the group’s dissolution, a quiet declaration that their ideals would endure. The HKCTU also embraced creative protest culture, collaborating with local artists such as the legendary “Kowloon Emperor” Tsang Tsou-choi to design campaign materials and slogans like “Kick Out Property Tycoons”, “Stand Firm” and “Too Mean”, turning demonstrations into moving galleries of dissent.
The Long Battle for a Minimum Wage
Since the late 1990s, the HKCTU campaigned relentlessly for a statutory minimum wage. In 1998, it exposed that McDonald’s paid some part-time workers as little as HK$11 an hour (about £1.10). In 2006, it revealed that outsourced bus cleaners earned just HK$8.33 an hour, sparking public outrage and eventual pay rises. The government finally introduced a minimum wage in 2011, but employers soon found loopholes such as cutting paid meal breaks. When the fast-food chain Café de Coral tried this tactic in 2010, the HKCTU launched a citywide “Boycott Café de Coral” campaign that forced the company to back down.
Collective Bargaining: From Legal Defeat to Practical Progress
In 1997, HKCTU legislator Lee Cheuk-yan successfully passed a private bill granting collective bargaining rights, only for the law to be suspended and repealed after Hong Kong’s sovereignty transfer to China. With legal channels closed, the HKCTU shifted to building workplace-level agreements. Some unions, such as the Taikoo Beverages Workers’ Union and the Cathay Pacific Flight Attendants’ Union, managed to secure limited negotiation rights with employers. During the 2007 construction workers’ strike, a trade union even won recognition from contractors to engage in formal wage talks. Although Hong Kong’s 2020 National Security Law later severely restricted labour freedoms, recent actions, such as those by university cleaners and Coca-Cola workers, show that the spirit of collective resistance still survives.
A Movement That Reached Every Corner of the City
At its peak, the HKCTU had nearly 100 affiliated unions spanning industries from transport to media. It helped form employee associations at TVB (Hong Kong’s largest broadcaster) to reclaim unpaid leave pay, and supported the creation of unions in both Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park. The HKCTU’s belief was simple yet powerful: where there are workers, there should be unions.
The forced closure of the HKCTU marked a profound setback for Hong Kong’s independent labour movement. Yet the ideals it embodied—solidarity, persistence and dignity for workers—continue to resonate. In today’s repressive climate, the phrase “Dripping Water Wears Through Stone” endures as a reminder that even the smallest, most patient efforts can one day reshape the hardest of systems.