In the wake of the National Security Law and the newly amended Trade Union Ordinance, Hong Kong’s labour movement has come under unprecedented pressure. Waves of union dissolutions have left workers’ voices weaker than ever. Yet, even in these hostile conditions, some refuse to remain silent.
Among them is 25-year-old Shan Ho, who had barely graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong before stepping into the role of general secretary at the Cleaning Workers Union. Despite her youthful appearance and the union’s limited resources, she and union chairman Joe Wong, a veteran of the labour movement, joined forces in August to lead a sit-in protest by cleaners at Hong Kong Baptist University. Their collective action forced the outsourcing contractor to concede, winning cleaners a monthly allowance of between HK$300 and HK$500.
This seemingly modest victory became a rare spark of resistance in a city overshadowed by political suppression.
Rebuilding Worker Solidarity Amid the National Security Law
Since the imposition of the National Security Law in 2020, dozens of unions and civic organisations have been compelled to disband. The collapse of major bodies, such as the Professional Teachers’ Union and the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), signalled the disintegration of Hong Kong’s once-vibrant labour movement.
When Ho assumed the role of general secretary of the Cleaning Workers Union, it was not a romantic act of idealism, but a compelled sense of duty. Alongside Joe Wong, the disbanded HKCTU’s last chairman, who continues to serve the union voluntarily, she resolved not to let it wither away. Together, they rallied volunteers, reached out to workers, and transformed scattered discontent into collective demands.
From Tentative Voices to Bold Demands
The dispute arose as Baptist University switched contractors for its cleaning services. Workers faced frozen wages and the loss of paid holidays. Instead of speaking on their behalf, the union encouraged cleaners to articulate their demands directly in group discussions.
To Ho’s surprise, some workers went further than expected. “They themselves said strike! We were only thinking of a sit-in or submitting a petition, but they said strike (laughs). These sisters are really outspoken,” she recalled.
The experience revealed a powerful truth: Years of exploitation had not left workers entirely submissive; with the right spark, they could and did rise to their feet.
A Fragile Protest, a Rare Breakthrough
On 1 August, the planned sit-in nearly collapsed when management offered a cash allowance in an apparent attempt to quell dissent. Just as the union and volunteers feared no one would show up, more than a dozen workers braved the risks and came forward in solidarity.
Wong recalled, visibly moved: “When those workers appeared, my mind went into slow motion, frame by frame… It was incredibly moving.”
As more cleaners joined, management was forced into direct negotiations, eventually agreeing to embed monthly allowances and wage improvements in contracts. While not all demands were met, the outcome was hailed as a significant breakthrough in an environment where labour activism is routinely stifled.
Preserving Dignity in an Age of Suppression
The labour movement of Hong Kong no longer sees the large-scale street demonstrations of previous decades. Public fundraising and mass mobilisation have become near impossible. Yet, as Wong emphasised: “So long as there are workers, there will be a workers’ movement.”
Today, unions act less as leaders and more as supporters—helping workers themselves to take the lead. The Baptist University cleaners’ campaign proved that even in narrow spaces, resistance and organisation remain possible.
Refusing Silence as an Act of Hope
Ho admits the burden weighs heavily. She manages union administration, covers expenses from her own pocket, and faces political risks as well as family concern. Yet she stays, inspired by the cleaners’ courage to resist, even when confronted with intimidation.
That courage, she says, underscores the deeper meaning of the labour movement: The true value of the labour movement lies not only in fighting for material gains, but in refusing to bow to injustice and allowing silence to swallow dignity.
In today’s Hong Kong, unions are no longer taken for granted—they are acts of defiance and responsibility. And for that reason, every collective voice and every small victory has become profoundly valuable.
In the cracks, sparks still burn—sparks of workers’ pursuit of fairness, and of their enduring hope for the future.
Source: HK Yahoo news