Swire Beverages strike | Union committee member sacked after crash; over 100 workers strike for a day as dismissal is withdrawn and suspension imposed
太古飲料罷工｜工會理事撞車被炒 逾百工人罷工一天 資方撤回解僱改停職 警曾指非法集會
A truck driver for Swire Coca-Cola Hong Kong was involved in a traffic accident in Tseung Kwan O last month while reversing, knocking down a pedestrian. Swire Coca-Cola Hong Kong dismissed the driver yesterday (4th), citing the company’s safety guideline that he had not worn a seatbelt while reversing. The Swire Beverages (Hong Kong) Employees’ Union said the company had rarely dismissed employees involved in traffic accidents in the past, and that the driver was also a union committee member. The union launched an indefinite strike outside the company this morning (5th), with more than 100 employees supporting it. It demanded that the company cancel the driver’s dismissal and commit to providing legal support and assuming responsibility when field staff faced prosecution in the course of their work. Police said the gathering at the scene was an unlawful assembly. After the two sides held a meeting, the company conceded and withdrew the dismissal, placing the driver on suspension pending the judgment while continuing to pay his basic salary. The company agreed not to discipline the striking employees, but to treat the time as unpaid, and said it would review the “safety clause”, strengthen training, and establish a “legal adviser” service to provide consultations for employees. It also said that five days’ notice would be given in future if there was a strike. The workers ended the strike and will return to work tomorrow (6th).
一名香港太古可口可樂的貨車司機，上月在將軍澳倒車時，發生交通意外，撞倒一名行人。香港太古可口可樂昨（4日）以公司安全指引「倒車時未有穿戴安全帶」為由，即時解僱該車手。太古飲料(香港)職工總會指，公司過往甚少解僱發生交通意外的員工，涉事車長同為工會理事會成員，工會今（ 5 日） 早上在公司門外發起無限期罷工，約百多員工支持，工會要求公司取消解僱涉事車長、承諾對外勤同事工作上遇到檢控，作出法律支援及承擔等。 警方指現場為非法集會。 勞資雙方舉行會議後，公司讓步，撤回解僱安排，以停職等候判決，期間會支付底薪。公司同意不會處分罷工同事，只作無薪處理，並表示會檢討「安全條款」，加強培訓，日後也會設立「法律顧問」，給同事諮詢，日後如有罷工，會在五日前通知。工人結束罷工，明日（6日）復工。