Trade unions have urged Hong Kong authorities to halt or review a programme to bring in transport, retail and aviation workers from outside the city, following the suspension of such arrangements for the construction industry amid claims of exploitation of migrant labourers, reports South China Morning Post. Calls from the unions to either withdraw the programme or bring forward a review came as authorities cancelled the latest round of applications for importing construction workers.

The government launched the programme to import a maximum of 20,000 workers, mainly from mainland China, for jobs in the construction, transport and aviation industries last July to ease labour shortages. It also expanded another programme to bring in unskilled or low-skilled workers in 26 job categories.

Some unions have slammed the programme and expressed concerns about the impact on the local workforce. Lam Wai-kong, chairman of the Motor Transport Workers General Union under the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, said in the South China Morning Post, “The imported quota has already taken away vacancies from local drivers. On top of that, we were not able to supervise what was going on with the migrant labourers.”

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union said on September 4 that it had received nearly 100 complaints from workers allegedly being exploited by management companies. Some employees accused the companies of withholding half of their salary and asking them to work extra days without pay.

Transport authorities said on Sunday that stakeholder consultative groups had been set up with industry representatives to take their advice on the scheme.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han noted that employers were required to transfer salaries directly to the migrant workers’ bank accounts, a practice authorities had set out to ensure staff were protected. He said an interdepartmental task force had been set up to work with law enforcement to investigate the alleged exploitation.