Carol Ng Man-yee (Chinese: 吳敏兒, born 24 October 1970) is a Hong Kong political figure, former chairman of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, and former member of the Labour Party. She has been actively involved in labor movements over the years, including the "Baggage Gate" incident and the establishment of the British Airways Union.[1] She ran in the 2020 pro-democracy primaries for the Labour Party, losing in the New Territories West constituency.[2] Ng was arrested on 6 January 2021, accused of violating the Hong Kong national security law, after participating in the 2020 Legislative Council primary election, and has been remanded in custody since the end of February.
Carol Ng 吳敏兒 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chairwoman of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions | |
| In office 28 July 2016 – 6 March 2021 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 October 1970 |
| Nationality | British (until 2020) Chinese (Hong Kong) |
| Political party | Labour Party (until 6 March 2021） |
Biography
editRookie Singing Contest
editIn 1990, she participated in the 9th TVB New Talent Singing Competition and was a finalist, performing the song "This is Love" by Lam Cho Kei.
British Airways Hong Kong Staff Union
editIn 2003, British Airways unilaterally decided to deduct one-third of the staff's double pay, and after repeated unsuccessful negotiations, the company finally declared: "See you in court, you can go to court if you have the ability." The same year, Ng Man-yee founded the British Airways Hong Kong Cabin Crews Union (BAHKICCA) to claim back the salary deductions from British Airways.[3]
British Airways Discrimination Transoceanic Class Action
editThe British Airways Hong Kong Cabin Crew Union was dissatisfied with the employer's unwritten rule that local flight attendants should "retire" at the age of 45. The judge ruled that British Airways' Hong Kong aircrews were working on the aircraft and that the aircraft and its company were registered in the United Kingdom, so British Airways' Hong Kong employees should be protected by British law.[4]
After six years of litigation, British Airways finally yielded before the final appeal and extended the retirement age of Hong Kong aircrew to 65.[5] British Airways Hong Kong ended operations at its Hong Kong base in October 2018, with all 85 employees, including Ng Man-yee, having their contracts terminated immediately.[6]
Baggage Gate Incident
editIn the evening of 27 March 2016, Leung Chung Yan, the youngest daughter of then Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, left her hand luggage outside the restricted area of the airport, and was later allowed by the Airport Authority to be taken into the restricted area by airline staff without the need for "co-passenger inspection". On 17 April, Ng, who was the Chairman of the Airport at the time, staged a sit-in at the airport to demand that the "co-passenger" rule be upheld. Around 2,500 people participated.[7]
On 23 August 2018, the High Court ruled in favor of the Airport. When she met with reporters on the day of the ruling, Ng was moved to tears and said that the "peer-to-peer inspection" rule must be strictly enforced and that no one should be allowed to make exceptions, thanking the people of Hong Kong for their concern and support during the incident.[8]
August 2019 general strike
editOn 5 August 2019, people in Hong Kong launched the "three strikes", with an estimated 350,000 people taking part and in which the Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) helped organize.[9][10] Among them was Ng, then chairwoman of the HKCTU, who said that 95 of its affiliates had launched strikes, and that industries participating in the strikes included the airline industry, buses, retail, catering, financial services and civil servants in the transport sector. In the airline sector, Cathay Pacific Airways needed about 3,000 staff to work every day, and more than 1,500 of them did not attend work, resulting in a large number of flight cancellations; Dragonair needs about 900 people a day, and 500 to 600 of them did not work. There were also no staff at the control tower.[11]
Ng described the strike as a new form of protest for the whole movement, using "peace and reason, not superiority" to continue the movement and bring new thinking to the movement.
Anti-amendment campaign
editSince the 5 August general strike, more and more people in the community organized and participated in unions on their own initiative. Ng said the CTU received many inquiries, including finance, new civil servants, non-contract civil servants, medical, construction and other industries.[12] Ng said that the CTU would help organize more new unions to defend the political and labor rights of Hong Kong's working women.
February 2020 health care workers strike
editThe "HA Staff Front" held a strike for five days since early February 2020, demanding the Hong Kong government to close the border completely to fight against the epidemic. Wen Wei Da Gong criticized Ng and the former chairman of the Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Flight Attendants' Association, Anna Shih, for mobilizing health care workers to go on strike.[13]
Pro-democracy Legislative Council primaries and detention
editNg ran in the 2020 pro-democracy Legislative Council primaries for the Labour Party, losing in the New Territories West constituency.[2] Ng was arrested on 6 January 2021, accused of violating the Hong Kong national security law, after participating in the primaries, and has been remanded in custody since the end of February. She applied for bailed at least twice, withdrawing her application by June 2021.[14][15] She applied for bail again on 20 December, but her bail was denied, citing her international influence due to her trade union work. She also called for resistance against the authorities after losing the primary election and shown determination to resist against the government.[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ 眾新聞. "逆權空姐吳敏兒 抗爭歲月十五年". Archived from the original on 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
- ^ a b "Hong Kong's traditional opposition parties lose out to localist challengers in fierce weekend primary for coming Legislative Council election". South China Morning Post. 13 July 2020. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ 蘋果新聞. "工運人物：勝利在年月裏推進 吳敏兒". Archived from the original on 2019-10-09. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "越洋訴訟英航涉年齡歧視港員工 - 東方日報". Archived from the original on 2010-02-23. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
- ^ "英航工會成為歷史 成就香港工運多個第一次". Stand News. Archived from the original on 2020-05-15. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
- ^ 文雪萍 (2018-09-26). "英航香港大裁員 全數85名員工被即時終止合約 工會批不近人情" (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 2021-10-03. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
- ^ 立場新聞. "2500人機場靜坐抗議「特事特辦」 若民航署一周內無回應或再發起行動". Archived from the original on 2019-08-20. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
- ^ 眾新聞. "【行李門】空總：勿為權貴踐踏航空安全 梁振英：酌情送遞並非特權". Archived from the original on 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
- ^ "As it happened: Hong Kong disrupted as protesters begin day of strike action". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Another general strike possible, says organiser". RTHK. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ 立場新聞. "吳敏兒：8.5 有 35 萬人罷工 推動新形態抗爭方式". Archived from the original on 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
- ^ 世界日報. "反送中7個月 新工會申請暴增12倍 「大三罷」恐再現".[permanent dead link]
- ^ 文匯報. "四隻黑手 搞風搞雨". Archived from the original on 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- ^ Wong, Brian (1 June 2021). "National security law: bail rejected once more for seven Hong Kong opposition figures ahead of subversion trial". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021 – via Yahoo! News.
- ^ "信報即時新聞 -- 初選案7人申請保釋被拒 吳敏兒撤回申請". 信報即時新聞. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
- ^ "吳敏兒初選案被拒保釋 官判辭稱言論挑起對政府怨恨 具國際影響力易聯合他人反政府 (17:23) - 20220428 - 港聞". 明報新聞網 - 即時新聞 instant news (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2022-07-06.