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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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KMB hops on bandwagon with 3.5pc pay increase
More than 12,800 employees at bus giant Kowloon Motor Bus Company and its sister company Long Win will enjoy a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay rise, a day after a 2.5 increment for civil servants was finalized.
The increase, retroactive from June 1, came after taking into consideration the operational situation, market environment and the results of the pay-trend survey, as well as the dedication, professionalism and perseverance of staff in these testing times, KMB said yesterday.
It comes despite patronage at the two firms being hit by the pandemic, the associated place-of-work disruptions and the expansion of the railway network.
A spokesman thanked union representatives for their "proactive and practical communication on the wage review" and understanding of the challenging business environment.
But some unions said workers had "no choice."
Hong Kong Franchised Bus Employees General Union and the Federation of Hong Kong Transportation and Logistics Industry Unions pointed out that pay levels had been frozen over the past two years.
They urged the firms to make it up to workers with a more substantial increase next year to offset inflation and to put in place long-service increases particularly to hold on to experienced bus captains.
The hike comes a week after MTR Corp announced a 3.3 to 5 percent pay increase for its 16,000 staff and a bonus equivalent to at least 1 months' salary.
Meanwhile, some bus captains at New World First Bus Services are concerned over possible shift work in the wake of its merger with Citybus.
New World First Bus Company Staff Union's Lo Tsz-wai said some captains have indicated they would quit if they have to switch to shift work like at Citybus.
Bus captains at the firms will not see a pay hike until year-end in the wake of a pay freeze in December. A one-month bonus and a HK$4,000 one-off payment were disbursed in January.
The developments came as Legislative Council member Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung yesterday said civil servants are lucky to receive a 2.5 percent pay hike, given that the pay-trend survey did not reflect company closures layoffs and no-pay leave.
But labor-sector rep Chau Siu-chung said civil servants are owed a debt for the nominal rise, which may only be HK$200 to HK$300 for some junior staffers.
It comes despite patronage at the two firms being hit by the pandemic, the associated place-of-work disruptions and the expansion of the railway network.
A spokesman thanked union representatives for their "proactive and practical communication on the wage review" and understanding of the challenging business environment.
But some unions said workers had "no choice."
Hong Kong Franchised Bus Employees General Union and the Federation of Hong Kong Transportation and Logistics Industry Unions pointed out that pay levels had been frozen over the past two years.
They urged the firms to make it up to workers with a more substantial increase next year to offset inflation and to put in place long-service increases particularly to hold on to experienced bus captains.
The hike comes a week after MTR Corp announced a 3.3 to 5 percent pay increase for its 16,000 staff and a bonus equivalent to at least 1 months' salary.
Meanwhile, some bus captains at New World First Bus Services are concerned over possible shift work in the wake of its merger with Citybus.
New World First Bus Company Staff Union's Lo Tsz-wai said some captains have indicated they would quit if they have to switch to shift work like at Citybus.
Bus captains at the firms will not see a pay hike until year-end in the wake of a pay freeze in December. A one-month bonus and a HK$4,000 one-off payment were disbursed in January.
The developments came as Legislative Council member Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung yesterday said civil servants are lucky to receive a 2.5 percent pay hike, given that the pay-trend survey did not reflect company closures layoffs and no-pay leave.
But labor-sector rep Chau Siu-chung said civil servants are owed a debt for the nominal rise, which may only be HK$200 to HK$300 for some junior staffers.
