List Covid-19 As An Occupational Disease, Say Unions

Trade unions on both sides of the political spectrum have marked International Workers' Memorial Day by stepping up their calls for the government to better protect employees by listing Covid-19 as an occupational disease.

The pro-democracy Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims said the virus is not covered under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and it could take a long time for a worker who blames his or her employer for having become infected with Covid-19 to launch legal action for damages.

The association said about 200 workers die in Hong Kong each year, with the SAR recording up to 50,000 industrial accidents annually.

The group said it helped the families of 58 people who died at work in Hong Kong last year.

The association's spokesman, Promil Huang, said it would be wise for officials to heed their calls over the coronavirus, as he expects to receive complaints in the coming year, and not just from people working in hospitals.

“We still haven’t received those cases, but [based on] past experience, Sars or other diseases, we can predict those cases will come up within this year in different industries,” Huang said.

The association's demand over Covid-19 was echoed by the pro-government Federation of Trade Unions (FTU).

It also urged the government to consider setting up a central occupational insurance compensation fund to help those working in high-risk industries to buy cover.

Both groups, meanwhile, paid tribute to people who died or were injured at work in Hong Kong over recent years.