Hong Kong, 19 September 2024: Rogue middlemen continue to get away with exploiting imported workers in Hong Kong and stronger government regulation is needed to combat such behaviour, Colin Cohen has told radio listeners.

Reacting to recent allegations of malpractice in the construction industry, he said: “These stories are not new and it is not only construction where this is happening, it has been going on with our foreign domestic workers for decades.”

Colin, Senior Partner in BC&C, was speaking as a guest on RTHK Radio 3’s Backchat, where he told presenters Jenny Lam and Mike Rowse that unscrupulous middlemen had myriad ways of making money from imported labour.

“They are fleecing workers, taking under-the-counter payments, charging them for transport between their dormitories and the construction site, making them pay for job training, and other such practices,” he said. “It means the worker often ends up with much less than his or her stipulated salary.”

Labour exploitation in the construction industry has been a hot topic in recent weeks, with the authorities investigating allegations that migrant workers were deprived of half of their salaries, while others were ordered to pay a fee for a five-day safety training course. In another case, a foreman was charged with accepting bribes for helping imported workers to secure their jobs.

Amid these problems, the government has suspended its scheme to import construction workers – many of whom have arrived from the mainland – with labour minister Chris Sun vowing to protect their rights and investigate alleged violations.

Colin welcomed the suspension, questioning whether there was a need for so much imported labour. “Hong Kong is facing some serious economic issues. Are we really saying that we can’t find people here to do this work?” he asked.

The programme also featured lawmaker and trade unionist Lam Chun-sing, who called on the government to work more closely with the mainland authorities in clamping down on rogue management companies.

Colin is a regular guest on Backchat, offering legal input on a range of hot topics. In recent months he has commented on noise pollution issues, the broadcasting of court hearings and closer legal co-operation between Hong Kong and Middle East nations.