Hong Kong construction sector urged to rehire workers from troubled contractor

Hong Kong industry leaders have called on new contractors to rehire workers and subcontractors from a local construction company that will lose its operating licence, to minimise delays in building 7,100 public homes.

One construction sector leader also warned against a loophole that permits companies to re-register simply by changing the authorised person.

Chau Sze-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, said on Friday that the best option for completing the construction of public flats on time was to rehire workers from soon-to-be-banned contractor Aggressive Construction Company.

“I suggest that [new contractors] retain the original subcontractors, as they face pressure to finish building the public flats for residents,” Chau told a radio show.

The Development Bureau said on Thursday that Aggressive Construction Company would be removed from the government’s registered list of contractors on June 20, following five fatalities in three accidents.

One incident involved a crane tower collapse that killed three workers on site in 2022.