Hong Kong transport company Citybus has announced that all of its employees would receive a pay rise of at least 3.6 per cent, while full-time bus captains, engineers and other frontline staff have been guaranteed a pay rise of no less than HK$810 per month. The newly announced wage hike, together with the minimum guarantee pay increase for frontline staff rolled out last year, would result in an average pay rise of 3.
86 per cent for more than 5,000 Citybus employees, the bus company said on Tuesday. The adjustment came after Citybus held multiple meetings with staff and union representatives, the company said. The company said the enhanced compensation package aimed to show its appreciation for the “tireless efforts” of staff over the past year, including delivering a successful franchise merger and marking Citybus’ 45th anniversary.
“Even in the continuing difficult market conditions with patronage and revenues yet to recover fully, we are following our core value of ‘putting our people first’,” a statement from Citybus read. Founded in 1979, Citybus currently operates more than 1,700 buses across Hong Kong and carries more than 1.1 million passengers every day.
The company said said it had faced “significant challenges due to inflationary pressures,” including rising wage, fuel and supply chain costs over the past year. The bus fare, however, had not risen in line with the increased costs, Citybus said. Despite the challenges, the bus company said it wanted to provide a competitive remuneration package, which also included a 24-week paid maternity and two weeks of paid paternity leave.
It would also introduce a new special leave offer for employees marking their children’s marriage, the company said on Tuesday. Frontline staff will see their new wage come into effect on September 1, while others will receive their pay increase in January next year “based on their annual performance reviews.” Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team.
