As severe snowstorms strike mainland China, rail and land transport is currently badly hampered. Hundreds of thousands of workers are stuck in the Guangzhou Railway Station alone, waiting for trains to other provinces to pull out so that they can be home for the festive season. Despite the efforts of the rail authority in repairing the railroads, the meteorological authority forecasts that heavy snow will continue for the next few days. The Guangdong administration has announced that sale of railway tickets up to February 6 would be suspended and workers are advised to stay in Guangdong for the holidays.
The FHKI is deeply concerned about the issue, as among the workers affected are many employees of Hong Kong-invested factories in Guangdong.
FHKI chairman Clement Chen said, “We call upon our members operating in Guangdong Province to keep their employee dormitories open during Chinese New Year for workers who stay in Guangdong. Manufacturers should also provide assistance to employees whenever possible to ensure a safe and happy Chinese New Year for them.”
