Large number of staffs at Cable News have signed a petition against the broadcaster’s decision to fire three senior engineers yesterday (21/8), HKJA expresses concern over the incident and calls on employers to do their best to avoid layoffs, and both employers and employees should exercise restraint and maintain communications.

According to the employees’ statement of Cable News Department, the three engineering supervisors have served the company for more than 20 years. They have been working hard and are important pillars of the daily operations of the news department.

We understand that media companies have faced operational challenges, made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. But employers should try their best to avoid redundancies and maintain communication with their employees to weather the hard times together.

We are concerned that redundancy moves will deal a serious blow to staff morale. We urge media organisations to consider other measures. Affected journalists may seek assistance from HKJA if they encounter labour-management problems.

Hong Kong Journalists Association

22 August 2020