The Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) and the Home Affairs Department (HAD) met with Legislative Council Member the Honourable Leung Tsz-wing of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) and related representatives including Director of Rights and Benefits Committee of the HKFTU Yau Yiu-shing, Chairman of the Hong Kong General Union of Security and Property Management Industry Employees Mak Yik-cheong, Director of the Hong Kong Environmental Services, Logistics and Cleaning Employees Association Lau Yuet-pin; Chairperson of the Hong Kong Federation of Employees Unions in Public Utilities SZE Sang-tai as well as Director of the Service Industry General Union Wan Ka-kwai, etc., today to discuss matters related to the implementation of the Anti-epidemic Support Scheme for Environmental Hygiene and Security Staff in Property Management Sector (the Scheme) and to follow up on cases referred by the HKFTU regarding frontline property management (PM) workers who have encountered difficulties when applying for subsidies.
The PMSA Chief Executive Officer Alan SIU said, “We thank the HKFTU for their continued support to PM practitioners and their concern on the implementation of the Scheme. The PMSA has actively been following up on the cases referred by HKFTU concerning frontline PM workers who have encountered difficulties when applying for subsidy since we met with HKFTU and listened to their views in June. The PMSA is dedicated to coordinating and encouraging collaboration from all parties concerned to assist frontline PM workers to apply for subsidy. Nearly 90% of eligible cases have been successfully dealt with and the PMSA is working hard to follow up with remaining cases.”
Mr SIU emphasised, “After mediation by the PMSA, most property management companies (PMCs) and owners’ organisations (OOs) agreed to apply for subsidy on behalf of frontline PM workers engaged by contractors or premises in their properties.”
Mr SIU added, “Under the current Scheme, frontline PM workers providing cleansing or security services in eligible properties or their premises, whether directly or indirectly employed by PMCs/deed of mutual covenant (DMC) managers/OOs, full time, part time or substitute workers are all eligible for applying for subsidy. I wish to appeal again for PMCs, DMC managers and OOs of eligible properties to seize the opportunity to submit application timely before 30 June.”
Up to date, over 18,000 applications for over 187,000 frontline PM workers have already been received by the PMSA, exceeding the number of 160,000 benefitted in the first round of the Scheme implemented in 2020. The PMSA has already granted nearly 1 billion in subsidies benefitting over 100,000 frontline PM workers.
The Scheme commenced accepting applications since 28 February and rolled out the Enhanced Arrangement on 29 April this year. Frontline PM workers performing duties related to security or environmental hygiene in private residential, composite (commercial cum residential) buildings, industrial and commercial buildings (including shopping malls) may receive a monthly allowance of $2,000 for a maximum five months. PMCs/DMC Managers/OOs will receive an administrative fee for submitting the application, thereby encouraging them to apply for subsidy for frontline PM workers.
The PMSA has already met with Legislative Council Member the Honourable Leung Tsz-wing of the HKFTU and related representatives including Director of Rights and Benefits Committee of the HKFTU Yau Yiu-shing; Chairman of the Hong Kong General Union of Security and Property Management Industry Employees Mak Yik-cheong, Chairman of the Hong Kong Environmental Services, Logistics and Cleaning Employees Association Lam Yau-kwai as well as Director of the Service Industry General Union Wan Ka-kwai, etc., in early June on matters related to the Scheme.
In the first round of the Scheme implemented in 2020, the PMSA has disbursed over $1.1 billion in subsidies benefitting over 160,000 frontline PM workers.
For more details of the Scheme, please visit its thematic website (https://aspm.pmsa.org.hk), or call 3696 1156/3696 1166 or email to aspm@pmsa.org.hk for enquiries.
Ends/Tuesday, 22 June 2022
Issued at HKT 18:30
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