The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) commented that the voluntary wage protection movement was a failure.

According to the survey conducted by HKCTU during January – April 2008, 90% of the cleaners interviewed got salaries lower than the average market rate.

The interview covered more than 300 cleaners working for 98 private housing estates. It is found out that 75.2% of the workers received an hourly rate lower than HK$22. Some of them even got an hourly rate lower than HK$14.

Among the surveyed housing estates, only five offered a pay rise to the cleaners. The pay rise ranged from HK$100 to $300, which is equaled to an hourly rate of HK$0.48 to $1.40.

In the survey, only 17.8% of the cleaners have heard about the wage protection movement, but they commented that the movement has not solved their low-pay issue. They expected the government to pass the legislation on setting minimum wages.

HKCTU urged the government to set a minimum hourly wage of HK$35 to protect the life of grass-roots workers.