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KFC staff in Hong Kong earn as little as 2 US dollars an hour

HONG KONG - Unions in Hong Kong were calling on Saturday for a minimum wage law to be drafted urgently after a survey found workers at fast-food outlet KFC earn as little as 2 US dollars an hour.

Some KFC outlets in the wealthy city of 7 million pay just 16 Hong Kong dollars (2.06 US dollars) an hour while the average paid by the US chicken restaurant chain is 2.44 US dollars, the survey found.

Staff in McDonald’s outlets are only slightly better paid with average pay rates of 2.61 US dollars an hour, the survey by Hong Kong unions found.

There is no legal minimum wage in Hong Kong currently and unions want the government to establish a statutory minimum pay rate of 33 Hong Kong dollars (4.25 US dollars) an hour.

Responding to the survey, KFC said it planned to increase salaries and benefits for Hong Kong employees when the global financial crisis is over.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most expensive cities in terms of living costs and the average monthly salary in the former British colony is around 1,400 US dollars.