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“

The PTU participated in social movements because upholding

social justice is one of its core values.

”

chatted with us. It is not purely a sell-
er-customer relationship, but a very
warm and close one,” he continues.
Poon also praises PTU’s founding
chairman Szeto Wah’s devotion to ed-
ucation and his down-to-earth work-
ing style. He passed away in 2011.
“I remember back in 1971, rub-
bish piled up in toilets after a carnival
event. When Szeto Wah was aware of
it, he went to the toilet to clean it him-
self,” he recalls.
Looking into the future after the
PTU’s disbandment, Poon tries to stay
hopeful.
“There is not really a basis for opti-
mism now, but it is also not necessary
to be negative. There is always hope,
it just depends on how you interpret Empty PTU supermarket after the announcement of dis-
things,” he says. bandment.
two new committees in the union, and fessionalism with politics, such as in-
The New Teachers’ Union have already invited some non-FEW citing teachers to participate in class
Shortly after the PTU’s disband- members to be part of them,” Ng says. boycotts.”
ment, the pro-Beijing Hong Kong The vice-chairman thinks that it is Ng’s remarks were similar to FEW
Federation of Education Workers difficult to comment on the PTU’s dis- president Wong Kwan-yu’s. Speaking
(FEW) established the Hong Kong bandment but says: “We acknowledge to a RTHK radio programme on Au-
Education Workers Union on Sep- that the PTU has made a lot of contri- gust 11, Wong criticized the PTU for
tember 12. butions to teachers’ rights throughout not distinguishing itself from teach-
“The union currently has fewer its history, but we cannot approve its ers with professional misconduct, as
than 50 members. We will send invi- actions that override education pro- well as separatism and Hong Kong
tations to teachers next month, and
we hope that 10,000 FEW members “
and other non-FEW education work-
ers will join us,” Ng Chi-wui, the vice- There is not really a basis for optimism
chairman of the union, says.
He also says that most of the mem- now, but it is also not necessary to be neg-
bers in the new union’s council met
each other in the FEW, but stresses ative. There is always hope, it just depends
that the union will also include non- on how you interpret things,
FEW members, including current and
retired education workers. ”
“We are currently planning to form