Politics, Pandemics and Protest: A Case of 2020 Health Workers Strike in Hong Kong

Abstract

This photo essay presents a strike that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Hong Kong. While the literature shows that industrial actions in the healthcare sector are not uncommon, they are rarely discussed through a visual approach. Indeed, healthcare workers are very difficult to organise and mobilise due to the challenges in justifying the action and the potential conflicts to their professionalism. This photo essay offers a descriptive and visual account of the strike, explaining the workers’ motivation, demands, the negotiation process, and the result of the strike. It provides much insight into understanding healthcare workers’ struggles during the pandemic and facilitates more discussions on the politics of industrial actions.