Unionists have defended the need for the city to have a minimum wage and called for "reasonable and objective" discussion on the issue, after a lawmaker suggested scrapping the basic hourly rate.

The Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) said the statutory minimum wage, which is currently at HK$40, is essential to protecting employees, in response to comments by Liberal Party legislator Tommy Cheung of the catering sector that the minimum wage could hurt Hong Kong's competitiveness.

On Sunday, FTU chairman Kingsley Wong said having a minimum wage in place is a common practice worldwide.

"The main purpose of the minimum wage is to be a policy safety net, to ensure grassroots or the most disadvantaged local workers receive appropriate protection," Wong said.

"On the issue of the minimum wage, we should be reasonable and objective. Around the world, many countries and regions in the West and Asia have a minimum wage, so the minimum wage must be an appropriate measure then."

Wong also renewed calls for the statutory minimum wage to be reviewed annually, instead of once every two years.

In light of a recent string of deadly industrial accidents, the FTU called on various stakeholders such as employers, workers, architects and developers to do their part to ensure occupational safety.

Other demands by the federation ahead of this year's Labour Day included priority be given to local labour, better protection for employees who have to stay online after office hours – also known as “invisible overtime” – and standardised contracts of delivery platform workers.