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HWB 18/2
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Curtis Green,
250
October, 1967.
15
In George Thomson's absence abroad I am replying to your letter of 7 September, with which you enclosed a file of correspondence from Oriental Domestics, Ltd.
I was very concerned indeed to find that you had never had a reply to your earlier letter of 5 December 1966 to the Ministry of Labour; this very long delay is inexcusable and I can only say how sorry I am about this most unfortunate oversight.
Mr. Burn's general complaint is that the contract preferred by the Hong Kong Commissioner of Labour is over favourable to the worker, and he adduces legal advice to the effect that a number of its clauses are ultra vires. The complaint arises largely from a misunderstanding.
The contract is not one upon which the Commissioner insists but a Model for which he thinks the worker would be well advised to press.
..
The main difficulty arises over the matter of passages, Mr. Burn complains that an unscrupulous worker can get himself
to this country at an employer's expense and then walk out to a better paid position with someone else. The Ministry of Labour have considered this matter, and believe that the number of such cases is very low. A foreign worker who wishes to change his job ust obtain prior permission from the Ministry and though the Ministry have no power to compel a man to remain in any particular jcb, unreasonable requests for a move are followed up. The number of such cases may be even less now tš a result of the period of notice for terminating the contract being increased from one month to three, (Mr. Burn has
THE RT. HON QUINTIN HOGG, QC, MP.
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