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These increases have been combined with continuing full employment.
Hong Kong wages are the highest in the Far East with the exception
of Japan.
Government Action in the Labour Field
8. There has been a continuous improvement in working conditions
through legislative action. Thus, in the past five years, 65 items
of labour legislation have been enacted covering a wide range of
safeguards and benefits, such as protection of wages, a minimum
number of rest days, better compensation for industrial injuries;
reduction of the normal working hours of women and young persons; and
the establishment of a Labour Tribunal. On a non-statutory basis,
the Labour Department has encouraged the development of Joint
Consultation in the larger undertakings.
9. New industrial relations legislation is in course of
preparation which will give statutory backing to the Labour Relations
Services in the Department of Labour, and provide for the settlement
of disputes by voluntary arbitration and for courts of enquiry where
appropriate. This law will replace the Illegal Strikes and Lock-Out
Ordinance and the largely out-dated Trade Disputes Ordinance.
10. The labour inspection services are maintained at a high level
of efficiency. Some time ago the factory inspection service was
examined by two senior inspectors from the UK Department of
Employment and we have just been asked to obtain the services of an
experienced inspector on a 2 year contract to advise on the steps
necessary to maintain the inspectorate at a high level of efficiency.
A regular stream of officers from the Department of Labour come to
this Ministry for training.
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