II. The General Employment Situation
Employment
3.
The trade recession has resulted in a reduction in employment. At the end of March 1974, a survey showed that 611,205 workers were employed in registered and recorded industrial undertakings, compared with the record figure of 627,238 at the end of December 1973 and 616,609 at 31 March 1973. In the first quarter of 1974 employment fell therefore by nearly 23% compared with the end of 1973, or by 0.8% compared with the first quarter of 1973. The greatest reductions were in textiles and textile make-ups (a drop of 7,225 or 2.6%); plastic products (2,424 or 3.5%); printing and publishing (846 or 4.5%), and electrical products and electronics (744 or 1.0%). However, employment in the metal products industry, Hong Kong's fourth largest employer, rose by 0.4% to 51,132. There is an effective Employment Service and Youth Employment Advisory Service.
Wages
4. Over the ten years up to the end of March 1974, real wages increased about 5% per annum until 1974 when there was a drop of 12% in the year to March 1974, a reflection of rising prices and relatively static wages.
5. The ranges of daily wages for workers in manufacturing industries at the end of 1973 were:-
$14.90 to $52.80 (say £1.20 to £4) for skilled workers;
$11.70 to $38.60 (say £1 to £3) for semi-skilled workers; $10.80 to $26.00 (say £0.90 to £2) for unskilled workers.
The rate of exchange is (approx.) HK 11 to £1
In
Wage rates in Hong Kong are higher than those in Taiwan and South Korea, but are less than half of those in Japan. addition to wages, however, many employers in Hong Kong provide their workers with free accommodation, subsidised meals or food allowances, good attendance bonuses, and paid rest days, as well as a Lunar New Year bonus of one month's pay. (The determination of wage rates is dealt with in paragraph 17 below).
Hours of work
6. The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance controls hours and conditions of work in industry. result of the successful completion of the phased programme introduced on 1 December 1967 to reduce the maximum standard hours, women and young persons aged 16 and 17 have since 1 December 1971 worked 8 hours a day and 48 hours a
As a
+
/week.