31
-
for instance, that the various legal reforms in industrial relations
and employment conditions of recent years have largely originated in
the administration though no doubt pressure from organisations and
agencies outside Hong Kong, and from a few prominent individuals inside
the country, have been instrumental in their initiation; just as the
recent widening of the composition of the Legislative Council to reduce
the past dominance of its "Unofficial" element by business and
"establishment" figures has helped to ensure the passing of certain
mildly progressive measures.
68.
It is fairly clear, certainly, that the Labour Department itself
plays as active a role in negotiating the settlement of wage revisions
as do trade unions. Thus, in the last two years covered by the Labour
Commissioners' Reports, 1974 and 1975*, there were 32 cases in which
major "Changes in Conditions of Employment" (nearly all, wage-increases)
were made by some process of mutual discussion between employers and
workers' representatives which became known to the Department. In 18 of
these a decision was reached by direct negotiation alone, but in only
8 was a trade union reported as involved. In 10 cases "the officers of
the Labour Department conducted the negotiations .....", including 4 in
which unions were involved. In the remaining 4 cases (only one
involving a trade union) "the Labour Department gave guidance and advice
to the parties", which presumably contributed to the settlement achieved.
69. One gets an even more definite picture of the Labour Department as,
in effect (and faute de mieux), a more decisive protector of employee
interests than are the unions from the record of lesser disputes and
grievances; in these, it appears normal for workers to approach, singly
or in groups, the Department (or certain associated agencies) for a
remedy. Thus in the last three annual Department Reports, the Section
dealing with "Labour Disputes" (ie generally, disputes over substantive
terms of employment other than general wage-claims) runs as follows:
/ Total
Reported
* See Appendix 6 of those Reports.