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year as a result of which recommendations were made to the Government on wage rates and on projected trade union legislation.
Legislation.
Existing labour legislation includes:-
(1) The Factories & Workshops Ordinance (Ordinance No. 18 of 1937) which provides for the registration and inspection of factories. Regulations ensure the efficient guarding of machinery, and the provision of fire and health precautions, and place restrictions on the employ- ment of women and young persons in dangerous trades or during the night. The Ordinance was formerly administered by the Chairman of the Urban Council as Protector of Labour, but by an amending Ordinance (Ordinance No. 24 of 1946), the powers previously exercised by this officer were transferred to the Labour Officer.
(2) The Employers & Servants Ordinance (Ordinance No. 45 of 1902) which provides, inter alia, for the giving of one month's notice or the payment of a month's wages in lieu thereof before dismissal in the case of monthly contracts of service. Contracts for over one month must be in writing.
(3) The Trade Boards Ordinance (Ordinance No. 15 of 1940) which provides the machinery for fixing minimum wages, determining normal working hours and fixing overtime rates in trades where the wage standards are unreason- ably low.
Projected legislation includes:-
(1) A Trades Unions and Trades Disputes Ordinance. ́ A Bill providing for the registration of Trades Unions. was drafted during 1946 and is now under consideration. This Bill also provides the machinery for the voluntary submission to arbitration of trade disputes where a settle- ment by other means has not been obtained. (2) A Workmen's Compensation Ordinance.
A Bill was
drafted in 1939, but had not been passed into law before the war. This Bill is now being revised.
(3) A Labour Code, to give effect to International Conven- tions as they are ratified by the United Kingdom and applied to this Colony.
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