EMPLOYMENT
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working eight hours a day. A rest period of one hour a day is customary throughout industry. Except where continuous produc- tion demands a rotation of rest days, which are usually unpaid, Sunday is the most common rest day. Although male industrial workers do not have a statutory right to a rest day it is customary for them to be granted unpaid leave on request.
The Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations came into operation on October 1, 1969. These Regula- tions prohibit the employment of women and young persons under- ground in industrial undertakings involving tunnelling operations, provide for pre-employment medical examination of those employed underground in mines, quarries and industrial undertakings involving tunnelling operations and for periodical medical examinations of those employed underground who are under 21 years of age. They also make other minor amendments to the principal regulations relating to the employment of workers and young persons.
The Industrial Employment (Holidays with Pay and Sickness Allowance) Ordinance provide for six annual holidays to be given to workers in industrial establishments and for sickness allowance up to 12 days a year on half pay.
LABOUR ADMINISTRATION AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
The Commissioner of Labour is the principal adviser to the Governor on labour and industrial relations policies. All labour legislation is initiated in the Labour Department which ensures that Hong Kong's obligations' under International Labour Con- ventions are observed. The organisation of the department now provides for five divisions: Labour Relations, Development, Industry, Employment and Industrial Health. Two labour advisers were appointed in 1968 to assist the Commissioner, one on labour legislation and the other on all aspects of industrial relations with particular reference to joint consultation.
With the exception of a small neutral and independent segment, workers' unions are either affiliated to, or associated with, one of two local federations which bear allegiance to opposing political groups and which are registered as societies. Divided politically and further separated by differences in dialect, the number of