24
EMPLOYMENT
handbook and how to prepare one' was published by the Labour Department and free copies in English and Chinese were made available to interested parties.
The continuing shortage of labour resulted in wage demands being made by employees in the traditional trades, the manufactur- ing industries, the public utility companies and the various services of Government. Altogether, 29 unions were recorded as having made proposals for wage increases. A demand by female nurses in government hospitals for equal pay with male nurses was accepted by Government which undertook to introduce this by stages under an appropriate new salary scheme.
The legal requirements regarding the registration and control of trade unions are set out in the Trade Union Registration Ordinance which is administered by the Registrar of Trade Unions.
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The 327 unions on the register at the end of 1970 consisted of 265 workers' unions with a total declared membership of 176,598, 50 organisations of merchants or employers with a declared membership of 5,282 and 12 mixed organisations with a total declared membership of 6,583.
SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE
The Industrial Health Division of the Labour Department acts as an advisory service to Government and industry on matters relating to the health of workers. The work of the division is primarily concerned with preventing occupational disease and protecting workers against health hazards in their working en- vironment. Such hazards are reported by the statutory notification of occupational diseases, by the factory inspectorate, or by officers of the division. Control is achieved by environmental and biological monitoring and the division has a laboratory with technicians trained in industrial hygiene. A survey of medical facilities in industry is being conducted with the help of the Industry Division.
The measurement of many concentrations in the air, such as chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, solvents, silica dust and sulphur dioxide, and the investigation of standards of thermal comfort, ventilation, noise, and lighting form a major part of