EMPLOYMENT
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During the year, 13 new unions were registered. At the end of the year, there were 458 unions, comprising 415 employees unions with about 368 090 members, 29 employers associations with some 3 000 members, and 14 mixed organisations of employees and employers with about 22 010 members.
The majority of the blue collar employees unions are affiliated to one or the other of the two local societies registered under the Societies Ordinance – the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and the Hong Kong and Kowloon Trades Union Council.
The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions has 78 affiliated unions with about 171 600 members. Its affiliated unions are concentrated in shipyards, textile mills, public transport, public utilities and the printing and carpentry trades.
The Hong Kong and Kowloon Trades Union Council has 69 affiliated unions with a membership of about 31 560. These unions are mainly in the catering and building trades. The remaining 268 employees unions have a membership of about 164 930, mostly drawn from the Public Service and the teaching profession.
Labour Administration and Services
The Labour Department has an establishment of 1 662. Regional offices throughout the urban areas and the New Territories deal with labour matters raised by local employers and employees. The Commissioner for Labour is the principal adviser to the government on labour affairs. He is also the Commissioner of Mines.
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The department initiates labour legislation and ensures that Hong Kong's obligations under international labour conventions are observed. Other major activities of the department include enforcement of ordinances regulating employment conditions; providing employment assistance; promoting harmonious labour relations; providing assistance to employees injured at work and persons suffering from pneumoconiosis in obtaining compensation; protecting and promoting the safety and health of workers; and administering legislation on explosives, prospecting, quarrying and mining.
During the year, the Staff Training and Development Division organised one induction course for 26 new recruits and 23 In-service Training Programmes for 1 048 serving officers. In addition, 24 officers were sent overseas for further training and in preparation for new areas of service to be provided to the public.
Labour Relations
The Labour Relations Ordinance provides machinery for special conciliation, voluntary arbitration and boards of enquiry for settling trade disputes that cannot be resolved through ordinary conciliation. The Employment Ordinance provides for the protection of the wages of employees and regulates the general conditions of employment. In 1986, a committee on labour relations was set up by the Labour Advisory Board to promote good labour-management relations.
In 1987, the Labour Relations Service of the Labour Department conciliated in 140 trade disputes which led to 14 work stoppages, with a loss of 2 773 working days, compared with 4907 working days lost in nine work stoppages in 1986. The service also dealt with 16 232 claims for wages in lieu of notice, wages in arrears, annual leave pay, holiday pay, end-of-year payment, severance payment, long-service payment and others.
The Promotion Unit of the Labour Relations Service promotes good labour- management relations in the private sector through a variety of activities. These included 202 visits to employers, employees associations and trade unions; 13 certificate courses