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Monday, December 11, 1972
WOMEN PLAY IMPORTANT PART IN INDUSTRY
Textile Industry Employs Most Women
Women are playing an important role in Hong Kong's light industry.
According to official figures released by the Labour Department,
289,301 women were employed in registered and recorded industrial undertakings
at the end of 1971, excluding out-workers and those engaged in the building
trades.
The textile and garment industries absorb most of the women labour
force. The number of women employed by the textile industry, by the end of
last year, was 63,346, while the number of women working in the garment
industry amounted to 82,825.
Besides these two industries, the plastics industry and undertakings
such as the manufacture of wigs, metal products, and electrical appliances
are employing a large number of women.
As the figures show 34,927 women were engaged in the plastics industry,
12,599 in wig-making, 17,042 in metal products, and 32,026 in electrical appliances.
Under an amendment to the Factories and Industrial Undertakings
Regulations, women are now allowed to work eight hours a day and 48 hours a
week, It is estimated that 47,912 women are now working under this 48-houre-a-
week system.
Amending regulations brought into force in December 1967 also limit
Industrial employers are strictly prohibited
the employment of women on overtime.
to employ adult women to work between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
/Exemptions