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Wednesday, October 16, 1974
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it is particularly in this area that a real improvement has
been made.
With regard to the coming session, Regulations will
be submitted to this Council to reduce the maximum permissible
overtime for women and young persons. We have in mind, a
reduction from 300 to 250 hours a year from the beginning of
next year, and a further reduction to 200 hours in 1976.
I mentioned in this Council last year that the Labour.
Tribunal, which was introduced on 1st March 1973, had proved.
an immediate success. I am pleased to say that this initial
success has been sustained, and this year a second tribunal
has been established and the Labour Tribunal Ordinance, which
had only a limited life, has been made permanent. However
the jurisdiction of the Tribunal is limited to individual claims
for sums of money arising from a contract of employment. But
it is not concerned with group disputes or collective bargaining
- with management. During the coming session your Government
hopes to introduce for your consideration a new Labour Relations
Bill. This bill is designed to provide statutory backing for
the Labour Relations Service of the Labour Department and for.
procedures to be followed in a labour dispute when conciliation
has failed. Labour relations have traditionally been good. in :
Hong Kong. But, it is hoped that this bill will help to
facilitate settlements when other means have failed. As now
conceived it deliberately avoids provision of powers to impose
compulsory settlements. Perhaps Hon. Members will agree that
elsewhere such compulsory powers have proved conspicuously
ineffective,
The promotion