MONDAY, APRIL 28, 1975
PUBLIC SERVANTS NOT AFFECTED
BY PROPOSED LABOUR RELATIONS BILL
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THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. IAN PRICE, TODAY GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THE PROPOSED LABOUR RELATIONS BILL DO NOT APPLY TO CIVIL SERVANTS.
HE WAS REPLYING TO COMMENTS MADE YESTERDAY BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRE-AMALGAMATION CO-ORDINATING TEAM (PACT), MR. ANTHONY LUK, WHO CLAIMED THAT THE +COOLING-OFF+ PERIOD IN THE BILL WAS UNFAIR TO WORKERS, +WHETHER THEY ARE GOVERNMENT WORKERS OR WORKERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.+
MR. PRICE SAID: THE BILL DOES NOT CONTAIN A CLAUSE BINDING THE CROWN, AND ITS PROVISIONS THEREFORE COULD NOT BE USED IN A DISPUTE BETWEEN CIVIL SERVANTS AND THE GOVERNMENT AS AN EMPLOYER.
+ IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS TO BE AS IMPARTIAL AS POSSIBLE.
+THIS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE IF THE BILL WERE TO COVER THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN EMPLOYEES. MOREOVER, ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES ALREADY EXIST GOVERNING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS EMPLOYEES.+
MR. PRICE ADDED THAT WHEN MOVING THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE SECOND READING OF THE LABOUR RELATIONS BILL ON MAY 7 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE WOULD REPLY TO OTHER COMMENTS.
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