THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1976
MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT CONCILIATION CORRECTED ******
THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR, IAN PRICE, TODAY CORRECTED CERTAIN MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE TRUE FUNCTIONS OF A CONCILIATOR IN AN INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE.
SPEAKING AT THE MEETING OF THE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CLUB, MR. PRICE SAID THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC SOMETIMES EXPECTED A CONCILIATOR TO WAVE A MAGIC WAND TO ACHIEVE INSTANT AGREEMENT.
OR THEY EXPECTED HIM TO ISSUE ORDERS TO BOTH SIDES AND TO BACK SUCH ORDERS WITH THE WEIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY AND MACHINERY.
*THAT IS NOT CONCILIATION, HE POINTED OUT, ADDING THAT +IT IS COMPULSORY ARBITRATION AND DOES NOT EXIST IN HONG KONG,+
REFERRING TO THE MISUNDERSTANDING ON THE PART OF EMPLOYERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES, MR. PRICE NOTED THAT EMPLOYERS OFTEN EXPECTED A CONCILIATOR TO TELL THE WORKERS TO ACCEPT THEIR OFFER. ON THE OTHER HAND, WORKERS OFTEN EXPECTED A CONCILIATOR TO SUPPORT THEM AND ORDER THE EMPLOYER TO GIVE WAY.
MR. PRICE SAID THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE DOES NOT TAKE SIDES.+
HE POINTED OUT HOWEVER THAT THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE DID DRAW ATTENTION TO CLEAR BREACHES OF THE LAW - SUCH AS A FAILURE BY THE EMPLOYER TO PAY WAGES IN LIEU OF NOTICE, OR A FAILURE TO FOLLOW OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.
ON THE TECHNIQUE OF CONCILIATION USED BY THE. LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE, MR. PRICE SAID IT CALLED FOR PERSONAL SKILL, PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND PATIENCE IN A CONCILIATOR AS WELL AS PERSONALITY AND PRESTIGE.
THESE ELEMENTS HELPED HIM OBTAIN THE GOODWILL AND TRUST OF BOTH THE EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEES,
MR. PRICE SAID THAT WHEN A CONCILIATOR INTERVENED THE FIRST STEP WAS FOR HIM TO FIND OUT WHAT A DISPUTE WAS ALL ABOUT BY TALKING TO BOTH SIDES, PROBABLY SEPARATELY.
THIS STEP OF GETTING THE FACTS WAS OFTEN COMPLICATED IN HONG KONG BECAUSE OF THE IGNORANCE, ON THE PART OF BOTH EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS, OF THE ACTUAL PROVISIONS OF THE LAW.
HE ADDED : +QUITE OFTEN EACH SIDE HOLDS DIFFERENT VIEWS OF WHAT THE TROUBLE IS REALLY ABOUT.+
/THE NEXT
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