11
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1976.
SUPPORT FOR PAID ANNUAL LEAVE
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THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN TODAY VOICED HIS SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE WORKERS WITH SEVEN DAYS PAID ANNUAL LEAVE FROM 1978.
+
SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE, HE SAID A COMPLETE BREAK FROM WORK WOULD NOT ONLY ENABLE THE WORKERS TO MAKE GOOD THE LOSS OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FORCES BUT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND THIS PERIOD OF LEISURE WITH MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, HE SAID, EMPLOYERS MIGHT WISH TO MAKE USE OF THIS PERIOD TO OVERHAUL OR REPAIR THEIR MACHINERY REDECORATE THE IR PREMISES, OR MAKE ALTERATIONS TO THE WORK-PLACE TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION FLOW WITHOUT DISRUPTING DAY TO DAY WORK.
REGARDING GARMENT FACTORIES WHERE LABOUR TURN-OVER WAS HIGH, MR. TIEN POINTED OUT, THE ANTICIPATION OF LEAVE WITH PAY WHICH IS COMING MAY ENCOURAGE MORE WORKERS TO STAY WITH THE JOB+.
+ THE ADDITIONAL COSTS TO EMPLOYERS WOULD BE MINIMAL AND ARE LIKELY TO BE MET IN PART BY HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY AND A SLOWER RATE OF TURN-OVER IN THE WORK FORCE, HE STRESSED.
+ALTHOUGH MANY LOCAL COMPANIES ALREADY OBSERVE GOOD LABOUR POLICIES FOR THEIR STAFF, IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT A GREAT MANY DO NOT.
+NOT ONLY WILL THE PROPOSED PAID ANNUAL LEAVE IMPROVE LABOUR RELATIONS, IT WILL ALSO REMOVE ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE DISTINCTIONS WHICH NOW EXIST BETWEEN BLUE COLLAR WORKERS AND WHITE COLLAR WORKERS AND AS A RESULT, ENCOURAGE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO JOIN THE INDUSTRIES WHICH IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF HONG KONG.+
MR. TIEN THEN CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO MOVE THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, CURRENTLY HOUSED IN THE FIRE BRIGADE BUILDING, TO NEW PREMISES.
HE SAID IT WAS REGRETTABLE THAT THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH OFTEN RECEIVES DELEGATIONS AND PROMINENT VISITORS, SHOULD STILL BE HOUSED
IN SUCH INFERIOR ACCOMMODATION.
+ IT IS TIME FOR A MOST SERIOUS EFFORT TO BE MADE TO OBTAIN NEW PREMISES NOT MERELY AS GOOD AS, BUT PROBABLY, FOR VERY GOOD REASONS, SUPERIOR TO THOSE IN WHICH THE OTHER MAIN DEPARTMENTS OF GOVERNMENT ARE HOUSED, HE ADDED.
MR. TIEN RECALLED THAT LAST YEAR, IN ANSWER TO A SUGGESTION MADE BY HIM, THE CHIEF SECRETARY INDICATED THAT CONSIDERATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE PROPOSAL THAT THE POST OF DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY BE REGRADED TO ONE OF SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO BE RE-ORGANISED INTO TWO OR THREE DEPARTMENTS UNDER THE SECRETARY.
HE ASKED