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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1977
EMPLOYEES PAID OVER $16 M. IN LABOUR-MANAGEMENT DISPUTES
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EMPLOYERS PAID MORE THAN $16 MILLION TO 9,649 EMPLOYEES LAST YEAR IN LABOUR-MANAGEMENT DISPUTES WHICH WERE SETTLED THROUGH EFFORTS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE, COMPARED WITH $13 MILLION IN 1975.
PAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, NEARLY 40 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL, OR $6,125,736, WERE SEVERANCE PAYMENTS TO 5,000 EMPLOYEES RENDERED REDUNDANT BY OPERATIONAL OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE REMAINDER WAS PAID AS ARREARS OF WAGES, WAGES IN LIEU OF NOTICE, STATUTORY PAY, BONUS AND OTHER SUMS DUE TO EMPLOYEES.
DURING THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW, THE SERVICE HANDLED 43,792 ENQUIRIES AND CONSULTATIONS. MOST OF THESE RELATED TO PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AND OTHER MATTERS CONCERNING LABOUR RELATIONS.
IN THE SAME YEAR, THERE WERE ONLY 4,977 WORKING DAYS LOST IN 16 STOPPAGES COMPARED WITH 17,600 WORKING DAYS LOST IN 17 STOPPAGES DURING 1975.
COMMENTING ON THE CONSIDERABLE DROP IN THE NUMBER OF WORK ING DAYS LOST, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID: +THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN LABOUR AND MANAGEMENT IN THEIR JOINT EFFORT TO ACCELERATE THE RECOVERY OF ECONOMY AND TO MAINTAIN A HIGH RATE OF GROWTH DURING THE YEAR.+
DURING THE YEAR, THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE DEALT WITH 136 TRADE DISPUTES UNDER THE LABOUR RELATIONS ORDINANCE OF WHICH 99, OR MORE THAN 70 PER CENT, WERE SETTLED WITH THE HELP OF THE SERVICE.
OFFICERS OF THE SERVICE ALSO HELPED TO BRING ABOUT
CONCILIATION IN 6,026 CLAIMS ARISING FROM THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE OR THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT, SETTLED 3,400, OR SOME 57 PER CENT OF THEM, AND REFERRED MOST OF THE REMAINDER TO THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL FOR A JUDICIAL DECISION TO BE MADE.
+ TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED 147 MAJOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ALLEGED BREACHES OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE CONCERNING REST DAYS, HOLIDAYS WITH PAY AND IMPROPER DEDUCTIONS FROM WAGES AND TOOK NECESSARY ACTION TO BRING ABOUT EARLY REMEDY, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
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