MONDAY, MARCH 28, 1977
8
PRINCIPLE OF PAID ANNUAL LEAVE
GENERALLY ACCEPTED BY FOUR MAIN EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS ******
THE PHILOSOPHY THAT A WORKER NEEDS SEVEN DAYS' CONSECUTIVE LEAVE A YEAR TO RECHARGE HIS BATTERIES" HAS SO FAR GONE UNCHALLENGED SINCE THE SUBJECT WAS MENTIONED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. IAN PRICE TODAY (MONDAY) WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE HONG KONG COTTON SPINNERS' ASSOCIATION AT A LUNCHEON HELD AT THE MANDARIN HOTEL.
EXPLAINING THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE CONCEPT OF PAID ANNUAL LEAVE, HE SAID IT WAS SIMPLY THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE SHOULD RELAX FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS EACH YEAR WITHOUT CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS OF PAY SO THAT HE COULD RECHARGE HIS BATTERIES AND RETURN TO WORK PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY REFRESHED.
MR. PRICE SAID: IN EARLY OCTOBER 1976 I CONSULTED THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD AND THE FOUR MAIN EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS. I SENT THEM FOR THEIR VIEWS AN INFORMAL DRAFT BILL PREPARED FOR THE PURPOSE OF STIMULATING DISCUSSION ON HOW THE PRINCIPLE OF PAID ANNUAL LEAVE COULD BE PUT INTO EFFECT BY WAY OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.
+THIS DOCUMENT SUCCEDED ADMIRABLY IN ITS OBJECTIVE AND I RECEIVED MANY IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS - SOME CONTRADICTORY AND MANY IGNORING THE BASIC PHILOSOPHY WHICH I HAVE STATED EARLIER, BUT NONE CHALLENGING IT.
+ALTHOUGH IN GENERAL THE PRINCIPLE OF PAID ANNUAL LEAVE WAS ACCEPTED BY THE FOUR ASSOCIATIONS, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CRITICISM OF THE DETAILS AS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED, PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF THE CONCEPT OF SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS' ANNUAL LEAVE,+ MR. PRICE ADDED.
HE SAID CONSULTATIONS CONTINUED AND THAT IT WAS NOT UNTIL MARCH 3 THAT HE RECEIVED THE JOINT VIEWS OF THE FOUR EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS.
HE REITERATED THAT HIS CURRENT THINKING WAS THAT SEVEN DAYS' PAID ANNUAL LEAVE SHOULD BE GRANTED TO EMPLOYEES IN RESPECT OF EACH PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT TO BE FIXED BY THE EMPLOYER AFTER CONSULTATION WITH HIS EMPLOYEES, AND THAT THE SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS SHOULD BE TAKEN EN BLOCK, OR PARTLY COUPLED WITH STATUTORY HOLIDAYS OR REST DAYS IN WHICH CASE THE BALANCE OF THE ANNUAL LEAVE SHOULD BE GRANTED LATER AS INDIVIDUAL PAID HOLIDAYS.
/PAYMENT