SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1978
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MR. HENDERSON POINTED OUT THAT NO LESS THAN 43 PIECES OF LABOUR LEGISLATION HAD BEEN PASSED SINCE 1976, NOT TO MENTION THE MANY OTHERS WHICH HAD BEEN ENACTED PREVIOUSLY.
HE SAID: +DESPITE THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS IN PUBLICISING STATUTORY BENEFITS FOR WORKERS, I CAN WELL IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR THE WORKER ON THE SHOPFLOOR TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THOSE NEW OR AMENDED ITEMS OF LEGISLATION OF CONCERN TO HIM.
+BY BEING MORE WELL-INFORMED ABOUT THEIR LEGAL ENTITLEMENTS, THE CHANCES OF WORKERS BEING MISLED OR DENIED BENEFITS BY
BY UNSCRUPULOUS OR IGNORANT EMPLOYERS WILL BE MUCH DIMINISHED. BEING ABLE TO ENJOY FULLER AND BETTER BENEFITS UNDER THE LAW AND THUS GAINING A FAIRER SHARE OF THE FRUITS OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY TO WHICH THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED, WORKERS WILL PARTICIPATE MORE HAPPILY IN THEIR WORK. A MORE CONTENDED WORKFORCE IS A MORE PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE. ALL THIS WILL LEAD TO GREATER INDUSTRIAL PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN HONG KONG.+
ON THE ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION, MR. HENDERSON SAID IT WAS A TIME-CONSUMING AND ARDUOUS TASK INVOLVING MANY CONSULTATIONS, DRAFTINGS, PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES.
+NO SOONER HAS THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT GIVEN A SIGH OF RELIEF AT THE SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF A BILL THAN IT HAS TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH ONCE AGAIN IN ORDER TO SHOULDER THE BURDEN OF ENFORCEMENT FOR WHICH THE BEST AID IS A WELL-INFORMED EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE POPULATION,+ HE SAID.
HE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS INSTITUTE AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN EDUCATING THE WORKFORCE ABOUT THE IR ENTITLEMENTS, AND SAID THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE LABOUR
THE DEPARTMENT IN LABOUR EDUCATION WAS A COMPLEMENTARY ONE. DEPARTMENT FREQUENTLY PROVIDED SPEAKERS FOR TRAINING COURSES TALKS AND SEMINARS ORGANISED BY EMPLOYEE'S UNIONS, EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS, EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES INTERESTED IN LABOUR MATTERS.
MR. HENDERSON SAID THE DEPARTMENT ALSO PUBLISHED FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION A LARGE NUMBER OF EXPLANATORY PAMPHLETS AND GUIDES CONCERNING LABOUR LEGISLATION WHICH WERE AVAILABLE AT VARIOUS BRANCH OFFICES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
HE ADDED: +FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, OFFICES OF THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE ARE KEPT OPEN DURING THE 1 TO 2 P.M, LUNCH HOUR FROM MONDAYS TO FRIDAYS TO ANSWER ENQUIRIES, RECORD WAGE CLAIMS AND OTHER COMPLAINTS.
+THESE ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE ON A TRIAL BASIS AND I WILL MAKE THEM PERMANENT IF THE RESPONSE IS SHOWN TO BE GOOD.+
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