WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1983
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+THE REMAINING 70 PER CENT OF THE POLYTECHNIC'S WORK WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE PRODUCTION OF PROFESSIONAL AND HIGHER DIPLOMA GRADUATES, WHO ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD, MR CHEN SAID.
MR CHEN SAID HONG KONG NOW HAD A POLYTECHNIC WHICH WAS NOT ONLY VERY LARGE BY ANY STANDARD, BUT WAS ALSO A TRUE POLYTECHNIC IN THE SENSE THAT IT PROVIDED A WIDE VARIETY OF COURSES AT VARIOUS LEVELS IN DIFFERENT ATTENDANCE PATTERNS FOR POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS OF ALL AGES.
+MOREOVER IT IS, I BELIEVE, A POLYTECHNIC WELL-TUNED TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES,+ HE CONCLUDED.
LABOUR AND MANAGEMENT RELATIONS PEACEFUL
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LABOUR AND MANAGEMENT RELATIONS IN HONG KONG WERE ENCOURAGING AND REASONABLY PEACEFUL, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON J.N. HENDERSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY). HE WAS REFERRING TO A SPEECH MADE EARLIER BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HARMONIOUS LABOUR AND MANAGEMENT RELATIONS.
HE SAID THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD ACHIEVED A VERY HIGH SUCCESS RATE IN SETTLING MAJOR DISPUTES NOT INVOLVING INSOLVENCY, AND HAS SO FAR NOT HAD TO RESORT TO THE SPECIAL PROCEDURES PROVIDED IN THE LABOUR RELATIONS ORDINANCE,
MR HENDERSON POINTED OUT THAT THE ANNUAL FIGURES ON +WORKING- DAYS+ LOST DUE TO STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS (39 743 IN 1979, 21 069 IN 1980, 15 319 IN 1981 AND 17 960 IN 1982) WERE AS LOW AS COULD REASONABLY BE EXPECTED.
IN FACT, THE FIGURE OF 17 960 WORKING-DAYS LOST IN 1982 COMPARES FAVOURABLY WITH THE ANNUAL AVERAGE OF 22 558 WORKING- DAYS LOST IN THE PAST TEN YEARS (1973-1982) AND REMAINS VERY LOW BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS, HE NOTED.
REFERRING TO CONCERN EXPRESSED BY DR HO AT THE +DECLINING TREND+ IN RESOLVING LABOUR DISPUTES BY THE SERVICE, MR HENDERSON EXPLAINED THAT THE DECLINE MIGHT BE ATTRIBUTED TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS.
FIRSTLY, HE SAID, THOUGH EMPOWERED TO INTERVENE IN DISPUTES UNDER THE LABOUR RELATIONS ORDINANCE. THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE OFFERED A CONCILIATION SERVICE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS, AND IT WAS ENTIRELY UP TO EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT ITS SERVICE.
+OTHER MAJOR FACTORS THAT AFFECT CASE WORK INCLUDE THE INCREASE IN LABOUR LEGISLATION OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS INTRODUCED IN RECENT YEARS, THE GREATER AWARENESS OF EMPLOYEES OF THEIR LEGAL ENTITLEMENTS, THE MORE LEGALISTIC STANCE TAKEN BY SOME EMPLOYERS IN DISPUTES, AND THE A AILABILITY OF THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL AS A MEANS OF SETTLING CLAIMS DE INITIVELY.
/+THESE ALL