WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1984
INCREASED SEVERANCE PAY BILL APPROVED
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SETTING UP A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND IS THE BEST WAY TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY PROTECTION TO THE WORKING CLASS, DR THE HON HARRY FANG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IT IS ALSO A BETTER SOLUTION THAN TRYING TO FIND A COMPROMISE BETWEEN EMPLOYERS' AND EMPLOYEES' WISHES EACH AND EVERY TIME, DR FANG SAID.
THIS VIEW WAS SHARED BY ANOTHER UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI.
THEY WERE SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984 WHICH PROVIDES FOR INCREASED SEVERANCE PAY. DR FANG IS THE CONVENER OF THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP ON THE BILL WHICH COMPRISES DR THE HON FRANCIS TIEN, REV THE HON PATRICK MCGOVERN, DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, THE HON ANDREW SO, THE HON F.K. HU, THE HON K.C. CHAN, THE HON MARIA TAM, THE HON CHAN YING-LUN, THE HON RITA FAN AND THE HON PAULINE NG.
DR FANG TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT IN THEIR REPRESENTATIONS TO UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, EMPLOYERS HAD EXPRESSED WORRY THAT THE INCREASED SEVERANCE PAY BENEFITS PROPOSED WOULD MEAN ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL LIABILITY FOR THEM AND THAT SUCCESSIVE DOSES OF LABOUR LEGISLATION MIGHT RESULT IN A FINANCIAL BURDEN TOO GREAT FOR MANY EMPLOYERS TO SHOULDER.
+THE ADMINISTRATION WAS ABLE TO ASSURE US, HOWEVER, THAT THE INCREASE IN COST TO BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE BILL WOULD ONLY BE 0.0077 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL OPERATING COST OF AN EMPLOYER,+ DR FANG SAID.
THE UNOFFICIALS WERE ALSO INFORMED THAT THE MAIN EMPHASIS OF CURRENT LABOUR LEGISLATION WOULD BE ON PREVENTION OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT, HE ADDED.
AS FOR THE EMPLOYERS' SUGGESTION THAT THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION IN THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD NEEDED IMPROVEMENT, DR FANG SAID THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD ASSURED THE UNOFFICIALS THAT GREAT EFFORTS HAD BEEN PUT INTO THAT ASPECT AND THAT MORE WOULD BE DONE.
+THE ABOVE ANSWERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO EASE THE WORRIES OF EMPLOYERS, HE SAID.
DR HO SAID WHILE HE HAD NO SQUABBLE WITH THE OBJECT OF THE BILL, HE BELIEVED THAT A CENTRALLY ADMINISTERED PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME TO BE FINANCED BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES MIGHT BE A MORE SATISFACTORY LONG-TERM METHOD IN ASSURING GREATER SECURITY TO WORKERS WHO ENCOUNTERED A LOSS OF EARNINGS.
/+WHILE AGREEING