THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1986
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LABOUR HOTLINE GETS NEW NUMBER
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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S ROUND-THE-CLOCK HOTLINE WILL OPERATE UNDER A NEW NUMBER - 5-8152200 - FROM SATURDAY (NOVEMBER 1).
IT WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING NUMBER
5-8150789.
+ THE NEW NUMBER IS EASY TO REMEMBER AND WILL NO DOUBT FURTHER ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMPLAINT SYSTEM,+ A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
HE NOTED THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WERE MAKING USE OF THE HOTLINE WHICH IS OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS DIVISION.
BETWEEN JULY AND SEPTEMBER, 212 COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED THROUGH THE HOTLINE AS COMPARED WITH 126 FOR THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
THE MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS CONCERNED THE EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS IN OVERTIME WORK AND ON REST DAYS IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS, FAILURE BY EMPLOYERS TO TAKE OUT INSURANCE POLICIES FOR WORKERS AGAINST ACCIDENTS AT WORK, AND EMPLOYMENT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
THE REST TOUCHED ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK.
INVESTIGATIONS BY LABOUR INSPECTORS SHOWED THAT 42 PER CENT OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE SUBSTANTIATED RESULTING IN 167 EMPLOYERS TAKEN TO COURT FOR BREACHES OF VARIOUS LABOUR REGULATIONS IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS.
AS THE HOTLINE IS SWITCHED TO THE AUTO-RECORDING SYSTEM AFTER OFFICE HOURS, THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED THOSE MAKING USE OF IT TO STATE CLEARLY THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT AGAINST WHICH THE COMPLAINT IS DIRECTED, THE NATURE OF COMPLAINT AND ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT MAY FACILITATE INVESTIGATION.
+ALL COMPLAINTS ARE HANDLED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND UNLESS WITH THE CONSENT OF THE COMPLAINANTS, THEIR NAMES AND IDENTITY WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED IN THE COURSE OF OUR INVESTIGATION, ADDED.
HE
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