MONDAY, MAY 4, 1987
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FIRST LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD REPORT PUBLISHED
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THE FIRST REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD (LAB) COVERING 1985 AND 1986 HAS JUST BEEN PUBLISHED.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, MR TONY HAMMOND, SAID THE PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT REPRÉSENTED AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRIPARTITE CONSULTATIVE BODY.
NOTING THAT THE HISTORY OF LAB WENT BACK TO 1927, MR HAMMOND SAID +OVER THE YEARS, THE BOARD HAS SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED ITS ROLE AND FUNCTIONS, AND PLAYED A MOST VALUABLE PART IN THE FORMULATION OF LABOUR POLICIES.
*IT IS THROUGH TRIPARTITE CONSULTATION ON LABOUR LEGISLATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE QUALITY OF THE WORKING LIFE OF MORE THAN TWO MILLION PEOPLE IN HONG KONG,+ HE ADDED.
AT PRESENT, THE BOARD IS COMPOSED OF THE COMMISSIONER OR THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR AS THE EX-OFFICIO CHAIRMAN AND SIX REPRESENTATIVES EACH FROM EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.
DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW, IT GAVE ADVICE ON NO LESS THAN 20 ITEMS OF LEGISLATION, NOTABLY THE INTRODUCTION OF THE LONG SERVICE PAYMENT PROVISIONS UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE AND THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS (COMPENSATION) ORDINANCE TO INCREASE THE RATE OF COMPENSATION, AND THE MAKING OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (SAFETY OFFICERS AND SAFETY SUPERVISORS) REGULATIONS TO REQUIRE THE COMPULSORY EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY PERSONNEL IN DESIGNATED INDUSTRIES.
THROUGH THE BOARD, HONG KONG HAS BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE ON A TRIPARTITE BASIS IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES INCLUDING THE 10TH ASIAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION HELD IN JAKARTA IN DECEMBER 1985, AND AT THE 72ND INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE IN GENEVA IN JUNE 1986.
AT THE CONFERENCES, MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO SHARE EXPERIENCE WITH DELEGATES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AND KEEP ABREAST OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR SCENE.
COMMITTEES ON SPECIAL SUBJECT AREAS HAVE ALSO BEEN SET UP UNDER THE BOARD TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING RANGE AND COMPLEXITY OF MATTERS WHICH REQUIRE ITS ATTENTION AND TO ENCOURAGE GREATER PARTICIPATION BY EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.
THERE ARE NOW FIVE SUCH COMMITTEES DEALING RESPECTIVELY WITH EMPLOYMENT, INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, LABOUR RELATIONS, EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STANDARDS. A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN CO-OPTED TO SERVE ON THESE COMMITTEES.
THE LAB REPORT FOR 1985 AND 1986 IS PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE. COPIES ARE BEING SENT TO EMPLOYERS' ORGANISATIONS, TRADE UNIONS AND LABOUR GROUPS AND OTHER INTERESTED BODIES.
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