WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1988
40
ALWAYS CORRECTED ITSELF AT THE
NEXT
STAGE IN THE ECONOMIC CYCLE," HE SAID.
"HISTORICALLY, IT HAS
GARMENT HIT
MR BRIDGE ADMITTED THAT SOME SECTORS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
ORIGIN REQUIREMENTS, WERE HARDER INDUSTRY WITH ITS COUNTRY OF THAN OTHERS BECAUSE THEY WERE LESS ABLE TO ADJUST.
BELIEVE I
"EVEN So,
THERE IS STILL SCOPE FOR FURTHER
II HE SAID. AUTOMATION OF SOME ASPECTS OF THAT INDUSTRY,
WORKING GROUP BE
ON THE SUGGESTION THAT A
ESTABLISHED WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES AND RELEVANT GOVERNMENT BODIES TO CONSIDER THE REQUIREMENTS FOR LABOUR IN THE LONG TERM AND THE
LABOUR FOR PARTICULAR POSSIBILITY OF IMPORTING
INDUSTRIES IN THE SUCH A GROUP COULD SHORT TERM, MR BRIDGE FOUND IT DOUBTFUL WHETHER REACH A CONSENSUS ON SUCH A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE.
LONG-TERM ECONOMIC STUDIES "THERE ARE, HOWEVER, MAJOR UNDERTAKEN WHICH ARE DUE TO BE COMPLETED EARLY NEXT YEAR.
BEING
"IN THE LIGHT
THE OF
FINDINGS
OF
CAREFULLY
THE
MORE STUDIES
PUT PROPOSAL
WE FORWARD
WILL
BY
CERTAINLY CONSIDER MOST MEMBERS, HE SAID.
H
TURNING TO LABOUR LEGISLATION, MR BRIDGE SAID THAT OVER THE YEARS A SET OF LABOUR LAWS GOVERNING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH, EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION, LABOUR RELATIONS, EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS AND TRADE UNIONS AFFAIRS HAD BEEN BUILT UP.
"THE LEVEL OF STATUTORY PROTECTION IN HONG KONG NOW COMPARES REASONABLY WELL WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS.
"IN FACT THIS BODY OF LAWS ENABLES US то COMPLY WITH MORE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION CONVENTIONS THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE REGION, HE SAID.
MR BRIDGE EMPHASISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALWAYS CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO KEEP LAWS UNDER REVIEW AND TO INTRODUCE IMPROVEMENTS.
"A CONSTANT STREAM OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS GOES TO THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
"A NUMBER OF NEW PROPOSALS ARE NEARING THEIR FINAL STAGE OF DRAFTING AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THEM TO THIS COUNCIL IN THE CURRENT SESSION, HE SAID.
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