WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1993
THIS ARTICLE RECOGNISES THAT THERE CAN BE WIDE VARIATIONS IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES AND THAT THERE CAN BE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THE NEGOTIATION AND REGULATION OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT. WHILE LEGISLATION IS NO DOUBT ONE WAY OF PROMOTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, OTHER MEASURES APPROPRIATE TO LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN ALSO FULFIL THE SAME OBJECTIVE. AND THE APPROACH ADOPTED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE CONVENTION.
MR LAU CHIN-SHEK HAS ALSO TOUCHED ON THE QUESTION OF THE PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN TRADE UNION ACTIVITIES. THIS QUESTION IS ALSO COVERED BY INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTION NO. 98. PART IVA OF THE HONG KONG EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE PROVIDES PROTECTION AGAINST ANTI-UNION DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT, IN A MANNER WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF CONVENTION NO. 98. NONETHELESS,
WE ARE TAKING A FURTHER LOOK AT THIS QUESTION, AND QUITE A FEW OTHERS, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE REVIEW WHICH I AM UNDERTAKING TO SEE WHAT CAN BE LEARNT FROM THE CATHAY PACIFIC DISPUTE WHICH OCCURRED THIS YEAR.
LESSONS EARLIER
I CONCLUDE BY GOING BACK TO WHERE I STARTED. HONG KONG HAS ONE OF THE BEST RECORDS IN THE WORLD IN THE FIELD OF EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS. OUR APPROACH AND OUR PRACTICES ARE THEREFORE WELL TRIED AND WELL PROVEN. WHILE OUR MINDS SHOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE CLOSED TO ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES, [ DO SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL IN CONSIDERING THEIR ADOPTION, SO AS TO ENSURE THAT ANY CHANGES WE MAKE WILL TRULY BE FOR THE BETTER
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THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT.
BILL ON NOISE CONTROL
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A BILL THAT SEEKS TO MAKE HONG KONG A LESS NOISY CITY IS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE NOISE CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL 1993. THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, SAID THE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN OR NEAR BUILT-UP AREAS WAS OFTEN A CONSIDERABLE NUISANCE TO NEARBY RESIDENTS.
DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN
AN AVERAGE OF 1,200 ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SITES IN THE TERRITORY AT ANY ONE TIME.
THE
BILL
PROVIDES THE BANNING OF PARTICULARLY NOISY CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES DURING THE RESTRICTED HOURS IN DESIGNATED AREAS WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY EITHER POPULATED OR PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE.
THESE
FORMWORK OR STEEL BARS,
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE ERECTION AND DISMANTLING OF SCAFFOLDING; LOADING, UNLOADING OR HANDLING OF RUBBLE, WOOD OR SCAFFOLDING MATERIAL; AND HAMMERING.
/THE ISSUE