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SWD's response to alleged industrial action
In response to a Chinese newspaper report today (Monday) that some front-line social workers of Tsuen Wan Ecumenical Social Service Centre would take industrial action tomorrow over a labour dispute, a Social Welfare Department spokesman that cases which warranted urgent assistance would be looked after by the department's various service units and non-governmental organisations in the districts.
The Government-subvented agency at present runs four teams of Neighbourhood Level Community Development Project (NLCDP), three in Tsuen Wan/Kwai Tsing and one in Hung Hom, and a Social Centre for the Elderly in Tsuen Wan.
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Latest unemployment and underemployment statistics
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the period August - October 1996 was revised marginally downwards to 2.5%, which was 0.1 of a percentage point lower than the provisional figure released last month. No revision was made to the underemployment rate, at 1.5%.
For the period September - November 1996, the provisional seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged slightly higher to 2.7%, while the provisional underemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.5%.
These are latest labour force statistics released today (Monday) by the Census and Statistics Department.
Commenting on these figures, a Government spokesman said that for the latest period September - November 1996, the increase in the unemployment rate occurred mainly in the restaurant and the transport sectors. The unemployment situation in the other major sectors was broadly stable. The underemployment situation in most of the major sectors was likewise stable.
Total employment continued to show robust growth, at a faster pace than total labour force. In the three months ending October 1996, total employment had a further notable increase of 3.2% over a year earlier, while total labour supply grew by 2%.