CO129-623-1 Rubber Industry- report and correspondence on the labour situation 1-4-1950 - 31-1-1951 — Page 19

19

a misconception of the underlying causes of the closure. There is nothing to show that the employer resented the visit of the I.C.F.T.U. delegation or that he was in any apprehension that he might be called upon to increase his wage rates.

As explained already the daily earnings of piece workers has steadily dropped, but this was due not to the lowering of piece work rates. The following figures extracted from the books of the company by the Commissioner of Labor Hong Kong personally, show the decrease in piece work earnings between March and July 1950. The Commissioner of Labour is satisfied that the books produced to hin were genuine factory pay books and had not been tampered with in any way. The figures show the average daily earnings of five women piece-workers for three 10 day periods in Karch and July respectively.

li arch

July

3.90

1.20

5.40 Experienced

.90

5.60

Worker

1.00

2.30

1.50

2.80 Learner

1.00

3.50

1.10

3.240

1.30

4.20 Experienced

1.30

4.30

Worker

1.20

1.70

1.60

3.20 Learner

1.30

3.40

1.70

2.40

1.40

3.00 Learner

1.40

4.00

2.00

The se