CO129-626-3 Labour Department- report to Labour Commissioner 1-3-1951 - 30-6-1952 — Page 107

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position. In general the rates for hand loom operatives are higher than those for power-driven looms and the degree of mcchnaisation also affects the rates of bobbin winders. Apprentices and learners are required, as a rule, to pya a premium to the mechanic or manager in charge and they often get no wage while learning.

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380. In most of the larger cotton mills women weavers appear to have little difficulty in averaging over 6 a day and in the silk mills the male weavers average as much as 8 a day and at least in one such mill a meal is provided by the management. These are high rates measured by any local standards. On the other hand, many weavers are only earning $3 a day.

381. It must be remembered that weaving factories in Hong Kong vary considerably. Some are small family con- cerns with a few looms and they progress through various stages to the most modern and up to date factories with the very latest machinery.

382. The institution of a Wages Board seems to be an obvious solution of the wages problem in this industry, but it would be extremely difficult to find a suitable independent Chairman. In addition, without an appreciable increase in the inspectorate of the Department of Labour it would be quite impossible to enforce any approved Wage Board Award. Moreover at this critical juncture it would be inadvisable to take any action which would result in the creation of additional unemployment.

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There is just a possibility that in due course the institution of a provision on the lines of the U.K. Cotton Manufacturing Industries (Temporary Provisions) Act of 1934 would be partially effective but this provides that any agreed rates shall be enforced by the industry itself, and it is doubtful whether this would be even reasonably effective while there are appreciable numbers of workers willing to accept almost any rate of pay rather than starve.

384. The best solution of this difficult problem, in my view, would be to encourage the amalgamation of the two unions concerned and then get some form of collective agreement with the employers. This, however, is not going to be easy because one of the workers' unions is in federa- tion with the Trades Union Council and the other with the Federation of Trade Unions. In this connection, however, it should be mentioned that an agreement for a period of 12 months was concluded in the industry in 1948 but this has now expired. Despite this, however, the wage rates recog- nised by some firms seem still to be based on this agree- ment but with certain adjustments enforced unilaterally.

365. If my suggestion that the Government take powers to give the full force of law throughout the industry to any such collective agreement I think this method might have to be employed. It would at least secure uniformity anü eliminate unfair competition. It should also prevent the less well managed undertakings from reducing their costs by way of wage reductions instead of achieving tho same objective by increased efficiency.

386. In the early stages some encouragement would have to be given to the workers to make complaints by way of anonymous letters or through their unions without names