CO129-626-3 Labour Department- report to Labour Commissioner 1-3-1951 - 30-6-1952 — Page 191

APPENDIX 17 (contd.)

its employees must be referred to the Officer-in-Charge of the branch and if necessary through him to the head of the department concerned before any action is taken.

(ii) If in the opinion of the head of the

department a matter arises which affects any group or class of his employees as a whole he will arrange at the earliest opportunity to meet representatives of these employees and discuss the matter.

(iii) If either party is of the opinion that

settlement within the department is unlikely or will be too long delayed, they may propose that the matter be referred to the Council. The matter shall not be referred to the Council until seven days after the conclusion of the first meeting, except with the consent of both parties.

(iv) Before any matter can be referred to the

Council both parties must agree to that course of action.

7. METHODS OF REFERENCE TO THE COUNCIL.

(i) A request for the Council to consider any

matter must be made in writing and must be signed by the head of the department and by a representative of the employees who must himself be employed by the department.

(ii) Such request must be accompanied by a memorandum giving details of the matter which is to be considered together with any representations which the employees desire to make and the comments of the head of the department on them.

(iii) Requests for the Council to consider any

matter shall be addressed to the Official Joint Secretary, Interim Joint Council at the Secretariat Hong Kong.

8. NOTICE REQUIRED FOR A MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.

(i) The Council shall meet not later than 21 days

after the receipt of a request for its consideration of any matter.

(ii) The Council shall not be required to meet

more often than once in 15 days.

9. ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEETINGS.

(i)

(ii)

Within five days of its receipt a request for consideration of any matter by the Council will be acknowledged by the Joint Secretary of the Official Side.

He will,

at the same time, propose to both signatories of the request the number of members who will sit on each side of the Council and propose the date, time and place of the meeting.

If owing to meetings of the Council already arranged the subject of the request cannot be considered within 21 days the schedule of

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