XN000022-1974-02-26 — Page 5

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Tuesday, February 26, 1974

During the first eleven months of its operation ending; in January,

A total of 1,011 claims, involving about $2.4 million, has been filed at

the tribunal,

The number of claimanto totalled 2,183 while there were 1,070

dofendants.

Of all the claims, 842 had been heard and a total of about $850,000

hind been awarded to the claimants.

Mr. Michael Wong caid the main clains were for wages in lieu of

notices and arrears.

"There were also claims for statutory holiday pay, double pay, bonus,

siclness allowance, overtime allowance, commission, rebates and recovery of

de onit paid under contracts of employment," he added.

lir. Wong also pointed out that over 90 per cent of the claims filed

were referred to the Tribunal by the Labour Department where attemts at

reconciliation had been unsuccessful.

"The tribunal in no way supersedes the Labour Relations Service of

the Jabour Department and it only strengthens the hands of the devertment's

conciliation officers," he stressed.

"Its main function is to deal mostly with claims by individual

workers against employers for money due either under a contract of enrolöyment

or under the provisions of the Employment Ordinance," Mr. Wong caid.

"The Labour Tribunal is the first tribunal in the Jwiiciary to

conduct proceedings in the Chinese language," Mr. Wong added.

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