XN000022-1974-06-05 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1974

LABOUR TRIBUNAL BECOMES PERMANENT THIRD TRIBUNAL IN KOWLOON PROPOSED

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HONG KONG'S LABOUR TRIBUNAL, WHICH WAS SET UP ON A TEMPORARY BASIS IN MARCH LAST YEAR, BECAME A PERMANENT FEATURE OF THE JUDICIARY TODAY AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PASSED THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL CAMENDMENT) BILL THIS AFTERNOON.

THE BILL WENT THROUGH ITS COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING WITH STRONG BACKING FROM THREE, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, DR. THE HON. CHUNG SZE-YUEN, THE HON. ANN TSE-KAI AND THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN.·

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, THE UNOFFICIALS SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE ONE OR EVEN TWO TRIBUNALS IN KOWLOON SINCE 75 PER CENT OF THE CASES EMANATED FROM THE PENINSULA AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THERE ARE AT PRESENT TWO TRIBUNALS, ALL ON HONG KONG ISLAND, WHICH DEALT WITH ABOUT 1,500 MONETARY DISPUTES BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS IN THE PAST 15 MONTHS.

THE UNOFFICIALS SAID THEY WERE HIGHLY IMPRESSED BY THE INFORMAL, EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANNER IN WHICH THE TRIBUNAL PROCEEDINGS WERE CONDUCTED, AND THEY AGREED THAT IT WAS RIGHT TO PUT THE TRIBUNAL ON A PERMANENT FOOTING.

MR. ANN AND DR. CHUNG, BOTH AMONG A UMELCO GROUP THAT VISITED THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL IN PROCEEDINGS TWO WEEKS AGO, POINTED OUT THAT ABOUT HALF THE CASES HANDLED BY THE TRIBUNAL. IN THE PAST 15 MONTHS INVOLVED DISPUTES OVER PAYMENT ON REDUNDANCY.

BOTH FELT THAT LEGISLATION IN THESE RESPECTS MIGHT YET BE INADEQUATE AND THEY CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO HAVE THE LEGISLATION ON SEVERANCE PAY DUE TO REDUNDANCY ENACTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

DR. CHUNG ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER SECTION 9 OF THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE WITH A VIEW TO EITHER REMOVING OR, AT LEAST, EXTENDING THE SIX-MONTH TIME LIMIT IMPOSED ON THE JURISDICTION OF THE TRIBUNAL.

MR. ANN AND MR. CHEONG-LEEN HIGHLY COMMENDED THE USE OF CANTONESE IN THE TRIBUNAL PROCEEDINGS WHICH WOULD CREATE +BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND A CLIMATE OF CONFIDENCE IN ARRIVING AT FAIR SOLUTIONS.+

MR. CHEONG-LEEN ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO PROCEED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE A LABOUR RELATIONS BILL IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE WORK OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR ARBITRATION UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS OR IN REGARD TO CERTAIN KEY AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT SUCH AS THE PUBLIC UTILITIES, WHICH HAVE A VITAL BEARING ON THE WELL-BEING OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.

/IN ADDITION,