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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1974

GREATER PROTECTION AND BENEFITS FOR WORKERS

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY OUTLINED A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS TO FURTHER IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS AND TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR HONG KONG'S LARGE LABOUR FORCE.

THESE INCLUDE, SHORTER OVERTIME WORKING HOURS FOR WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS, FURTHER INDUSTRIAL SAFETY REGULATIONS OOVERING CARGO HANDLING AT WHARVES, QUAYS AND GODOWNS, NEW REGULATIONS TO PROVIDE A LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES, A NEW LABOUR RELATIONS BILL, AND MAJOR OVERHAUL OF THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE.

THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT HONG KONG HAD REACHED THE STAGE WHERE LEGISLATION ENACTED OR ABOUT TO BE ENACTED COVERED MOST OF THE MAJOR AREAS IN THE LABOUR FIELD. WE MUST NOW AIM TO CONSOLIDATE THIS POSITION, HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY MADE IT CLEAR, HOWEVER, THAT IN THIS PROGRAMME OF LABOUR LEGISLATION +THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO WISH TO PLACE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN A STRAIGHT JACKET,+ HE REALISED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE WISH OF EITHER WORKERS OR EMPLOYERS, BOTH OF WHOM VALUED THE FLEXIBILITY WHICH HAS CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO THE TRADITION AND STRENGTH OF HONG KONG.

+BROADLY SPEAKING,+ HE EXPLAINED, +VE INTEND TO CONTINUE TO MOVE ONLY AFTER CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD, AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED.

THIS

MANY OF THE EXISTING MEASURES, HE SAID, PROVIDED ONLY MINIMAL STANDARDS AND THERE WERE GAPS TO BE FILLED. COULD BE DONE IN PART BY VIEWING AND REVISING EXISTING LEGISLATION, BUT THERE WERE ALSO OTHER IMPORTANT TASKS TO BE UNDERTAKEN SUCH AS DEVELOPING AND IMPROVING THE FACTORY AND LABOUR INSPECTORATES, AND PROMOTING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

+WORK HAS ALREADY STARTED ON THESE MATTERS WITH THE APPOINTMENT, AS AN ADVISER TO THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOUR, OF AN EXPERIENCED FACTORY INSPECTOR FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM,+ HE SAID.

REFERRING TO THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, SIR MURRAY NOTED THAT GOOD PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE DURING THE PAST, TWO YEARS IN THE CONTINUING REVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE. THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDED, AN EXTENSION OF HOLIDAY WITH PAY AND SICKNESS ALLOWANCE TO ALL WORKERS COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE= INCREASED ENTITLEMENT TO SICK LEAVE= CONTROLS ON EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES TO PROTECT WORKERS AGAINST EXPLOITATION= STATUTORY PROTECTION FOR TRADE UNION MEMBERS AND STATUTORY ENTITLEMENT TO SEVERANCE PAY FOR REDUNDANT WORKERS.

/FOR THE

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