XN000022-1974-11-13 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1974.

+1 MUST MENTION ALSO THE MANY HOURS OF UNSUNG WORK, OFTEN BEHIND THE SCENES AND LATE AT NIGHT, BY THE CONCILIATION OFFICERS OF THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE.+

MR. PRICE DISMISSED AS +WIDE OF THE MARK+ CRITICISM, PARTICULARLY FROM OVERSEAS, OF LABOUR CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG.

HE SAID THESE CRITICS OFTEN POINTED TO WHAT THEY REGARDED AS A LACK OF TRADE UNIONISM AND A LACK OF JOINT CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY AS EVIDENCE OF A LABOUR-MANAGEMENT GAP WORKING TO THE DETRIMENT OF EMPLOYEES.

HE SAID : +THE GOVERNMENT DOES, OF COURSE, WELCOME THE GROWTH OF RESPONSIBLE TRADE UNIONS, AND IT IS TRUE THAT SOME LARGE CONCERNS MAY NEED FORMALISED JOINT CONSULTATION.

+BUT IT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED THAT NEARLY 90 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS EMPLOY FEWER THAN 50 WORKERS.

+IN SUCH SMALL ESTABLISHMENTS CONTACTS BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND WORKERS TAKE PLACE FREQUENTLY - OFTEN DAILY.

+THEREFORE, TO ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE RESULTS, THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE DIRECTS ITS EFFORTS TOWARDS PROMOTING FORMAL JOINT CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY IN THE LARGER, RATHER THAN SMALLER, UNDERTAKINGS ALTHOUGH THE LATTER ARE EQUALLY WELCOME TO SEEK ITS ADVICE.+

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MR. PRICE SAID IT WAS TOO EARLY TO MAKE A POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE FULL EFFECTS OF THE RECENTLY-INTRODUCED LEGISLATION PROVIDING A LEGAL BASIS FOR THE PAYMENT OF SEVERANCE PAY ON REDUNDANCY TO WORKERS.

+HOWEVER, I AM CONVINCED THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS LEGISLATION WAS TIMELY AND HAS SO FAR HELPED TO PREVENT SERIOUS DISPUTES ARISING FROM REDUNDANCIES AND RETRENCHMENTS.+ HE ADDED.

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