XN000022-1976-11-10 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1976

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EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) BILL 1976 *****

AN AMENDMENT BILL TO GIVE HONG KONG WORKERS FOUR MORE REST DAYS EACH YEAR HAD ITS SECOND READING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. IAN PRICE, TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) BILL 1976 PROPOSED ONE REST DAY IN EVERY SEVEN-DAY PERIOD INSTEAD OF FOUR REST DAYS A MONTH AS PRESCRIBED AT PRESENT, THIS WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REST DAYS IN A YEAR FROM 48 TO 52.

MR. PRICE SAID: +THIS AMENDMENT WILL ENABLE HONG KONG TO IMPROVE ITS POSITION IN RESPECT OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTION. IT WILL BRING HONG KONG INTO LINE WITH OTHER NEIGHBOURING ASIAN TERRITORIES, AND WILL BE GIVING LEGISLATIVE BACKING TO WHAT IS ALREADY AN EXISTING AND WIDESPREAD PRACTICE.+

MR. PRICE POINTED OUT THAT, UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS REGULATIONS, WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS COULD NOT WORK FOR MORE THAN SIX

DAYS IN ANY WEEK. ALL EMPLOYEES TO WHOM PART IV OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE APPLIED ARE AT PRESENT ENTITLED TO NOT LESS THAN FOUR REST DAYS IN A MONTH.

REFERRING TO HIS PREDECESSOR WHO IN 1970 INTRODUCED AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOUR REST DAYS A MONTH, MR. PRICE SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THE SITUATION OF 1970 NO LONGER PREVAILED AND THAT OFFICERS OF HIS DEPARTMENT HAD CONDUCTED TWO SURVEYS COVERING NEARLY 1,700 VARIOUS KINDS OF ESTABLISHMENTS.

+THESE SURVEYS REVEAL THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEMS IN ADOPTING THE PROPOSED PRACTICE OF GIVING ONE REST DAY IN EVERY SEVEN DAYS,+ MR. PRICE POINTED OUT.

+ I BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE EFFECT ON PRODUCTION BUT MAY INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND REDUCE ABSENTEE ISM. +

MR, PRICE EXPLAINED THAT THE EXISTING PROVISIONS WERE RETAINED IN THE ORDINANCE TO PERMIT FLEXIBILITY TO EMPLOYERS

IN SUBSTITUTING REST DAYS.

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