XN000022-1977-01-05 — Page 11

10.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1977

+ALTHOUGH THIS CONVENTION WAS NOT RATIFIED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR TECHNICAL REASONS RELATING TO NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

IT IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE FOR HONG KONG TO AIM AT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, HE EMPHASISED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT WHILST WORKERS COULD NOT EXPECT TO ENJOY MORE GENEROUS TERMS THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THIS ASIAN REGION THEY DESERVE SOME BETTER TREATMENT THAN WAS HITHERTO PROVIDED.

MR. WONG SAID THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG +DO NOT ALLOW ANY KIND OF ACTION THAT WOULD DO HARM TO OUR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, BE IT BY EMPLOYERS OR EMPLOYEES.+

HE STRESSED THAT BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES SHOULD REALISE THAT ONLY THE SPIRIT OF MUTUAL HELP AND COOPERATION COULD MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, TO THE BENEFITS OF BOTH PARTIES.

ALTHOUGH HE CONSIDERED THE AMENDING BILL +A MOST APPROPRIATE ONE+, MR. WONG POINTED OUT THAT +IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG TODAY, EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS IN MANY RESPECTS STILL LEAVE MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. +

WHILE STRESSING THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HONG KONG TO OVERCOME EVERY DEFECT OVERNIGHT, HE SUGGESTED THAT BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANY MEASURE TO GIVE MORE PROTECTION AND BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES THE MOVE SHOULD BE ANALYSED WITH THE UTMOST OBJECTIVITY TO SEE WHETHER IT WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.

OTHER PRINCIPLES SUGGESTED BY MR. WONG FOR CONSIDERATION ARE:

*

TAKE HEED OF THE CRITICISM MADE AGAINST HONG KONG BY ITS MAIN CUSTOMERS.

* THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTIONS SHOULD NOT BE

FOLLOWED SLAVISHLY AND

* ANY MEASURE THAT GIVES MORE PROTECTION AND BENEFIT TO

EMPLOYEES SHOULD EXTEND ITS SCOPE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO ENCOMPASS ALL KINDS OF EMPLOYEES.

MR. WU SAID: +IN OUR INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITY, HUMANE AND PATERNAL CONSIDERATIONS RANK HIGH PARTICULARLY AT TIMES OF DISTRESS AND DIFFICULTY.+

+ THE MUTUAL RESPECT, THE CLOSE WORKING DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR IN OUR MANY FACTORIES,+ HE ADDED, +ARE THE BASIC REASONS OF THE HARMONY AND CO-OPERATION THAT EXIST BETWEEN THE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES WHO COME TO EACH OTHER'S HELP IN TIME OF NEED THE RECESSION IN 1974/75 AND THE BOOM IN THE 1976 PROVE THE POINT.+

/+WE CAN