XN000022-1977-06-01 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1977

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SEVEN DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE FOR WORKERS

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A BILL WHICH AIMS TO GIVE HONG KONG WORKERS SEVEN DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE HAD ITS FIRST AND SECOND READING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IT COVERS ALL MANUAL WORKERS IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR EARNINGS AND NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING UP TO $2,000 A MONTH WHO HAVE SERVED 12 MONTHS WITH ONE EMPLOYER,

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3) BILL 1977, THE NEW COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. PETER WILLIAMS, SAID THE SEVEN DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE TEN STATUTORY HOLIDAYS WORKERS ARE ALREADY ENTITLED TO BY LAW.

MR. WILLIAMS SAID THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS IN THE BILL WAS THAT A WORKER'S ENTITLEMENT TO PAID HOLIDAYS EACH YEAR SHOULD BE CONSECUTIVE AND THIS PERIOD COULD INCLUDE STATUTORY HOLIDAYS OR REST DAYS.

+THIS WOULD MEAN, MR. WILLIAMS CONTINUED, THAT SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF LEAVE COULD BE TAKEN AT CHINESE NEW YEAR MADE UP OF THREE STATUTORY HOLIDAYS PLUS FOUR DAYS OF THE SEVEN DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE, ADDED BEFORE OR AFTER THE CHINESE NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS.

+ IN SUCH A CASE, THE REMAINING THREE DAYS OF THE ANNUAL LEAVE COULD BE TAKEN AT SOME OTHER TIME OF THE YEAR EITHER TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY, BY THE EMPLOYEE AGREED WITH HIS EMPLOYER.+

MR. WILLIAMS EXPLAINED THAT THE MAIN REASON FOR INSISTING ON A FIXED PERIOD OF CONSECUTIVE LEAVE WAS THAT IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER HEALTH AND BETTER MORALE BY GIVING THE WORKER A HOLIDAY RATHER THAN JUST A DAY OFF.

THE BILL, WHICH WILL COME INTO FORCE ON JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR IF ENACTED, PROHIBITS PAYMENT IN LIEU OF LEAVE EXCEPT WHERE AN EMPLOYEE'S CONTRACT IS TERMINATED. IN THIS CASE, ANY ANNUAL LEAVE EARNED AND NOT TAKEN WILL BE ENTITLED TO ANNUAL LEAVE PAY ON A PRO-RATA BASIS.

MR. WILLIAMS SAID THAT GOVERNMENT, IN DECIDING ON THE NEED AND EXTENT OF THE HOLIDAYS, WAS GUIDED SOLELY BY WHAT IT BELIEVED TO BE IN THE WIDE INTERESTS OF BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

HE SAID IN CASE IT SHOULD BE SUGGESTED THAT THIS MEASURE WOULD AFFECT HONG KONG'S COMPETITIVE POSITION IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ARRANGEMENTS PREVAILING IN NEIGHBOURING ASIAN COUNTRIES VARY, BUT RANGE BETWEEN SIX AND 13 DAYS A YEAR.

+THERE IS NO SIMILAR COMMUNITY WHICH MAKES NO PROVISION FOR ANNUAL LEAVE, HE ADDED.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTION NO. 132 RECOMMENDS ANNUAL HOLIDAYS OF AT LEAST THREE WORKING WEEKS, WHICH MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST TWO UNINTERRUPTED WORKING WEEKS, THOUGH FEW COUNTRIES HAVE YET RATIFIED IT.

/MR. WILLIAMS

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