WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1977
NP +TO ALLOW THE EMPLOYERS A TOTAL AND FINAL SAY OVER ANY OPTION, AS SOME HAVE SUGGESTED, WILL RESULT IN A GREAT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, WHO ARE TRADITIONALLY PASSIVE IN THE FACE OF AUTHORITY, BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
+OTHER EMPLOYEES MIGHT BE RELUCTANT TO MAKE A STAND FOR FEAR OF REPRISALS, WHILE STILL OTHERS WOULD SUFFER LOSS OF DIGNITY AND PRIDE AT THE HANDS OF UNSCRUPULOUS EMPLOYERS IN ORDER TO GAIN WHAT IS RIGHFULLY THE IRS. A NUMBER COULD BE EASILY LURED INTO MONETARY SETTLEMENTS, TOTALLY DEFEATING THE AIMS OF OUR SOCIAL OBJECTIVES,+ HE SAID.
MR. LEUNG NOTED THAT IT WAS A FACT VERIFIED BY EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL MANAGERS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS ALIKE THAT THE ANNUAL LEAVE WOULD ENABLE WORKERS TO RECUPERATE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY FROM THE STRAINS OF LABOUR IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS, RETURNING TO THEIR PLACES OF WORK WITH RENEWED EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY IN THE IR JOBS.+
THE BILL WOULD ALSO REMOVE ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE DISTINCTIONS WHICH NOW EXISTED BETWEEN BLUE-COLLAR AND WHITE-COLLAR EMPLOYEES AND ENCOURAGE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO JOIN INDUSTRY, HE ADDED.
THE HON. JAMES WU SAID THE PRINCIPLE OF SEVEN DAYS' PAID LEAVE WAS UNANIMOUSLY ACCEPTED IN CONSULTATIONS AMONG INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS, BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND WORKERS AND IN SURVEYS OF WORKERS' OPINION BY TWO STATUTORY BODIES, BOTH EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS, HE ADDED, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE LEAVE ARRANGEMENT FLEXIBLE.
ONE OF THE SUBSEQUENT SUGGESTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF FOUR JOINT ASSOCIATIONS REPRESENTING INDUSTRY, TRADE, AND EMPLOYERS, HE POINTED OUT, WAS FOR THE EMPLOYEE TO HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING THE LEAVE CONSECUTIVELY OR, IF HE SO WISHED, NON-CONSECUTIVELY AT AGREED TIMES ON NEGOTIATION WITH HIS EMPLOYER, OR WORK FOR ADDITIONAL PAY.
FROM INDUSTRY'S POINT OF VIEW, MR. WU NOTED, IT WAS GENERALLY FELT THAT THE EXTRA COST OF 2.3 PER CENT IN WAGES COULD BE TOLERATED BUT THE DIFFICULTY IN ARRANGING FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS' LEAVE COULD NOT BE OVERCOME WITHOUT STOPPING PRODUCTION AND LOSING ORDERS TO THE EXTENT OF HUNDREDS OF MILLION OF DOLLARS A YEAR.
+ INDUSTRIALISTS DREW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WITHOUT A SUBSTANTIAL HOME MARKET, HONG KONG FACTORIES USUALLY CANNOT MAKE STANDARD BRAND GOODS OR MODELS FOR STOCK DURING SLACK PERIODS, BUT MUST CATER AT ALL TIMES TO ORDERS FOR SPECIAL DESIGNS AND PATTERNS OF THE IR EXPORT CUSTOMERS, HE SAID,
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