XN000022-1977-10-25 — Page 4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1977

RECORD JOB PLACEMENTS FOR DISABLED LAST MONTH

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EIGHTY-ONE DISABLED PEOPLE HAVE FOUND JOBS LAST MONTH THROUGH THE JOB PLACEMENT UNIT OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT - THE HIGHEST MONTHLY RECORD SINCE THE UNIT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1967.

THIS BROUGHT TO 139, THE NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS DURING THE LAST THREE MONTHS.

COMMENTING ON THIS RECORD MONTHLY FIGURE, THE OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF THE UNIT, MR. CHAN SHIU-WING SAID THE INCREASE WAS DUE TO THE OPEN-MINDEDNESS OF EMPLOYERS AND THE DEPENDABLE WORKING APTITUDE OF THE HANDICAPPED.

+THE INCREASE IN PLACEMENTS NOT ONLY INDICATES THAT EMPLOYERS ARE BECOMING MORE CONSCIOUS TO THEIR SOCIAL OBLIGATION, BUT IT ALSO SHOWS THAT DISABLED WORKERS HAVE PROVED THEIR EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY, MR. CHAN SAID.

THOSE WHO FOUND WORK LAST MONTH WERE 16 BLIND, 19 DEAF, 28 CRIPPLED, TWO FORMER TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS, FIVE EX-MENTAL PATIENTS AND 11 MENTAL RETARDATES.

MOST OF THEM WERE PLACED IN ELECTRONICS AND METAL-WORK FACTORIES AS ASSEMBLING WORKERS, WHILE OTHERS BECAME MACHINE-SEWING WORKERS, TELEPHONE OPERATORS AND CLERICAL ASSISTANTS.

THEY ARE RECEIVING A MONTHLY RATE AVERAGED AT $650 OR AT A DAILY RATE RANGING FROM $16 TO $28.

THREE WORKERS' REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED TO LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD

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THREE TRADE UNION MEMBERS WERE TODAY ELECTED AS WORKERS' REPRESENTATIVES TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR AS MEMBERS OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE YEAR 1978.

THEY ARE MR, TSUI SAU-CHU OF THE BUILDING SUPERVISORS AND CARETAKERS UNION, MR. LEE SHING-CHU OF THE HONG KONG STEVEDORES UNION (CHAP YIN) AND MR. CHAN YUN-CHE OF THE HONG KONG AND KOWLOON MOTOR CAR DRIVERS GENERAL UNION.

THE ELECTION HELD BY SECRET BALLOT AT THE REGIONAL OFFICE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IN NEW RODNEY BLOCK, QUEENSWAY - WAS SUPERVISED BY OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

THE BOARD IS A NON-STATUTORY BODY WHICH ADVISES THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR ON MATTERS AFFECTING LABOUR, INCLUDING LEGISLATION AND INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. IT COMPRISES SIX EMPLOYERS' REPRESENTATIVES AND SIX EMPLOYEES' REPRESENTATIVES WITH THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR AS CHAIRMAN.

THREE OF THE EMPLOYEES' REPRESENTATIVES ARE ELECTED BY REGISTERED TRADE UNIONS AND THREE ARE SELECTED FOR APPOINTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR.