XN000022-1978-05-03 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1978

LABOUR COMMISSIONER VISITS FACTORY

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THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. NEIL HENDERSON, TODAY OUTLINED THE FAR-REACHING BENEFITS WHICH GOOD WELFARE FACILITIES BRING TO EMPLOYERS AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES DURING A VISIT TO THE AMOY CANNING CORPORATION'S PLANT IN NGAU CHI WAN, KOWLOON.

THE TOUR WAS THE FIRST IN MR. HENDERSON'S PROGRAMME OF VISITS TO INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS SINCE HE BECAME COMMISSIONER A MONTH AGO.

DURING THE VISIT MR. HENDERSON CONGRATULATED THE CORPORATION ON ITS WELFARE ARRANGEMENTS, AND SAID IT WAS NOT ALWAYS APPRECIATED THAT SUCH FACILITIES COULD CONTRIBUTE AS MUCH TO A COMPANY'S PROSPERITY AS THEY DID TO THE WORKERS' WELL BEING. AMOY CANNING EMPLOYS MORE THAN 1,000 WORKERS.

+THE GOODWILL OF EMPLOYEES, THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR SECURITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY ALL EMPLOYERS,+ HE SAID. +ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS BENEFITS, CONCERN IN THIS DIRECTION INVARIABLY RESULTS IN A DECREASE IN TIME LOST THROUGH SICKNESS OR ACCIDENTS, CLOSER CO-OPERATION BETWEEN WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS, A HIGHER STANDARD OF WORK AND AN INCREASE IN OUTPUT.+

MR. HENDERSON ALSO PRAISED THE CORPORATION ON THE INITIATIVE IT HAD SHOWN IN RECOGNISING AND ACTING UPON OPPORTUNITIES TO DIVERSIFY, ADDING NEW PRODUCTS TO THE ORIGINAL LINE OF SOY SAUCE WHICH HAD GIVEN THE CORPORATION ITS STABILITY.

+1 HOPE THAT MORE AND MORE LOCAL FIRMS WILL ACT IN THIS WAY,+ SAID MR. HENDERSON. +AFTER ALL, IT IS THE LOCAL INDUSTRIALISTS, RATHER THAN THOSE OVERSEAS, WHO ARE IN THE BEST POSITION TO SEE OPPORTUNITIES HERE.+

AMOY CANNING IS THE ONLY FACTORY IN HONG KONG WHICH HAS ITS OWN REGISTERED CHILD-CARE CENTRE FOR THE CHILDREN OF WOMEN EMPLOYEES. OTHER BENEFITS INCLUDE A CLINIC FOR WORKERS AND THEIR DEPENDANTS, LOW-COST HOUSING, EDUCATION AND TRAINING ALLOWANCES, FREE TRANSPORTATION, A PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME AND A RETIREMENT GRATUITY SCHEME.

THE FIRM HAS A SECOND PLANT AT TSUEN WAN AND, IN ADDITION TO SOY SAUCE, TODAY'S MAJOR PRODUCTS OF THE CORPORATION ARE SOFT DRINKS CANNED FOODS, PRESERVED GINGER AND CORRUGATED PAPER CARTONS.

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