XN000022-1978-09-20 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1978

HENDERSON SPELLS OUT FACTORS INFLUENCING LABOUR RELATIONS

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THE MAJOR FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE LABOUR RELATIONS IN THE ASIAN PACIFIC REGION WERE DESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. NEIL HENDERSON, AT THE OPENING OF THE SECOND ASIAN CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT HELD IN HONG KONG TODAY.

THE THREE-DAY CONFERENCE ON CONTEMPORARY LABOUR RELATIONS ISSUES IN THE REGION IS BEING ATTENDED BY DELEGATES FROM 14 COUNTRIES,

IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS, MR. HENDERSON SAID THAT COUNTRIES WITHIN THE REGION HAD, FOR HISTORIAL REASONS, TAKEN ON MUCH OF THE WESTERN METHOD AND APPROACH TO LABOUR RELATIONS. HE CALLED FOR MORE ADAPTATION TO LOCAL CULTURAL INFLUENCES AND TRADITIONS.

+MANY OF THE TRADE DISPUTES DEALT WITH BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IN HONG KONG HAVE ARISEN FROM LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND ATTITUDES, AND HAVE HAD TO BE RESOLVED BY METHODS AND APPROACHES THAT YOU WILL NOT FIND IN THE CASE STUDIES OF THE HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL OR THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS,+ MR. HENDERSON SAID.

HE REFERRED TO THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE COMMUNICATION MEDIA IN THE REGION, AND URGED DELEGATES TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE EFFECTS ON LABOUR RELATIONS ISSUES WHICH INEVITABLY RESULTED FROM MEDIA COVERAGE OF TRADE DISPUTES.

THE REPORTING OF STRIKES, PICKETTINGS AND SHUT-DOWNS HAD QUITE UNDERSTANDABLY BECOME WELCOME FODDER FOR THE NEWS MEDIA, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE NEWSPAPER OR TV STATION WHICH FAILED TO REPORT SUCH EVENTS WOULD SOON FIND ITSELF IN TROUBLE.

+BUT WE ALL KNOW HOW UNBALANCED A PICTURE THIS PRESENTS INSOFAR AS IT REPRESENTS ONLY A MINUTE FRACTION OF THE OVERALL FIELD OF LABOUR RELATIONS AND THE DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATION OF THE PERSONNEL AFFAIRS OF COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS, THE COMMISSIONER SAID.

HE ADDED: +THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO LACK SOPHISTICATION OR ARE NOT PARTICULARLY WELL INFORMED, OR WHO MAY NOT FULLY UNDER- STAND THE REAL ISSUES, FREQUENTLY DRAW THE WRONG CONCLUSIONS. IN FACT, HOWEVER TRULY AND HONESTLY THIS REPORTING IS DONE, IT CAN AND DOES AFFECT THE LABOUR RELATIONS SITUATION, PARTICULARLY DURING THE COURSE OF A DISPUTE.

+MY POINT IS NOT THAT THE PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA COULD OR SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED, BUT SIMPLY THAT THOSE WORKING IN THE LABOUR RELATIONS FIELD MUST IN THEIR WORK INCREASINGLY TAKE ACCOUNT OF THIS FACTOR,

+GENERALLY SPEAKING, SOLUTIONS TO TRADE DISPUTES ARE NOT FOUND IN PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS OF OUTRAGE BY EMPLOYERS OR EMPLOYEES. EVENTUALLY SOLUTIONS ARE FOUND IN PRIVATE IN SMOKE-FILLED ROOMS PERHAPS LATE AT NIGHT. IN ESSENCE, UNDISTURBED DIALOGUE OUT OF THE PUBLIC VIEW IS ESSENTIAL FOR SETTLEMENT OF LABOUR DISPUTES, HOWEVER MUCH POSTURING AND CLAMOUR MAY GO ON ELSEWHERE,+ MR. HENDERSON SAID.

/THE