XN000022-1980-02-24 — Page 4

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1980

+ I MUST EMPHASISE THAT THESE MAJOR PROJECTS MUST NECESSARILY TAKE MANY YEARS TO MATERIALISE BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TAKES A LONG TIME TO CONSTRUCT AND PROGRAMMES NEED TO BE PHASED, MR CHUT SAID.

THERE WAS ALSO THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINT BECAUSE THEY MUST COMPETE FOR PUBLIC FUNDS ALONGSIDE OTHER COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND FACILITIES.

MR CHUI SAID PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF RECREATION AND SPORT WAS A MANIFESTATION OF THE DYNAMISM OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND THE STRONG SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN GETTING FROM VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN EXTENDING AND EXPANDING SERVICES TO KEEP PACE WITH THE RAPID GROWTH IN POPULATION AND TO SATISFY THE GROWING NEEDS FOR RECREATION AND SPORT.

LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE HELPS SETTLE CLAIMS

FROM WORKERS

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A TOTAL OF 17 067 HONG KONG WORKERS LAST YEAR RECEIVED $14 MILLION FROM THEIR EMPLOYERS AFTER THE IR LABOUR-MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS WERE SETTLED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

OF THIS SUM, $2 985 503 OR ABOUT 21.4 PER CENT, WAS SEVERANCE PAYMENT MADE TO 1 389 EMPLOYEES RENDERED REDUNDANT BY OPERATIONAL OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE REMAINING $10 955 477 WAS PAID AS ARREARS OF WAGES, WAGES IN LIEU OF NOTICE, STATUTORY HOLIDAY PAY, BONUSES AND OTHER PAYMENTS DUE TO 17 067 EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING 1 389 WHO RECEIVED SEVERANCE PAYMENT.

TRADE DISPUTES HANDLED BY THE SERVICE DURING THE YEAR TOTALLED 161 OF WHICH 128, OR MORE THAN 79.5 PER CENT, WERE SETTLED WITH THE HELP OF THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE.

THE SERVICE ALSO PROVIDED CONCILIATION FOR 10 995 CLAIMS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE OR THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT SETTLED 6 206, OR SOME 56.4 PER CENT OF THEM, AND REFERRED MOST OF THE REMAINDER TO THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL FOR JÚDICIAL DECISION.

THE SERVICE ALSO INVESTIGATED 297 MAJOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT ALLEGED BREACHES OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE SUCH AS FAILURE TO PROVIDE REST DAYS, HOLIDAYS WITH PAY, ANNUAL LEAVE WITH PAY AND IMPROPER DEDUCTIONS OF WORKERS' WAGES.

DURING 1979 THERE WERE 46 WORK STOPPAGES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, RESULTING IN 39 743 WORKING DAYS LOST. THIS REPRESENTED AN AVERAGE OF 20.6 DAYS LOST PER THOUSAND EMPLOYEES.

COMMENTING ON THE AVERAGE FIGURE, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) THIS WAS CONSIDERED LOW BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARD AND WAS A POSITIVE INDICATOR OF GOOD LABOUR RELATIONS.

IN THE