XN000022-1980-10-15 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1980

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THE COMMISSIONER POINTED OUT THAT HIS DEPARTMENT TOOK THE VIEW THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO HELP PREPARE COMPANIES AND THE IR EMPLOYEES FOR A MORE STRUCTURED APPROACH TO EMPLOYEE RELATIONS.

+WE HAVE NOW SET UP A PROMOTIONAL UNIT IN THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE TO ADVISE AND ASSIST ORGANISATIONS AND BUSINESSES TO SET UP SUCH MACHINERY AS MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO THEIR NEEDS, BEARING IN MIND THE GREAT DIVERSITY AMONG ORGANISATIONS,

+THE SERVICES OF THE PROMOTIONAL UNIT WILL BE EQUALLY AVAILABLE TO UNIONS OR GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES,+ HE ADDED.

IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF LABOUR LEGISLATION, MR HENDERSON SAID THAT THE MAIN LEGISLATIVE THRUST IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO WOULD BE IN RESPECT OF FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, NOW RETITLED THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, AND THE PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF PAID MATERNITY LEAVE.

THE COMMISSIONER FURTHER DISCLOSED THAT OTHER POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS WERE IN THE AREA OF COMPENSATION FOR UNREASONABLE DISMISSALS, REVISION OF THE EXISTING PROVISIONS FOR SEVERANCE PAY ON REDUNDANCY AND THE SETTING UP OF A STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO ADMINISTER VARIOUS NEW INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEMES.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF LEGISLATION IN EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, MR HENDERSON SAID: +1 AM CONCERNED WITH THE NUMBER OF FIRMS AND FACTORY PROPRIETORS WHO REGARD THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS LAID DOWN AS THE DESIRABLE OR AGREED TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT.+

+WITH THIS ATTITUDE OFTEN GOES AN UNDESIRABLY RIGID LEGALISTIC APPROACH TO EMPLOYER/EMPLOYEE RELATIONS WHICH IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO A HARMONIOUS ATMOSPHERE, HE SAID.

MR HENDERSON STRESSED THAT STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS WERE SIMPLY THE MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS IN A PARTICULAR SOCIETY AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.

EMPLOYEES HAD THE RIGHT TO TRY TO IMPROVE THEIR POSITION, BY WHATEVER FORM OF BARGAINING OR PERSUASION APPROPRIATE. EMPLOYEES CLAIMING MORE THAN THE STRICT LEGAL ENTITLEMENT WERE NOT +OUT OF ORDER+ AS SOME FACTORY PROPRIETORS SEEMED TO THINK.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THESE CLAIMS OF INTEREST THEMSELVES DID NOT NECESSARILY GIVE RISE TO DISPUTES. IT WAS THE HANDLING OF SUCH CLAIMS ON BOTH SIDES THAT DETERMINED WHETHER THE OUTCOME WAS REACHED IN A HARMONIOUS OR FRICTIONAL MANNER.

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