XN000022-1981-01-02 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1981

LABOUR LAW PROTECTION FOR MORE EMPLOYEES

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THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO EXTEND THE APPLICATION OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE TO NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING AS MUCH AS $6 000 A MONTH.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL 1981, PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE. SEEKS TO RAISE THE PRESENT WAGE CEILING FOR NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE FROM $3 500 TO $6 000.

THE ORDINANCE AT PRESENT COVERS ALL MANUAL EMPLOYEES AND THOSE NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING NOT MORE THAN $3 500 A MONTH.

THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE WAGE CEILING TO BE REVIEWED AND REVISED FROM TIME TO TIME BY RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

COMMENTING ON THE BILL, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE WAGE CEILING WAS BEING REVISED IN ORDER TO KEEP IT IN LINE WITH THE INCREASE

IN THE COST OF LIVING.

SINCE WAGES HAD RISEN, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE HIGHER COST OF LIVING, SOME NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY ENTITLED TO PROTECTION AND BENEFITS OF THE ORDINANCE HAVE NOW BEEN EXCLUDED FROM ITS COVERAGE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1968, WHEN THE ORDINANCE WAS FIRST ENACTED AND MARCH LAST YEAR, THE PERCENTAGE

INCREASE IN THE INDEX OF AVERAGE DAILY WAGES FOR WORKERS IN INDUSTRY WAS 378.6 PER CENT.

+AS THE WAGE CEILING IN 1968 WAS $1 500 PER MONTH, IT SHOULD THEREFORE NOW BE RAISED TO $5 680, OR A ROUND FIGURE OF $6 000,+ HE ADDED.

THE WAGE CEILING WAS LAST RAISED FROM $2 000 TO $3 500 IN APRIL 1979.

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