XN000022-1985-04-03 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985

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INSOLVENCY BILL - 'A BIG STEP FORWARD'

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THE PROTECTION OF WAGES ON INSOLVENCY BILL 1985 WAS ANOTHER BIG STEP BY HONG KONG IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF WORKERS, WHO CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE HON K. C. CHAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL MR CHAN SAID: +IN INSOLVENCY CASES, WORKERS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY HIT BY THE SHOCK OF UNEMPLOYMENT, BY THE OFTEN FUTILE EFFORTS TO FIND ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT QUICKLY AND BY THE THREAT OF SUBSISTENCE WHICH ARE ALL REAL AND IMMEDI ATE PRESSURES ON THEIR FAMILIES.+

HE SAID THE BILL WOULD ACHIEVE TWO IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES

LONGED FOR BY WORKERS:

* MAKE GOOD WAGES UP TO FOUR MONTHS, SUBJECT TO A

MAXIMUM OF $8 000 PER WORKER; AND

* PROVIDE IMMEDI ATE HELP, SINCE APPLICATION PROCEDURES

WERE STREAMLINED AND THE WORKER COULD BE PAID WITHIN ONE MONTH.

HARDSHIP WAS THEREFORE KEPT TO AN ACCEPTABLE MINIMUM

WHEN ONE CONSIDERED THAT WAGES WERE NOT PAID DAILY BUT HALF-MONTHLY AND SALARIES PAID MONTHLY, HE ADDED.

MR CHAN SAID THE BILL WAS GENERALLY WELCOMED BY EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING PRESSURE GROUPS, WITH THE USUAL RIDER FOR MORE AND RETRO ACTIVE EFFECT.

+1 MUST REMIND THEM THAT ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN ONE DAY AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET FUNDS STATED AND TESTED FIRST, HE SAID.

ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FUND, HE SAID THEY OBVIOUSLY COULD NOT COME FROM EMPLOYEES, NOR WAS IT FAIR TO DIP

INTO THE PUBLIC COFFERS FOR EXPENDITURE WHICH DID NOT BENEFIT ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

+THIS SMALL LEVY HAS TO COME FROM EMPLOYERS OR BUSINESSMEN TO COVER THEIR FALLEN' BUSINESS ASSOCIATES.

+

+FAIR-MINDED EMPLOYERS WHO ARE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE RELEVANT WORKING GROUP HAD GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED THIS CONCEPT,+ HE SAID.

THANKING MR CHAN FOR HIS WARM SUPPORT FOR THIS BILL, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR RON BRIDGE, MOVED COMMITTEE STAGE AMENDMENTS TO CLAUSE 18 OF THE BILL.

"THE AMENDMEN RS

T.