XN000022-1987-11-06 — Page 11

9

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1987

HONG KONG MAINTAINS GOOD LABOUR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS

GOOD LABOUR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS COULD ENHANCE HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY, AN ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR YIU YAN-NANG, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

ADDRESSING AN EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION BENEFIT SCHEME SEMINAR, JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG AND THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, MR YIU SAID HONG KONG'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCTS IN 1986 WERE UP BY 8.7 PER CENT AND THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS BY 19 PER CENT OVER 1985.

THE NUMBER OF STRIKES REPORTED LAST YEAR WAS NINE AND THE NUMBER OF WORKING DAYS LOST PER 1,000 EMPLOYEES AS A RESULT OF TRADE DISPUTES AT THE SAME PERIOD WAS 2.1 WHICH WAS SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE AVERAGE IN OTHER INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES.

"THESE FIGURES SHOW POSITIVE SIGNS OF AN IMPROVED BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYERS IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

++

RELATIONSHIP

"BUT STABLE LABOUR RELATIONS COULD ONLY ACHIEVE WHEN EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS HAD A CHANCE TO SHARE IN THE PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY.

+

IN OTHER WORDS, EMPLOYERS SHOULD ATTACH GREATER IMPORTANCE ΤΟ WORKERS' WELFARE BENEFITS.

MR YIU NOTED THAT MORE AND MORE EMPLOYERS HAD REALISED THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYERS' RETIREMENT BENEFIT SCHEMES.

THIS IS EVIDENT IN THE FACT THAT 5,169 RETIREMENT SCHEMES WERE APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF INLAND REVENUE AS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

CALL TO BETTER UTILISE SKILLS TALENTS OF LABOUR FORCE

J

HONG KONG'S PRESENT ECONOMIC SUCCESS OWES MUCH TO THE INGENUITY AND RESOURCEFULNESS OF ITS MANUFACTURERS AND HIGHLY EFFICIENT SERVICE SECTOR, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE. MR HARNAM GREWAL, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

BUT THE MAINSTAY OF ITS PROSPERITY WAS STILL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHOSE ABILITY, ADAPTABILITY AND HARDWORK WAS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TERRITORY'S ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENT, HE ADDED.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 16TH ANNUAL CAREERS EXHIBITION HELD AT THE SHATIN TOWN HALL TODAY, MR GREWAL SAID HONG KONG WAS INDEED FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A WORKFORCE.

/*IN TIMES ...........

+