XN000022-1988-07-29 — Page 13

12

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1988

FLEXITIME BENEFICIAL TO EMPLOYERS, WORKERS

THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR TONY HAMMOND, TODAY (FRIDAY) CALLED ON EMPLOYERS TO CONSIDER SERIOUSLY THE ADVANTAGES OF INTRODUCING FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS IN THEIR FACTORIES AND OFFICES.

HE SAID MORE FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS WOULD BENEFIT WITHOUT INCURRING ANY ADDITIONAL COST TO THE EMPLOYER.

"THIS WILL IN TURN INCREASE THE ABILITY OF THE RECRUIT AND TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES.

EMPLOYEES

COMPANY ΤΟ

"IT IS, THEREFORE, AN ARRANGEMENT WHICH IS BENEFICIAL TO BOTH THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYEES, HE SAID.

MR HAMMOND WAS SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE SECOND CERTIFICATE COURSE ON LABOUR RELATIONS AND LABOUR LEGISLATION JOINTLY ORGANISED. BY THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG AND THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

THE TRADITIONAL OPENING AND CLOSING HOURS OF AN OFFICE OR A FACTORY WERE OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED, HE SAID.

EVERY MORNING, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE POURED INTO CENTRAL DISTRICT, OR MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AREAS SUCH AS KWUN TONG AND SAN PO KONG, TO GET TO WORK ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

OFFICE AND FACTORY WORKERS NOT ONLY HAD ΤΟ STRUGGLE THROUGH THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION BUT ALSO HAD TO FIGHT THEIR WAY INTO ALREADY OVERLOADED LIFTS IN ORDER NOT TO BE LATE AND NOT LOSE ATTENDANCE BONUS, THUS CAUSING DISCOMFORT AND DANGER то COLLEAGUES.

THEIR THEIR

"THESE PROBLEMS OF CONGESTION CAN IN FACT BE AVOIDED IF THE MANAGEMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EMPLOYEES, INTRODUCES A MORE FLEXIBLE SYSTEM OF WORKING HOURS, MR HAMMOND SAID.

"THE MOST STRAIGHTFORWARD ARRANGEMENT IS TO PUT FORWARD OR PUT BACK THE WORKING HOURS BY 15 OR 30 MINUTES.

"THE EMPLOYEES WOULD NOT THEN FIND IT THEIR WAY IN TO BUSES, TRAINS AND LIFTS.

"

SO NECESSARY ΤΟ FIGHT

ANOTHER ARRANGEMENT, HE SAID, WOULD BE SECTIONS OR DIFFERENT ASSEMBLY LINES TO CHOOSE HOURS WITHIN SPECIFIED LIMITS.

TO ALLOW DIFFERENT THEIR OWN WORKING

THIS WOULD HELP TO AVOID THE CHAOS AND CONFUSION CAUSED BY PEOPLE FIGHTING THEIR WAY TO THE CLOCK-IN OR CLOCK-OUT MACHINE.

/AND, IN