XN000022-1990-07-04 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1990

HE NOTED THAT HONG KONG CO-OPERATION BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND

HAD A LONG HISTORY OF MUTUAL EMPLOYEES AND SUCH EFFORTS HAD GIVEN THE TERRITORY ONE OF THE BEST MANAGEMENT/LABOUR RELATIONS RECORDS IN THE WORLD WITH FEWER MAN DAYS LOST IN INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES THAN VIRTUALLY ALL OTHER ECONOMIES IN THE WORLD.

MR MCGREGOR SAID EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES FORMED A NATURAL ECONOMIC ALLIANCE EACH DEPENDING UPON THE OTHER AND EACH RESPECTING THE OTHER.

"ALL OF US ENJOY THE SAME RIGHTS AND ARE ENTITLED TO DIGNITY, HE SAID.

THE SAME

RELAXING LABOUR IMPORTATION A RIGHT MOVE

VERY DEFINITE

THE PROPOSALS RELAXING LABOUR IMPORTATION ARE A IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THE HON JAMES TIEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVE

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ON THE IMPORTATION OF LABOUR, MR TIEN SAID HE STRONGLY BELIEVED THAT INFLATION IN HONG KONG WAS THE DIRECT RESULT OF LABOUR SHORTAGE AND THAT INFLATION WOULD QUICKLY SUBSIDE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF AN ADEQUATE LABOUR FORCE.

MR TIEN SPOKE ON THE SITUATION OF THE GARMENT INDUSTRY AND EFFECT OF THE LABOUR IMPORT SCHEME ON IT.

THE

HE SAID THE POSSIBLE ALLOCATED FIGURE OF 3,000 OPERATIVES TO THE GARMENT SECTOR WOULD COVER ROUGHLY 10 PER CENT OF ITS VACANCIES.

HE BELIEVED THAT THIS SMALL IMPROVEMENT OF 10 PER CENT COULD HAVE DRAMATIC POSITIVE EFFECTS ON THE INDUSTRY'S EFFICIENCY AS NEW OPERATIVES COULD BE PROFITABLY EMPLOYED IN "BOTTLENECK AREAS".

MR TIEN EXPLAINED THAT AS A RESULT OF SEVERE LABOUR SHORTAGE BUILT UP IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, HONG KONG WORKERS NOW TENDED ΤΟ BE RATHER SPECIALISED AND CHOOSY ABOUT THEIR JOB.

"FOR EXAMPLE, IN A SHIRT FACTORY, A WORKER MAKING COLLARS WILL ONLY MAKE COLLARS, NOT SLEEVES, CUFFS OR ANY OTHER OPERATIONS.

PREPARED то ACT.

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"WHAT WE REQUIRE IS TO IMPORT OPERATIVES LIKE UTILITY PLAYERS. THESE NEW WORKERS CAN ВЕ FLEXIBLE, ACCOMMODATING, AND PUT TO UNBLOCK THE BOTTLENECKS."

MR TIEN SAID THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY HAD CONSISTENTLY BEEN ACCUSED OF "SALINE DRIPPING", THAT IS, NOT PROVIDING SPECIALISED WORKERS WITH ADEQUATE WORK EVERY DAY.

/HE FELT