XN000022-1990-08-12 — Page 19

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 12, 1990

MORE FINES FOR LABOUR OFFENCES

**

LABOUR LAW OFFENDERS HAD DUG DEEPER IN THEIR POCKETS FOR THEIR OFFENCES AS FINES IMPOSED BY THE COURTS CONTINUED TO GO UP IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.

DURING THE PERIOD, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SUCCESSFULLY BROUGHT 1,752 CASES TO THE COURTS, RESULTING IN FINES AMOUNTING ΤΟ $7.14 MILLION, COMPARED TO 2,226 CONVICTIONS AND TOTAL FINES OF $7.43 MILLION IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

"THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 21.6 PER CENT IN THE AVERAGE MR FINE, WHICH STANDS AT $4,078, SENIOR LABOUR OFFICER (PROSECUTION} TSANG KIN-WOO, SAID.

MR TSANG SAID THE TREND OF IMPOSING HEAVIER FINES FOR BREACHES OF LABOUR LEGISLATION SHOULD MAKE EMPLOYERS TAKE WORKERS' SAFETY AND WELFARE MORE SERIOUSLY.

HE ALSO NOTED THAT MORE THAN 61 PER CENT OF CASES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL SAFETY OFFENCES.

ALL CONVICTED

FACTORIES AND

REGULATIONS,

"THEY INCLUDED 564 CASES OF BREACHES OF THE INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND ITS SUBSIDIARY WHILE 513 RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY} REGULATIONS, WITH FINES AMOUNTING TO $1.98 MILLION AND $3.96 MILLION RESPECTIVELY, HE SAID.

T

OF THE REMAINING CASES, 602 INVOLVED VIOLATION OF WELFARE PROVISIONS UNDER THE WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS (INDUSTRY) REGULATIONS, EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYMENT, LABOUR RELATIONS, AND EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCES. THE FINKS TOTALLED $1.04 MILLION.

OTHER CASES INCLUDED 66 PROSECUTIONS UNDER THE BOILERS AND PRESSURE VESSELS ORDINANCE, EIGHT CASES OF FAILURE TO KEEP OR PRODUCE FOR INSPECTION EMPLOYEES RECORDS UNDER PART IVB OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE AND ONE OF OBSTRUCTING A LABOUR OFFICER UNDER THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE. FINES TOTALLING $146,650 WERE IMPOSED.

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