XN000022-1992-01-19 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 1992

MORE EMPLOYERS PROSECUTED FOR EXPLOITING IMPORTED WORKERS

LABOUR INSPECTORS CONDUCTED MORE THAN 3,500 INSPECTIONS LAST YEAR TO ESTABLISHMENTS USING FOREIGN WORKERS. THESE COVERED PRACTICALLY ALL EMPLOYERS IMPORTING FOREIGN LABOUR IN 1991. THE PURPOSE OF THE INSPECTIONS WERE ΤΟ ENSURE THAT THE STATUTORY AND CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS OF IMPORTED WORKERS WERE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED.

"THESE INSPECTIONS HAVE LED TO THE DETECTION OF SOME 200 CASES OF BREACHES BY EMPLOYERS OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE AND THE CONDITIONS OF THE LABOUR IMPORTATION SCHEME," SAID ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR MAK SAI-YIU TODAY (SUNDAY).

HE ADDED THAT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS OF IMPORTED WORKERS WERE TAKEN TO COURTS FOR OFFENCES UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.

UP TO LAST WEEK, NINE SUCH EMPLOYERS WERE CONVICTED WHILE ANOTHER 18 SUMMONSES HAVE BEEN LAID AGAINST NINE OTHER EMPLOYERS AND PROSECUTION IS BEING CONSIDERED AGAINST A FURTHER 18 EMPLOYERS.

"OF THE 17 CHARGES CONVICTED, 11 RELATED ΤΟ UNDERPAYMENT OF WAGES AND DEDUCTIONS OF LABOUR SERVICE CHARGE, WHILE THE REST CONCERNED FAILURE TO GRANT STATUTORY HOLIDAYS OR HOLIDAY PAY," HE SAID.

ONE OF THE LATEST CASES WAS THE CONVICTION OF THE ASIA KNITTING FACTORY IN HOK YUEN STREET, WHICH WAS FINED $1,000 FOR DEDUCTING WAGES OF AN IMPORTED WORKER UNLAWFULLY.

"ALL CASES OF BREACHES BY EMPLOYERS WERE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED BY LABOUR OFFICERS AND LABOUR INSPECTORS, FOLLOWED BY PROSECUTION ACTION, OR WARNINGS TO THE EMPLOYERS TO RECTIFY THEIR IRREGULARITIES, MR MAK SAID.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED 176 WARNINGS TO EMPLOYERS OF IMPORTED WORKERS. MOST OF THESE IRREGULARITIES WERE RELATED ΤΟ

TO SUBSTANDARD ACCOMMODATION AND INSUFFICIENT FACILITIES IN THE LIVING QUARTERS. THEY WERE RECTIFIED SUBSEQUENTLY.

MR MAK STRESSED THAT THE DEPARTMENT TOOK A VERY SERIOUS VIEW OF EMPLOYERS WHO EXPLOITED IMPORTED WORKERS AND THAT PROSECUTION WOULD BE INSTITUTED ONCE THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF EXPLOITATION.

HE CALLED ON THOSE IMPORTED WORKERS WHO WERE EXPLOITED BY THEIR EMPLOYERS то COME FORWARD AND COMPLAIN ΤΟ THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, SO THAT ACTION COULD BE TAKEN AGAINST THE OFFENDING EMPLOYERS.

FOR THE

THE

"TO SECURE A CONVICTION IN THE COURT, IT IS NECESSARY

CO-OPERATE WORKER TO

FULLY WITH US AND TO TESTIFY AGAINST EMPLOYER IN COURT, HE SAID.

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