XN000022-1992-07-23 — Page 9

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1992

IN PRACTICAL TERMS, THE INCREASES WOULD BE, IN THE CASE OF A LORRY MAKING THREE TRIPS A DAY TO A PUBLIC CARGO WORKING AREA, FROM $51 TO $81 A DAY ($180 PER WEEK). FOR A BARGE OF DAILY BERTHING FEE WILL BE INCREASED FROM $130 TO $250.

1,000 TONS, THE

"THUS DESPITE THE INCREASES IN FEES AND CHARGES THIS YEAR, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT REACHED FULL COST RECOVERY YET FOR THESE SERVICES AND THERE IS STILL A SMALL GAP WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO BE NARROWED IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS.

"THE MARINE DEPARTMENT WILL CARRY OUT A MAJOR REVIEW OF THE FEE STRUCTURE WITH A VIEW TO RATIONALISE THE FRE ITEMS AS SOME OF THESE DO NOT REFLECT THE NEED OF THE INDUSTRY, MR PYRKE SAID.

DETAILS OF THE REVISION OF FEES AND CHARGES WILL BE GAZETTED TOMORROW (FRIDAY).

EARLY PLANS FOR WORK IN TYPHOON URGED

* * * * *

EARLY

EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES SHOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORK DURING TYPHOONS AND OTHER CONDITIONS, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR MAK TODAY (THURSDAY).

AGREEMENT ON

BAD WEATHER SAI-YIU, SAID

"THIS AGREEMENT IS NECESSARY TO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDING AND DISPUTES BECAUSE, GIVEN THE DIFFERENT NATURE AND REQUIREMENTS OF DIFFERENT JOBS IN DIFFEREN'T TRADES AND INDUSTRIES, IT WOULD BE IMPRACTICABLE TO LAY DOWN SPECIFIC LAWS, || MR MAK SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE AGREEMENT SHOULD INCLUDE PROVISIONS ON WHETHER EMPLOYEES NEED TO REPORT DUTY DURING TYPHOON AND OTHER HAD WEATHER CONDITIONS, WAYS OF CALCULATING WAGES, CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH EMPLOYEES SHOULD RETURN TO WORK.

MR MAK POINTED OUT THAT WHEN WORKING OUT THE ARRANGEMENTS, PRIME CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES' SAFETY, IN THE OFFICE AS WELL AS ON A JOURNEY.

TYPHOON

USUALLY, EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME IF SIGNAL NO. 8 IS HOISTED OR PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES ARE ΤΟ BE

SUSPENDED SHORTLY.

HOWEVER, EMPLOYERS SHOULD ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO LEAVE EARLY IF THEY LIVE FAR AWAY FROM THE WORKPLACE.

"IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS TO WORK DURING TYPHOON AND OTHER BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT SHOULD BE CLEARLY STATED TO HIM EMPLOYMENT BEGINS, MR MAK SAID.

ΓΙ

BEFORE THE

"IN THIS CASE, THE EMPLOYER SHOULD PROVIDE ADEQUATE

FACILITIES

TO ENSURE THE EMPLOYEE'S SAFETY, HE ADDED.

/MR MAK