XN000022-1995-01-25 — Page 45

-35-

-

Labour rights of workers at new airport

Following is a question by Dr the Hon Conrad Lam Kui-shing and a written reply by the acting Secretary for Education and Manpower, Miss Jacqueline Willis, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

It is learnt that imported workers at the Chek Lap Kok Airport construction sites receive harsh treatment at work, such as excessively long working hours and unreasonably low wages etc. In view of this, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

of the number of complaints lodged with the Labour Department by these workers against their employers over the past three years; together with a breakdown of the main categories of complaints and their respective percentages; and

whether the Government will consider adopting measures to safeguard the labour rights of these workers?

Reply:

Mr President,

(a)

Over the past three years, the Labour Department has received a total of eight complaint cases from imported workers working on construction sites of the Airport Core Programme (ACP) projects. Each of these cases comprised a variety of complaint items involving a different number of imported workers. The main categories of complaint and their respective percentages are as follows:

Categories of Complaints

Underpayment of overtime wages

Percentage of Total

21%

16%

Non-granting of statutory

holidays and rest days

Underpayment of basic wages

16%