TNAG-0087-FCO40-123-Conditions-of-employment-for-Hong-Kong-Chinese-working-in-th-1969 — Page 56

3.

As he says in his letter his only remaining

difficulty is in connection with

5

clause in the a litem

Hong Kong Government's model contract for workers

proceeding overseas for employment which makes

$

provision for the termination of the contract by the

(1)

worker without commitment to repay any part of the

expenses incurred by the employer in regard to his

passage to the United Kingdom. The Hong Kong

Λ

authorities have required the inclusion of a provision

on these lines and in doing so they are acting within

Conferrect.

the powers confirmed by the Hong Kong legislation.

They have given very careful consideration to

Mr. Burn's objections to the requirement and have gone

difficulties

at least some way towards meeting his wishes by

so as to

by estendi

amending their model clause for example to extend the

+

recommended period of notice from 1 month to three.

It has not however been possible to find a suitable

alternative provision which fully meets Mr. Burn's

while

wishes and at the same time protects the interests of

Chinese

the workers proceeding abroad for employment, which is

of course the object of the legislation.

4.

I would not wish to deny that the Hong Kong

requirement is unfavourable to the employer in

circumstances where an unscrupulous worker walked out

paist

on his contract having once obtained a passage to the

paid by his employer.

United Kingdom,

However, there are many other

circumstances in which an overseas worker might,

with good reason, wish to terminate the contract which

he has signed without full knowledge of working

conditions in this country; nor do I think it can be

said that it is unreasonable for an employer who –

recruits an employee to bear sole responsibility for

the creatments

the expenses he incurs. Mr. Burn's problem is

essentially one that is faced by all employers who

bring foreign workers to this country and, as he says

/in

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

and the ability to do so by giving Safeguard for the caps of worker with which we are concerned; nor do I think it unreasonable

due notite is a normide

to

expect

arr

employer who from abroad

to bear employed, to

recruit's an en

sole responsibility for the recruitment experts he incest.