เ
6.1 324
CONFIDENTIAL
3
become law before the middle of July. Consequently, special
rogulations, which require to bo approved by the Legislative Council
by resolution, qan not be presented before the end of July. The
four employers' associations have not yet been informed of the
details of the proposed regulations which are not yet in final form
but they are nwaro generally of what is in mind.
6.
11
....
The Commissioner of Labour had a mooting on the 22nd June
with three members of Legislative Council who were anxious to help
him to solve anj difficulties which are likely to arise. It seems
clear that employers' organizations aro opposed to the selection of
particular industrios for immediate legislative control although they
appoar to be willing to cooperate in principle with a phased programme,
As a result of these discussions it now soems likely that they will
come back with an interusting counter-proposal.
be as follows:
(a)
izli ne
This is likely to
a phased programme for the reduction of hours throughout
all industries on an agreed calendar
(b) a freezing of hours of work for women and young persons
as they are at prosent in all individual factories where
less than the statutory maximum is actually worked.
This counter-proposal has considerable morit and is, at first glance,
administratively foasiblo. It does not select particular industries
for special treatment and thereby create the risk of labour disputes
in other industries, the possibility of which is greatly feared by
industrialists at the present moment. It ensures that there can be
no back-sliding on existing conditions. It fits in with a phased
programme because the progressive reduction of hours will eventually
catch up with frozen hours of work. It does not disturb wages and
earnings. It could be put into effect immediately. Its basic
disadvantages, leaving aside the problems of drafting legislation
to freezo existing working hours, is that presentationally it doos.
....not clearly/
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.