TNAG-0089-FCO40-125-Social-welfare-working-conditions-in-Hong-Kong-1968 — Page 85

6.

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(i) to introduce at once a 48 hour week for

individual industries where this is already the universal practice;

(ii)

(iii)

to introduce at once in industries where the 48 hour week is the common but not the universal practice, a 48 hour week with permissive overtime of up to 12 hours per week for individual factories;

to work out a phased programme for the reduction of standard working week for all other industries, with the object of bringing them all ultimately to 48 hours.

Garment industry would, of course, continue to present a special difficulty for some time to come; steady pressure would need to be exerted to achieve goal by set stages under the phased programme.

7. A scheme embodying certain of these features was put to the office two years ago, and did not meet with a favourable reception. I realise it has its imperfections; but I believe that in the circumstances of Hong Kong it provides the most realistic and promising path to progress (management representatives and Labour Advisory Board are now on record as accepting the principle of a phased programme) and I hope we could look at the proposition afresh.

8. More generally, Governor feels this is psychologically the right moment to announce that the Hong Kong Government, with the advice and assistance of H.M.G. (see below), intends to proceed with a review and expansion of its labour legislation, on which considerable preliminary work has already been done (there are about 30 pieces of legislation at various stages of preparation). This would cover such subjects as:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(a)

notification to Commissioner of Labour by any party to a trade dispute, whether existing or apprehended;

conferring on Commissioner of Labour power, in any trade dispute existing or apprehended (notified or not notified), to appoint a conciliation officer to examine the dispute on a good offices basis and to require the parties involved to send representatives;

an examination of legislative safeguards against discrimination;

more precise definition of the law on illegal picketing. Such a review would no doubt throw up other aspects requiring examination.

9. Governor would welcome expert assistance from us in carrying out this review. He and Hetherington feel that an expert would need to be lent to the Hong Kong Government for a period of between six to twelve months. If it were possible to make available services of Miss Ogilvie for this purpose, that would be very welcome here. Governor would like the review to begin as quickly as possible.

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