Reference...
144
Bid to fill vacuum in relations between
S.C.141
labour,
ANY of Hongkong's
Mleading employers are
now studying a publication which lays down guide-lines ; for,a
new system of relations between management and em- ployees, the Secretary of the Employers' Federation of Hong- kong, Mr H. E. Aiers, said yes- terday.
The publication, called "Joint Consultation between Manage- with ment and Employees special reference to Hongkong," was prepared by the Council of the Federation and has just been issued with its support and ap- proval.
The basic recommendation of the document is that joint cem- mittees-which include represen- tatives of employers and manage- ment- should be established to overcome a serious vacuum in labour-management relations which has arisen as an aftermath of the disturbances.
*.
Top management is urged to foster the establishment of the committees and give continuous attention to their development and improvement.
as
a
At the same time the docu- ment makes it clear the com- -mittees so created should not be
regarded
substitute for unions and should not neces- sarily include wages and allow- Lances within the scope of their
discussions.
It should also be made clear that, by establishing formal ma- chinery for joint consultation, management is not in any way giving up its right of managing the undertaking, the 13-page booklet says.
Correct time
The owners and top manage- ment of more than 100 of Hong- kong's biggest companies are members of the Employers' Federation.
The council includes Mr L. Kadoorie, Mr J. Cassels, general of Taikoo Dockyard manager which was one of the first com- panies to introduce formal con- sultation, Mr A. G. S. McCallum, director of Butterfield and Swire, Mr R. Beynon, general manager of H.K. Oxygen and Acetylene Co, Mr L. J. A. Porter, director IC.I. (China) Ltd., Mr W. Boo- german, Mr P. Jameson, Mr J.
Oliver, Mr J. S. Tsu, Mr R. F. White, Mr Wong Tok-sau and Mr M. H. Wu.
"The council considers that the present is the correct time for joint consultation to be set up, as the climate for such an inno- vation is
avourable,” the docum
management
"In Hongkong today trade unionism is in the throes of an unprecedented aftermath of poli-
tical disturbances.
"Communist union officials have either been imprisoned or are unemployed. Right wing union members and office bear- ers do not wish to be identified with unions.
"This has resulted in what may be termed a vacuum in labour-management relations."
As a result of this situation consultative committees joint can be set up to fill the vacuum in much more peaceful conditions than ever before.
It says such committees can co-exist with unions, and says it is not necessarily correct that the establishment of such committees could lead to the formation of unions where none have existed before.
Mutual benefit
"Every endeavour should be made in the initial stages to convince employees that it is a scheme entirely separate from trade unionism for the mutual benefit of both of them and management," the booklet says.
It
adds that experience in other parts of the world has shown that if, in the course of time, a union is formed members who have had previous ex- perience of joint consultation will make better officials than those without such experience.
Where unions already exist management is advised to stress that modern industry and busi- ness raise
in many problems labour-management relations outside the ones normally dealt with by unions.
the
The scope of activities of the joint committees should "be as wide as possible and should in- clude all matters affecting the well-being of employees,' council recommends.
"This will show the genuine nature of management's proach to the scheme."
Among the subjects that could be included, it says are:
ap-
Production efficiency, and explanation by management of policy and production plans.
Education, welfare and
safety.
Sport and recreation, can- teens and other amenities.
Distribution of working hours, and questions of discip- line.
Grievances not settled by normal procedures.
-
In the early stages not all of these items need be covered but during the present vacuum
period they could also be, ex- tended to include discussion of wages and allowances.
Representatives of employees should be decided by secret bal- lot by colleagues in the depart- ment, shop or office to be repre- sented. They should not be appointed by unions, although union representatives should not be barred from taking part in the elections.
There should be at least one representative of each section of company category of
the employees.
or
Management representatives will be appointed, and because joint consultation does not en- visage voting power need not be equal in number to the labour representatives.
"It is not necessary, or even desirable, that the chairman of the committee be the managing director or general manager of the company except possibly for the initial meeting to show the scheme has his full support, which he should emphasise," the council advises.
The chairman should however be a senior man with an "even temper, patience, and a genuine desire for the committee to arrive at a conclusion by dis- cussion."
Meetings should be held monthly, the booklet says.
Employee s' representatives should be encouraged to speak freely without fear of any con- sequences. If necessary they should be drawn out. Manage- ment representatives attending the meetings should be fully briefed on items likely to come up so they can give decisions so- items are not adjourned for another month.
500 distributed
Some of the beneficial results that can arise from the proper working of such committees are outlined by the council in the booklet,
.
They include the prevention of: friction and misunderstantlings; : the promotion of a spirit of co- operation in improving the efficiency of the company as well as the well-being of item- ployees, and the encouragement of a wider interest in the activi- ties of the company by its employees.
Mr Aiers said yesterday that more than 500 of the booklets had been distributed and he had been told a number of the larger companies were now seriously considering introducing joint consultation along the lines re- commended.
In about a month the Federa- tion will conduct a survey of its members to find how many have established committees.
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