TNAG-0115-FCO40-151-Departmental-briefs-for-Commonwealth-Prime-Minister-s-and-ot-1969 — Page 118

UNCLASSIFIED -

Note for the U.K. Hission to the United Nations,

New York on Hong Kong

LABOUR MATTERS

In February, 1968, the Commissioner of Labour, in

conjunction with the Department of Hines, announced a thirty-

three point labour reform programme, which included many

minor but important pieces of legislation relating to safety,

health and welfare. This programme included three major

pieces of legislation an amendment to the Workmen's

Compensation Ordinance, an Industrial Relations Bill which

would regulate the establishment of consultative machinery

in organisations above a certain size, and thirdly an

Employment Ordinance, which has already been enacted.

latter deals with contracts of service and the protection of wages (the latter in conformity with Convention No. 95 of

the ILO).

This

2. The phased reduction in working hours of women and

young persons in industry continued, apart from those factories with permission to continue at last year's rate (57 hours) for a six month carry-over period, the maximum

permitted hours of normal work being 54 a week.

March, 1968