TNAG-0125-FCO40-161-Labour-force-working-conditions-1969 — Page 79

I.

Question Of Night Work Of Women Employed In Industry

Nature And Scope Of ILO "Convention 89"

II. Actual Statutory Disposition In Various Countries

III. Present Regulations Under Hongkong Law

IV. Impact On The Competitive Position Of Hongkong Industry

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I.

Nature And Scope Of ILO "Convention 89"

According to the latest official compilation, 128 countries are members of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

At General Conferences as held from time to time and attended by the delegates of member governments, special conventions were adopted concerning various aspects of the labour problem. As each convention is subject to ratification by individual governments, a member country of ILO is not necessarily a signatory to a particular convention.

"Convention 89" concerns the question of night work of women employed in industry in its revised form as adopted in 1948. It has been signed by the governments of only 48 countries. But failure to ratify a certain convention may be due to technical grounds, and does not always imply disagreement with its principle or objective.

This Convention commits the signatory countries not to employ during the night in any public or private industrial undertaking women without distinction of age, unless the under- taking employs only members of the same family. (Article 3).

The term "night" for the purpose of the "Convention 89", denotes a period of at least 11 consecutive hours, including 7 consecutive hours between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. to be defined by the authority concerned in each case.

following:

recurrent,

materials,

Exceptions, as provided in the Convention, are the

(A) Cases of force majeure being not forseen and non-

(B) Cases involving the treatment of perishable

(C) Cases of serious emergency where the national interest demands suspension of the ban.

It is also provided that, in situations dominated by seasonal influences or faced with exceptional circumstances, the night period may be reduced to 10 hours on 60 days of the year.

To women holding responsible positions of a managerial or technical character and to those employed in health and welfare services not ordinarily engaged in manual work, the convention does not apply.

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