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concerned by labour legislation intended for women only. As a result, many male employees in industry are already enjoying four rest days a month.
The situation is, however, quite different in non-industrial sectors. Persons working in restaurants, retail shops, cinemas and particularly households do not customarily have fixed rest days every month. The introduction of this bill will hence benefit many employees in the non-industrial sectors of our community.
On the other hand, the proposed bill will likely cause problem to adjustment to some employers in the non-industrial sectors. Clause 1 of the bill specifies that it shall come into operation on the first day of April 1970. Since the third reading will not take place until the end of this month, it will give only one month for employers to make necessary adjustments. This period of notice seems rather short especially for those employers in non-industrial sectors who will have to depart substantially from customary practice. It is hoped that Government will show sympathetic consideration for these employers during the initial stage when this Ordinance comes into force.
This bill, in essence, provides, from the view of an employer, four compulsory rest days a month to his employees and, from the angle of an employee, an option of having four rest days a month. It, therefore, gives more leisure to those people who want it without hindering others who prefer to work harder and earn more income. During the past two years we have made significant progress in labour legislation. We have phased programme on progressive reduction of working hours, the Maternity Protection Ordinance, the improved Workmen's Compensation Ordinance, the Employment Ordinance and now the Rest Days Ordinance. These new labour Ordinances together with the previous ones such as the Holidays with Pay and Sickness Allowance Ordinance will no doubt bring our labour legislation reason- ably up to international standards.
Whilst employers have been most co-operative in helping Govern- ment to improve its labour legislation for the benefit of labour, Government has been most reluctant to look realistically at one problem in industry. I refer, Sir, to the problem of night work for women. This particular issue has been mentioned many times both in and outside this Council. To my knowledge, a very large and progressive electronic undertaking early last year applied for permission to operate a night shift with women. The wage level, fringe benefits and work- ing conditions of this particular factory are very favourable by world standards, but so far no positive reply is received from Government. I believe my honourable Friend, the Commissioner of Labour, already
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