ong Kong's manufactured products are competitive in the H
world market largely because it has an industrious and dex- terous labour force which is quick to acquire a considerable degree of speed and skill.
There is no import duty in Hong Kong, except on alcoholic liquors, tobacco, hydrocarbon oils, table waters, and methyl alcohol. All other goods are duty free and there is no purchase tax of any kind. In addition, salaries tax is comparatively low. At the same time, because total income is only chargeable to salaries tax after deduction of annual allowances for the taxpayer, his wife, and children, very few industrial workers are required to pay salaries tax.
WORKING HOURS
The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Regulations set the standard working hours of women and young persons (aged 14-17) employed in industry at eight hours a day and 48 hours a week, and limit the employ- ment on overtime to two hours a day and 300 hours a year. Women and young persons are permitted to work between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. or up to 9 p.m. when employed on overtime. However, young persons aged 14 and 15 years are only permitted to work between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. and are prohibited to work any overtime.
There is no statutory restriction on the hours of work for male workers aged 18 years and over. An eight-hour day is normally operated in the major ship-building and ship-repair industries and in other large industrial establishments. Many cotton-spinning mills and large weaving factories operate on the basis of three eight-hour shifts; while garment, plastics and metalware factories generally work only one single shift.
Women and young persons, who must be given one rest-day a week under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Regulations, are not affected by the Employment Ordinance which provides all manual workers, irrespective of their wages, and all non-manual workers whose monthly wages do not exceed $2,000, with four rest days a month. Except where continuous production demands a rotation of rest-days, Sunday is the usual rest-day for women and young persons employed in industry.
Most workers in industrial employment have statutory entitlements to six paid annual holidays and sickness allowance of up to 24 days at half pay.
TRADE UNIONS AND INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
Trade union activity in Hong Kong is limited. At the end of March 1974 there were 339 registered trade unions, consisting of 283 employees' unions, 44 employers' associations, and 12 mixed organisations of em- ployers and employees. The total declared membership was 306,721. With the exception of a small neutral and independent segment, em- ployees' unions are affiliated to or associated with either the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions which supports the government of the People's
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.