TNAG-0786-FCO40-990-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-labour-and-trade-union--1978 — Page 14

Table 3

CONFIDENTIAL

5.

機密

Actual hours of work in manufacturing industries

3.5

Statistics concerning actual hours of

work (including overtime) in manufacturing industries are available for Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines and Singapore. As regards the other three countries, estimates only were given by responsible officials in the absence of official

statistics.

3.6

Workers in Hong Kong and Korea work the longest hours on average, both working slightly over 50 hours per week; this reflects the level of economic activity in the two territories. Malaysia and Thailand are estimated to work 50 and 49 hours per week respectively. Singapore recorded an average of 47.8 hours per week. Actual hours worked in Indonesia and the Philippines are the shortest: 45 and 43.7 hours per week respectively; this may however represent a deliberate policy of underemployment, to spread available work amongst the maximum number of people. Table 3 gives details.

Despite these statistics or estimates, it is difficult to draw any reliable conclusions. since the end results represent the effect of many factors.

307

Overtime work

3.8

Hong Kong has no restrictions on overtime work by adult males. In industrial employment overtime is restricted for women (not more than 2 hours a day and 200 hours a year) and young persons aged 16 and 17 (not more than 2 hours a day and 100 hours a year), with complete

prohibition for younger persons.

309

Overtime is permitted in all six countries visited. Whilst the national legislation of the Philippines and Thailand does not specify

•

CONFIDENTIAL 機 密