ENG-1958 — Page 47

OCCUPATIONS, WAGES AND LABOUR ORGANIZATION

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The Labour Department is responsible for the initial preparation of all labour legislation, and keeps under review the legislative and administrative arrangements for giving effect to the Colony's obligations under International Labour Conventions. It carries out the registration and inspection of industrial undertakings to ensure, in particular, safe and healthy conditions of work. It acts as a channel of conciliation in disputes between trade unions and employers, and individual workmen and employers. It provides advice and assistance to trade unions in the management of their affairs, including the organization of classes on various aspects of trade unionism; seeks to encourage joint consultation in industry; and advises on the establishment of appropriate machinery for this purpose. It is responsible for the protection of women and young persons employed in industry in compliance, in particular, with internationally accepted restrictions on their working hours. It protects emigrant workers; and administers the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance, primarily by investigations conducted by a staff of trained labour inspectors. It carries out surveys of wage rates and levels, and conditions of employment; and is responsible for ensuring that publicity is given to the major provisions of the legislation with which the Department is con- cerned. At the end of the year the Department had made arrange- ments to begin in 1959 to offer training in supervisory techniques to representatives of local industry.

During the year the distribution of a large number of industrial safety posters to local factories was continued. In addition to the publication of various pamphlets by the Department, fifty four different articles dealing with aspects of safety, health, welfare, trade unionism, etc., were prepared by officers of the Department and distributed through the Public Relations Office for use by the local vernacular press. Through the courtesy of the Chinese Manu- facturers' Association, the Labour Department was for the second time provided with a stall in which to mount a display at the Annual Exhibition of Hong Kong Products held in December. The display aroused interest and the opportunity was again taken to spread more knowledge of the Department's activities among local employers and workers by means of numerous hand-outs, by organizing film shows and displays at the Exhibition, and by radio broadcasts.