ENG-1960 — Page 70

EMPLOYMENT

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both labour and management made genuine efforts to find accep- table agreements and a major change in the wage structure of the Colony occurred without serious industrial trouble. In only a few rare cases was drastic action taken. The advice and conciliatory services of the Labour Department were asked for in many of the more important discussions and a total of 141 meetings over wage negotiations was held between labour and management in the department during the year. By the end of the year wage levels were roughly 15% higher than twelve months ago. Normal daily wages for daily-rated workers ranged between:

Skilled Semi-skilled

Unskilled

$8 and $21

$4.50

and $9

$3

and $ 7

Many businesses pay a bonus of one month's wages at Chinese New Year in addition to normal wages. Some firms give free food and accommodation to regular employees. Others run canteens to sell food and other necessities at subsidized rates.

Working hours. There are no legal restrictions on the hours of work for men, but regulations made under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, 1955, provide for maximum daily hours, limited overtime, weekly rest days, and rest periods for women and young persons. Women may not work more than ten hours a day and must have a rest of not less than half an hour after five hours' continuous work. An extra hour of overtime a day may be worked in special circumstances but overtime in any particular industrial undertaking may not exceed an aggregate of 100 hours in a year and six hours in a week, and may not occur in more than 25 weeks in a year. In exceptional circumstances, the Commissioner of Labour may authorize limited relaxations of these restrictions. A weekly rest day must be given.

Young persons between the ages of 14 and 16 years may work only eight hours, with a break of one hour after five hours' con- tinuous work. Children under the age of 14 years are prohibited from working in industry at all, and women and young persons may not work at night or underground.

Three quarters of the men in industrial employment work for ten hours a day or less. Those in Government service, and employees of commercial and industrial concerns operating on Western lines, work eight hours a day.