ENG-1972 — Page 68

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EMPLOYMENT

modern manufacturing processes and to a small extent in mining and quarrying, traditional village industries still provide employment.

The number of workers who went overseas for jobs during the year was 737, compared with 1,310 in the previous year and 2,150 in 1970. Few of these workers were accompanied by dependants.

Wages and Conditions of Work

Most semi-skilled and unskilled workers in the manufacturing industries are piece-rated, although daily rates of pay are also common. Men and women receive the same rates for piece-work but women are generally paid less when engaged on a time basis. Wages may be calculated on an hourly, daily, or monthly basis or on piece rates and are customarily paid fortnightly or weekly.

The range of daily wages for the manufacturing industries at the end of 1972 was $12.70 to $50.40 for skilled workers; $9.50 to $33.20 for semi-skilled; and $8.00 to $21.40 for unskilled workers. Many employers provide their workers with free accommodation, subsidised meals or food-allowances, good attendance bonuses, and paid rest-days as well as a Lunar New Year bonus of one month's pay.

A Consumer Price Index, intended as an indicator of the effects of price changes on household expenditure, continued to be published throughout the year. It varied from 133 to 143 (base of 100-period of September 1963 to August 1964). In December 1972, this index stood at 143 (see Appendix 14). A special index based on the expendi- ture of households spending less than $600 a month and known as the Modified Consumer Price Index is also published and used as the basis for adjustment in the salaries of minor staff in government service. A proportion of the wages of all minor staff (Scale 1) in the public service is adjusted quarterly by reference to this index.

The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance is the basis for the control of hours and conditions of work in industry. As a result of the successful completion of the phased programme introduced on December 1, 1967 to reduce the maximum standard hours, women and young people aged 16 and 17 since December 1, 1971 work eight hours a day and 48 hours a week. In addition to establishing maximum daily hours, regulations limit overtime and provide for weekly rest-days and rest periods for women and young people.

Young people aged 14 and 15 may work eight hours a day in industry with a break of one hour after five hours continuous work. Children under the age of 14 are prohibited from working in industry, and no woman or young person is allowed to work at night or underground. Regulations under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance also provide for the pre-employment medical examination of men employed underground or in tunnelling operations and for the periodical medical examination of men under 21 years of age employed underground.

Because of a continuing shortage of labour, a few large factories engaged in cotton spinning were authorised in 1970 to employ women at night. This permission was restricted to those able to comply with stringent conditions. This experimental