ENG-1973 — Page 75

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Employment

LEGISLATION Covering all sections of the labour force continues to be introduced, amended and updated each year-and 1973 was no exception. In the past five years 50 items of labour legislation, all aimed at improving the working conditions and welfare of the workers, have been passed.

This legislation has included maternity benefits for women and four rest-days a month for most employees.

The Labour Tribunal Ordinance came into effect on March 1, 1973, and safety regulations on work in confined spaces and construction sites were also introduced during the year. Various amendments were made to the Employment Ordinance in 1973 to expand provisions for holidays with pay and sickness allowance, and to control employment agencies.

While the cost of living indices have risen by 74 per cent since 1964, the average industrial wage has increased by 153 per cent and the unemployment level has remain- ed low. Therefore, measured by real wages, standards of living have risen by about 46 per cent.

In December 1973, a total of 626,392 workers were employed in 29,105 establish- ments in the manufacturing sector. The largest section of the labour force-some 288,402—were engaged in weaving, spinning, knitting, and the manufacture of garments and made-up textile goods. The plastics industry remained the second largest employer. The demand for labour in the manufacturing industries continued to exceed the supply. Details of the distribution of industrial undertakings and of people employed in them are given in Appendices 12 and 13.

Bulk of the industrial population is concentrated in the urban areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon but there is increasing industrial develop- ment in the New Territories, particularly in the new township of Tsuen Wan. In December 1973, a total of 113,284 workers were recorded in 2,891 manufacturing establishments in the New Territories. Although most workers are engaged in modern manufacturing processes and to a small extent in mining and quarrying, traditional village industries still provide employment.

The 1971 population census showed a total working population of 1,582,849 in Hong Kong-1,049,989 male and 532,860 female. The main distribution of the work force was: manufacturing 677,498; services 312,173; commerce 208,604; construction and engineering 168,773; transport and communication 114,722; agriculture, forestry and fishing 62,975; public utilities 8,870; mining and quarrying 4,518; and other industries 24,716.

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