ENG-1974 — Page 26

A SOCIAL COMMITMENT

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These services will be gradually extended and are expected to play a significant part in reducing the growth of Hong Kong's population.

Any member of the public can obtain treatment at a clinic at a nominal fee of $1 for each visit. This charge covers medicine and all other services such as X-rays and laboratory tests, though no charge is made for maternal and child health care or in TB, social hygiene and some other clinics. In government hospitals there is a com- prehensive fee of $2 a day, which covers medicine, food and all medical care and surgery. For those who cannot afford to pay, even these nominal charges are waived.

The Hong Kong system of social welfare calls for small payments for services by those who can afford them. These facilities provided by many voluntary agencies, effectively ensure that the less fortunate in the community are well cared for.

Code of Employment

An extensive programme of labour legislation has done much to secure a steady improvement in working conditions and terms of employment. Since 1968, about 78 items of labour legislation have been introduced; the most important of these was the Employment Ordinance, which was so framed that further parts could be pro- gressively added to build it into a comprehensive 'code of employment'. In the past two years, holidays with pay and sickness allowance have been extended to all em- ployees covered by the ordinance. Entitlement to sick leave has been increased and the qualifications for it simplified.

Controls have been placed on employment agencies to ensure that_workers, whether to be employed locally or overseas, are not exploited. An employee has been afforded statutory protection against any discriminatory action being taken against him by his employer because of his membership of a trade union. Redundant workers were, in 1974, given a statutory right to severance payments on losing their jobs.

The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance controls the hours and conditions of work for women and young people in industry and prohibits industrial concerns from employing children under 14 years. Since December 1971, the standard working hours for women and young people aged 16 and 17 has been limited to a maximum of eight a day and 48 a week. Furthermore, the maximum annual overtime which may be worked by them has been cut from 300 to 250 hours from the beginning of 1975, and to 200 hours in 1976. Most workers now enjoy four rest days a month and female employees are given maternity protection.

A Labour Tribunal was introduced in March 1973 to provide a quick, informal and inexpensive way of settling individual claims for money due under a contract of employment. Workers appear in person, there are no costs involved and no lawyers are permitted. The Labour Tribunal has succeeded in gaining the confidence of most employers and workers and is extensively used. It is not concerned with group disputes or collective bargaining with management.

During the past decade, the Labour Department has made determined efforts to promote industrial safety. Some progress has been made in enacting better safety regulations, but much remains to be done to convince manufacturers of the need to