ENG-1974 — Page 62

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KKO

Employment

FURTHER advances in labour legislation to improve the safety, health and welfare of workers were introduced in 1974, bringing to 70 the number of labour legislation items passed since 1970.

These items included the provision of four rest-days a month for most employees, more effective control of employment agencies, and safety regulations in respect of construction sites, lifting gear and lifting appliances. During the year, the Employment Ordinance and the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance were amended by raising the wage ceiling from $1,500 to $2,000 for non-manual workers covered under these laws. Further amendments were made to the Employment Ordinance to give workers the right to severance pay on redundancy, and to protect workers against acts of anti-union discrimination.

The Labour Tribunal which began operations on a trial basis in March 1973 has been made a part of the permanent judicial machinery by the Labour Tribunal (Amendment) Ordinance 1974. A second presiding officer started work on February 1, 1974 and a second tribunal was established on March 1, 1974. Initially it operated on Hong Kong Island. On July 2 it moved to Kowloon for the convenience of em- ployees and employers.

While the cost of living indices have risen by 95 per cent since 1964, the average industrial wage has increased by 163 per cent. Therefore, measured by real wages, standards of living have risen by about 35 per cent.

In December 1974 a total of 555,919 workers were employed in 25,250 establish- ments in the manufacturing sector. The largest section of the labour force-some 263,809-were engaged in weaving, spinning, knitting, and the manufacture of gar- ments and made-up textile goods. The electrical industry was the second largest employer and the plastics industry was the third. Details of the distribution of manu- facturing establishments and of people employed in them are given in Appendices 12 and 13.

The 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 townships of Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung. In December 1974 a total of 113,107 workers were recorded in 3,787 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.