ENG-1975 — Page 69

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EMPLOYMENT

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

Wages and Conditions of Work

Most semi-skilled and unskilled workers in the manufacturing industries are piece-rated, although daily rates of pay are common. Men and women receive the same rates for piece-work, but women are generally paid less when working on a time basis. Wages may be calculated on an hourly, daily, or monthly basis, or on piece rates when they are customarily paid every 10 or 15 days.

Daily wages for the manufacturing industries at the end of 1975 ranged from $18.50 to $65.30 for skilled workers; $14.00 to $40.00 for semi-skilled workers; and $13.00 to $28.50 for unskilled workers. Many employers provide their workers with free accommodation, subsidised meals or food-allowances, good attendance bonuses, paid rest days, and a Lunar New Year bonus of one month's pay.

A consumer price index (A), based on a household expenditure survey conducted during the period July 1973 to June 1974, is compiled as an indicator of the effect of price changes on the expenditure of households spending $400-$1,499 a month. In December 1975, this index stood at 108 (see Appendix 16). A consumer price index (B) is also compiled to show the effect of price changes on the expenditure of households spending $1,500-$2,999 a month.

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The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and its regulations control the hours and conditions of work in industry. Since December 1971, the permitted maximum hours of work for women and young people aged 16 and 17 employed in industry have been eight hours a day and 48 hours a week. The regulations also limit overtime and provide for weekly rest days, and rest breaks for women and young people. The maximum overtime allowed was reduced to 250 hours a year as from January 1975 and was further reduced to 200 hours as from January 1976.

Young people aged 14 and 15 may work eight hours a day in industry with a one-hour break after five hours of continuous work, and no overtime is allowed. 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. The regulations also provide for a 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.

A few large factories, mostly engaged in cotton spinning, were authorised in 1970 to employ women at night. This special permission was granted only to factories able to comply with stringent conditions. The concession is reviewed annually.

There are no legal restrictions on hours of work for men. Most men employed in industry work between eight and nine hours a day. Government employees, and those working for the better employers in the private sector, may have shorter working