ENG-1981 — Page 87

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EMPLOYMENT

urban households in Hong Kong, with a monthly expenditure of between $3,500-$6,499 in the base period. Both the new and the old series were published up till the end of 1981. From then on the old series was discontinued.

In September, 1981, 75 per cent of workers engaged in manufacturing industries received daily wage rates of $38.97 or more (males $44.11 and females $37.87), and 25 per cent received $62.21 or more (males $75.33 and females $54.25). The overall average daily wage rate was $54.18 (males $62.59 and females $47.31).

Besides granting rest days, statutory holidays, paid annual leave and other entitlements under the Employment Ordinance, many employers provide workers with subsidised meals or food allowances, attendance bonuses, free medical treatment, and a Lunar New Year bonus of one month's pay or more. Free or subsidised accommodation and transport are also provided by some of the larger establishments.

The Employment of Children Regulations made under the Employment Ordinance, control the employment of children under the age of 15. No child under the age of 15 may be employed in an industrial undertaking. Children aged 13 or above may, subject to their physical and moral protection, be employed in non-industrial establishments, except in occupations prohibited in the regulations. The types of employment permitted and the conditions depend, among other things, on whether the child has completed Form III of secondary education.

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Under the Women and Young Persons (Industry) Regulations, young people aged 15 to 17 and women are permitted to work a maximum of eight hours a day, six days a week. However, work for all young people shall not start earlier than 7 a.m. nor end later than 7 p.m. After five hours of continuous work, women and young people must be given a meal or rest break of at least 30 minutes. In the case of young people under 16, the break must not be less than one hour. The regulations also limit overtime employment for women to 200 hours a year. Young people are not permitted to work overtime. However, some large factories - mostly those engaged in cotton spinning - have been granted special permission to employ women at night subject to certain stringent conditions.

The Immigration Ordinance was amended in October 1980 with the aim of stopping the influx of illegal immigrants into Hong Kong and to prohibit their employment. The provisions of this ordinance are being enforced by the labour inspectorate in conjunction with the Immigration Department and the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. Under the Immigration Ordinance, all employees are required to carry their proof of identity and employers are required to maintain an up-to-date employees' record. Employers are prohibited from employing anyone who does not possess an acceptable document to prove his identity. Employers are also not permitted to employ those Vietnamese refugees who are prohibited from being employed under the same ordinance.

In 1981, the labour inspectorate made 263 079 day and night inspections to industrial and non-industrial establishments. And four special campaigns against child employment and the employment of illegal immigrants covered 23 691 establishments. During the year, 292 cases involving 292 children were brought before the courts.

Under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Regulations, no male employees may be employed to work underground in mines, quarries, and industrial undertakings involving tunnelling operations unless he has been medically examined and certified fit for such work. Those under 21 have to be medically re-examined each year.

Trade Unions

Trade unions in Hong Kong are given the legal status of corporate bodies by a system of