ENG-1989 — Page 126

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EMPLOYMENT

HONG KONG's labour market continued to be very tight during the year due to a high level of economic activity. The problem of the brain drain, due to emigration of professionals and experienced personnel, continued to cause concern. Employers were adopting new approaches to tackle the problem of staff recruitment and retention. A limited scheme was approved by the government to import skilled foreign labour to help ease the tight labour situation. Higher wages were offered to workers, particularly in the construction industry and service sectors.

Unemployment for the third quarter of 1989 was at a low of 1.4 per cent, and underemployment was 0.6 per cent.

The average wage rates for all employees, including workers or wage earners and salaried employees up to the supervisory level, increased by 13.4 per cent in money terms between September 1988 and September 1989, while those for workers (or wage earners) increased by 11.7 per cent over the same period. After allowing for rises in consumer prices, wage rates for all employees increased in real terms by 2.9 per cent and those for workers increased by 1.4 per cent. The overall average daily wage rate for workers in September 1989 was $167, being $201 for males and $144 for females. While the increase of

wage rates in real terms was small, the increase of average earnings was more significant. For example, between September 1988 and September 1989, average earnings for employees in the manufacturing sector, in terms of payroll per person engaged, rose by 16.1 per cent in money terms, or by 5.5 per cent in real terms.

Hong Kong's dynamic workforce totals 2.8 million, of which 64 per cent are males and 36 per cent females, as recorded by the July-September 1989 General Household Survey. Of the total workforce, 29.7 per cent are engaged in manufacturing, 25.1 per cent in wholesale and retail trades, restaurants and hotels, 18.3 per cent in community, social and personal services, 9.5 per cent in transport, storage and communications, 8.4 per cent in construction, and 7.4 per cent in the financing, insurance, real estate and business services.

A survey of Employment, Vacancies and Payroll in the Manufacturing Sector conducted in September showed that 802 983 people were engaged in 49 926 establishments. The survey covered working proprietors and partners, employees receiving pay and unpaid family workers affiliated to business organisations, but excluded out-workers. Some 353 101 people, the largest portion of the manufacturing workforce, were engaged in the textile and wearing apparel industries. The electronics and plastics industries were the next two largest employers. Details of the distribution of manufacturing establishments and of the number of people engaged in them are given at Appendices 17 and 18.

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