ENG-2006 — Page 168

136 Employment

facilities, job market information and other supporting services to graduate

retrainees.

The Integrated Scheme for Local Domestic Helpers, an initiative formally. launched in May 2002, provides a one-stop service for job matching, job referral and follow-up services for employers and graduate retrainees of domestic helper courses. A Special Incentive Allowance Scheme for Local Domestic Helpers was introduced by the Labour Department in June 2003 to promote the services of local domestic helpers and to address the mismatch in supply and demand. Under the scheme, an allowance would be provided to qualified retrainees of domestic helper courses who are prepared to work across districts or during unsocial hours. It was decided in 2006 to extend the scheme to March 2008.

In October 2002, the ERB set up a Practical Skills Training and Assessment Centre which carried out standardised skill assessments for retrainees of domestic helper courses. Now, the standardised assessments have been extended to cover personal care worker courses, massage for healthcare courses, hotel room attendant courses, hotel public area cleaner courses as well as home care worker for the elderly courses.

Labour Relations

Labour relations in Hong Kong have remained harmonious. In 2006, the Labour Department's Labour Relations Division handled 199 trade disputes, a fall of 16 per cent from 2005. There were three work stoppages, resulting in the loss of 54 working days. The average loss was 0.02 of a working day per 1 000 salaried employees and wage-earners, which is among the lowest in the world. During the year, the division handled 24 958 claims for wages and other employment-related benefits or entitlements. This represented a decrease of 4 per cent from 2005. Of all disputes and claims conciliated by the division in 2006, 70.7 per cent were settled a record high since 1994.

The Labour Department organises a wide variety of activities to enhance public understanding of the EO. Activities such as talks, seminars and exhibitions are organised and a wide range of publications is produced for distribution to the public free of charge. Also, the information is widely publicised through the department's website and the media.

The department promotes tripartite dialogue at the industry level by setting up committees of employers, employees and labour officials. With the department's help, nine tripartite committees have been formed, covering the catering, construction, theatre, logistics, property management, printing, hotel and tourism, cement and concrete, and retail industries. At the enterpirse level, the department promotes good labour management practices and effective communication. A network of 18 Human Resources Managers' Clubs has been established and experience-sharing sessions and briefings are organised for human resources practitioners.