Govt's Reversal On Working Hour Policy Slammed

An employee representative on the Labour Advisory Board on Thursday slammed the government's decision to go back on the previous administration's promise to legislate minimum working hours for contract workers.

Labour Department officials revealed on Wednesday that they are shelving the plan to regulate working hours for low-paid, temporary workers. The department told the board that instead, it will introduce guidelines on working hours in 11 sectors from next year.

Federation of Trade Unions member Bill Tang, who represents workers on the advisory board, said the non-legally binding guidelines would not be enough to resolve the problem of long working hours.

He said all the employee representatives were dissatisfied with the government's decision. They have not only suspended the move for legislation on minimum working hours, they are not even giving a reason, Tang said.

He also told RTHK's Janice Wong that the government's guidelines exclude workers like accountants and teachers, who have long complained about the gruelling hours they have to put in.

Employers representative Jimmy Kwok said the guidelines could help the market assess whether regulating working hours by contract is appropriate.