“ All men laid off on the ground of redundancy have been given due wages in lieu of notice and a retiring gratuity of 10% of a year's basic pay for every year of service, irrespective of the length of time they have been employed by the Company. This retiring gratuity is normally given only to men who retire after completing 10 ten years' service. The Tramway Workers' Union is a registered union but it is not recognized by the management as representing the workers. ”

“ Only 5 new unions were registered during the year, 3 of workers and 2 of employers, but the registration of 6 workers' unions was cancelled and one workers' union and one employers' association were dissolved. It is possible that the maximum number of registrations has been reached and there may well be a further decrease in future years. A large number of workers' unions are new operating with few members and scanty funds and some may soon cease to exist. ”

“ Apprenticeship is common in Chinese industrial establishments but with a few exceptions systematic training and supervision are lacking. Usually the apprentice is excepted to acquire his skill by watching and imitating skilled workers. ”

“ In spite of considerable industrial development in Tsun Wan in the New Territories, the distribution of industrial premises remains at about one on the Island to each two in Kowloon and the New Territories, and the following figures for employment in registered and recorded factories and workshops for the past five years show the steady rate of development.
In addition to workers in registered and recorded factories and workshops, it is estimated that there are about 100,000 persons engaged in small unregistrable concerns, cottage industries, and as outworkers. ”

“ The Ordinance requires an employer to pay half wages for periods of temporary incapacity but many employers in fact pay wages in full as well as medical expenses and the cost of artificial limbs where an employee loses a limb in an industrial accident.
Industrial Training Apprenticeship and Vocational Training Craft apprenticeship within the Government service is provided by the Kowloon-Canton Railway, the Public Works Department in its electrical, mechanical and waterworks branches, the Stores Department in its workshops and by the Printing Department. ”

“ Such an allowance was essential in the unsettled conditions following the war but a number of firms have since consolidated a substantial portion of the variable allowances into basic wages, retaining only a small amount as a cushion against price fluctuations. Two indices are published regularly by the Government Statistician. The Food and Fuel Index by which the variable allowances of most manual workers are calculated is based on the market price of a number of staple articles fo food and of firewood. ”

“ Vocational training classes for coxswains and engineers are operated by the Marine Department for Government employees and by the Fisheries Division of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for fishermen. These were well attended and in 1954 217 fishermen obtaining their certificates of competency as coxswains and 20 as engineers. Vocational classes are also run by different industrial undertakings and by various organizations such as trade unions. ”

“ Some Chinese concerns, and in particular the building trade, favour a 7 day week and this is sometimes coupled with a 9 hour day. These long hours are popular with workers since wages are correspondingly greater, and the speed of working tends to be slower. Hours of work for women and young persons are regulated by law.
Cost of Living The Government, most European concerns and some Chinese employers whose businesses are run on Western lines pay a variable cost of living allowance to their staff in addition to basic wages. ”

“ Sectional differences, personal antagonisms and wide divergences of political views continue to divide unions of the same trade and there have been no moves towards amalgamation during the year, although amalgamation might well benefit many of the smaller unions. ”

“ The administration of the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance which was enacted at the end of 1953 added considerably to the work both of Labour Officers and of the Labour Inspectorate, particularly during the early months before employers had become familiar with the routine procedure involved. In the field of industrial health a medical officer was temporarily posted to the Department for preliminary survey work. ”

“ In such concerns where a continuous supply must be maintained, rest days are arranged in rotation, so that Sunday is only one of seven rest days, but in manufacturing concerns the rest day is usually Sunday. ”