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The following is issued on behalf of the Provisional Minimum Wage Commission:
The Provisional Minimum Wage Commission (PMWC) appreciates the importance the community attaches to our work, and would like to reiterate that the PMWC comprises a chairperson and 12 members drawn from the labour sector, business community, academia and relevant government bureaux/departments. The chairperson and non-official members are appointed on a personal basis and not as representatives of their organisations. Despite our different backgrounds, we will make a concerted effort in discharging our duties.
The PMWC is tasked to advise the Chief Executive on the initial statutory minimum wage (SMW) rate, which is an hourly rate wage floor, on the basis of an evidence-based approach with a view to ensuring a sensible balance between forestalling excessively low wages and minimising the loss of low-paid jobs, while sustaining Hong Kong's economic growth and competitiveness.
We notice that the community is very concerned about the initial SMW rate and recently have been expressing their views and demands enthusiastically.
Keenly aware that different organisations and individuals have different expectations of the initial SMW rate, we have thus conducted extensive consultations with and met over 100 stakeholder groups as well as received over 7,500 written submissions.
Guided by the evidence-based approach, the PMWC will, in addition to fully considering the views of stakeholders, conduct prudent, comprehensive and objective analyses of a basket of indicators, other considerations relevant to the SMW policy and potential impact assessment of different SMW rates by making reference to the relevant statistical data.
The PMWC is now at full steam deliberating and discussing the initial SMW rate, and aims to submit its recommendation to the Chief Executive as soon as possible.
Ends/Friday, July 23, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:30
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