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The following is issued on behalf of the Standard Working Hours Committee:
The Standard Working Hours Committee (SWHC) held its sixth meeting today (March 25). The Committee was briefed by the Census and Statistics Department on the major findings of the 2013 Annual Earnings and Hours Survey and considered the progress reports of its two working groups (WGs) on Working Hours Consultation and Working Hours Study.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Dr Leong Che-hung, said after the meeting, "The two WGs have already engaged consultants to assist with the public consultation campaign and dedicated working hours surveys. On public consultation, after meetings with major employers' associations and labour organisations during late January to mid-February, the Committee has since March 20 been holding a series of symposia for organisations of various occupations/professions, etc, to be followed by large-scale open consultation forums for the general public to widely listen to the views of the community on working hours.
"On working hours study, the consultant is pressing ahead with preparatory work with a view to commencing the dedicated working hours surveys in the second quarter of this year. The surveys will collect comprehensive working hours statistics from employed persons, including those engaged in occupations/ professions with relatively longer working hours or distinctive working hours patterns."
Dr Leong added, "To enhance public understanding of working hours issues, TV promotional programmes were screened in March and a series of roving exhibitions will continue to be staged in the coming months. Members of the public are also welcome to visit the Committee website (www.swhc.org.hk) to view the exhibition contents and the TV promotional programmes, which will be released online after the end of the broadcast."
The SWHC comprises a Chairperson and 23 members, including 12 serving members (employer and employee representatives) of the Labour Advisory Board. Of the remaining 11 members, one each comes from the labour sector and the business field, and three each from academia, the community and the Government.
Ends/Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:00
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