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In response to media enquiries, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said today (August 11) that the Labour and Welfare Bureau is highly concerned about the labour dispute triggered by steel benders' request for pay rise.
He noted that the Labour Department has been mediating in the labour dispute. The department will continue to shuttle between the workers and their employers and hopes that both sides could reach an agreement through rational dialogue.
"Labour disputes should be resolved through rational dialogue. The employers' association and the trade union have agreed to continue with the discussion on pay rise two days later (Monday afternoon). I hope that the workers would wait patiently for the outcome of the meeting," Mr Cheung said.
He urged the workers to exercise self-restraint and seek improvements in their labour benefits through lawful and peaceful means. In the process of expressing their views, they should not disrupt public order and cause any inconvenience to the public.
Ends/Saturday, August 11, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:33
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