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Following is the transcript of the remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, on the settlement of the bar-benders' labour dispute at a media stand-up session today (September 13):
Reporter: are you worry about …
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: I think it is wrong to use the word "won" the strike. In fact, it is a win-win situation for everybody. In labour relations, particularly in settlement, we are talking about arriving at a consensus, in the spirit of compromise, in the spirit of partnership and mutual understanding. It's wrong to say which side wins and which side loses. Everybody comes out as a winner in this particular case. I think it is important to bear in mind that labour relations in Hong Kong are generally fairly good over the years, and strikes are pretty uncommon in Hong Kong. So this incident is a pretty unusual experience. It's complex; it's protracted. We are talking about a large number of employees and they don't have permanent employers. A lot of them are just casual workers. On the other hand the Bar Bending Contractors' Association comprises 38 different contractors. We are talking about 38 employers versus a large number of employees without direct employers. It takes time to diffuse the complexity of the whole situation. I think the Labour Department has done its job adequately well. Everybody in Hong Kong will be glad that the whole case is now over.
(Please also refer to the Chinese transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, September 13, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:09
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