Standard Working Hours Committee holds 22nd meeting
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The following is issued on behalf of the Standard Working Hours Committee:

     The Standard Working Hours Committee (SWHC) held its 22nd meeting today (June 27).

     The Chairperson of SWHC, Dr Leong Che-hung, said after the meeting, "The SWHC launched the three-month Consultation on Working Hours Policy Directions on April 25 this year to gauge the views of various sectors of the community on the working hours policy directions under exploration so as to facilitate its preparation of the report to the Government afterwards."

     During the past two months, the SWHC has convened five consultation meetings, one industry-based consultation forum and one district-based consultation forum. The SWHC will conduct the second industry-based consultation forum tomorrow (June 28) and the remaining three district-based consultation forums in July. Employees and employers of relatively long-working-hours sectors including retail, estate management and security, restaurants, land transport, elderly homes, laundry and dry cleaning services and other members of the public are welcome to attend.

     Dr Leong said, ¡§At the meeting held earlier today, the SWHC reviewed the conduct of the Consultation on Working Hours Policy Directions. As the working hours policy closely concerns employees and employers of various trades and occupations, and will bring about far-reaching implications, I appeal to various sectors of the community and the general public to actively express their views during the remaining four weeks of the consultation period by attending the consultation forums and/or sending in written submissions by fax (2110 1527), email (swhc@swhc.org.hk), online form (www.swhc.org.hk/en/consultation/opinion_form/index.html), or post (Standard Working Hours Committee, Room A, 1/F, Seaview Commercial Building, 21-24 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong) before the end of the consultation period on July 24, 2016.

     ¡§At the meeting, the SWHC expressed its deepest condolences on the passing away of its late member Mr Stanley Lau, and wholeheartedly thanked Mr Lau for his full devotion to the work of the SWHC and important contribution to the discussion of various working hours issues and the exploration of working hours policy directions over the past three years.¡¨

     Dr Leong also said, ¡§I am disappointed that the six employee members of the Labour Advisory Board did not attend the meeting today, and appeal once again to all members to actively participate in the ensuing discussion of the SWHC and the subsequent drafting of the SWHC report to the Government.¡¨

     Chaired by Dr Leong Che-hung, the SWHC comprises members drawn from the labour and business sectors, academia, the community and the Government. For details, please refer to the SWHC website (www.swhc.org.hk). For details of the consultation sessions to be organised by SWHC, please refer to Appendix.

Ends/Monday, June 27, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:31

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