Ref No. 013/06 - Re: Wage Protection Movement for Cleaning Workers and Security Guards

The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is an advocate of best practice in business. We believe that our members should be leaders in the business community in ensuring that their own staff, as well as the staff in companies with which they do business, are treated fairly. With this in mind, we support the initiative announced by the Chief Executive in his recent Policy Address, wherein it was proposed that the Government would join hands with the business community and the labour sector in promoting harmonious labour relations through a Wage Protection Movement project in respect of Cleaning Workers and Security Guards (WPM). Further, we believe that all members will support the Wage Protection Movement whilst taking into account your own business model to decide for yourselves whether you feel it appropriate that you formally join the scheme. We attach details of the Wage Protection Movement project for your information. We look forward to the success of the WPM, but on this and on the issue of minimum wages in general, the Chamber has some concerns about a number of matters covering, inter alia, the possibility of legislation, the methodology in determining the wage level, and the possible unintended consequence of reducing employment of lower-paid jobs. A summary of these concerns is outlined in the attached note. The Chamber will continue to monitor these issues and advise our members of their implications accordingly. Please feel free to contact the Labour Department at 2717-1771 or the Chamber Secretariat, Ms Karen Fung, at 2823-1240 if you need further information. Yours sincerely David Eldon Chairman Attachments: Annex I–Details of the Wage Protection Movement for Cleaning Workers and Security Guards promulgated by the Labour Department Annex II–Views of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce on the issue