Press Releases
Workers' views considered in designing ex-gratia payment package for live poultry retailers
In response to media enquiries on how the Government would address the concerns of workers affected by their employers ceasing operation under the proposed package for live poultry retailers, a spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (June 29) that the Administration had consulted the live poultry trade and the workers' union on the proposal and had taken their views into consideration in drawing up the current proposal.
"The ex-gratia payment (EGP) for live poultry retailers has been substantially increased by 40% to make it more attractive. We believe this should help facilitate retailers ceasing operation under the proposal to discharge their full responsibilities in paying his workers wages and other benefits provided under the labour laws," the spokesman said.
"We have also built in a safeguard in the disbursement of the EGP to give additional incentives for employers to meet their obligations towards their employees. We will retain 30% of the EGP until all outstanding labour claims, if any, have been resolved," the spokesman said.
The spokesman stressed it was the responsibility of an employer to meet his obligations towards his employees, and every employer had a legal responsibility to pay employees still in his employment or to pay any laid off employees the wages and other benefits provided for under the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) and the employment contract.
"The administration understands the workers' concerns. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Labour Department (LD) will work together to facilitate affected employees in recovering their wages and/or termination compensation in arrears.
"If an employer fails to fulfil his legal responsibility to pay wages and/or termination compensation, the employee should seek assistance from the LD to pursue his claim against the employer. The LD will arrange an urgent conciliation meeting to facilitate the processing of the EGP by the FEHD," he said.
To assist the affected workers in seeking employment in another sector, the spokesman said the retraining period for the affected workers had also been extended for two weeks, to eight weeks in total. Workers who remained unemployed after attending these retraining courses would also be given a grant of $10,000 each to assist them in meeting their immediate financial needs.
"FEHD will work with the trade in designing retraining programmes which best meet the training needs of the affected workers. The LD will also assist them in finding jobs."
As a result of the substantial increase in EGP and the extended retraining for affected workers, the total commitment required for the proposal was increased from $239 million to $326 million.
Funding had been provided earlier this year to live poultry operators to alleviate their financial difficulties due to the suspension of importation of live poultry from the Mainland. A financial relief package totalling $8.443 million for the live poultry trade was announced on February 25. The Legislative Council Finance Committee further approved a commitment of $42 million on March 26 for making EGPs to the live poultry trade. Rental waivers amounting to $18,000 were also provided to operators of the crate washers at the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market.
Ends/Tuesday, June 29, 2004
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