THE territory's largest labour group has set up a fund to help workers claim compensation from unscrupulous employers. A vice-chairman of the 210,000-strong pro-China Federation of Trade Unions (FTU), Leung Fu-wah, said the fund was needed because it had become increasingly difficult for workers to lodge charges against employers through the Labour Department. 'The fund is a more powerful means to make employers react to the workers' demands,' said Mr Leung. The Labour Legal Rights Litigation Fund has so far accumulated only $10,000, mainly from donations. Mr Leung said claimants would have to meet certain prerequisites for legal grants, because of the lack of resources. Cases which would have a profound impact, benefit more parties and have a greater chance of success would be selected and taken to court, he said. The FTU was now handling its first case in which 43 members of staff from the Aberdeen Tunnel alleged they had not been given public holidays. The union also criticised the Labour Tribunal for its lengthy procedures in handling workers' complaint over pay disputes. Mr Leung said the Labour Tribunal had a backlog of 3,429 outstanding cases accumulated over the first three-quarters of 1994. A complainant had to wait 195 days on average before cases were heard by the tribunal. Under the existing Labour Tribunal Ordinance, workers are entitled to compensation only up to a year from the date they file the complaint to the tribunal. The lengthy application procedure meant the compensation would be drastically cut, Mr Leung said.
