I hold the opposite view to that put by Marten Lau in his letter ('Delay minimum wage legislation', December 3). Granted, companies may not be willing to employ as many workers if a minimum wage law is passed during the present crisis, as they want to reduce expenses. But there are still many low-skilled employees on HK$20 or less an hour who cannot make ends meet. I think the economic crisis is the best time to implement this law, but the minimum should be adjusted from HK$25 to HK$24 per hour. The change may be very small, but it is important for employers and employees. This policy would ensure that workers' salaries were higher than the money given under the comprehensive social security assistance scheme, but would also discourage employers from dismissing workers. This legislation would encourage the unemployed to rejoin the workforce, thus reducing the financial burden faced by the government. Once the economic crisis is over the government can amend the legislation to raise the minimum wage. Anthony Cheung Ka-hei, Yau Ma Tei I largely agree with Marten Lau ('Delay minimum wage legislation', December 3). Most importantly, with the economic crisis demand for labour is decreasing and people are losing their jobs. If the government implements a minimum wage law I think more workers will lose their jobs. Workers laid off would be even worse off and those employees who remained would be under even greater pressure because they would have to do additional work. The government asserts that many countries such as Britain have introduced a minimum wage law and it has not disrupted labour markets. However, we must bear in mind that our market structure is not the same and in Hong Kong such a law could have serious repercussions. All in all, instead of interfering in the free economic market in Hong Kong I think that the government should get to the bottom of the financial crisis and try to make the economy become more robust, thereby lowering the unemployment rate. Donald Lee Tse-ting, Sha Tin
