Many of those involved in negotiations for a minimum hourly wage surely breathed a sigh of relief last week after lawmakers gave final approval to the legislation, setting in stone for at least two years a rate of HK$28. The law was more than a decade in the making, having been hard fought over by officials, the business community and unionists. There is a sense of accomplishment now that it is in place and the lives of our lowest-paid workers will have improved once it comes into force in May. It is a landmark deal, to be sure, but anyone believing it is the be all and end all of labour rights in Hong Kong should think again. There are many more issues still left to discuss, not least putting in place decent working hours.
We are fortunate that Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has already broached the subject, raising it in his policy address last October. That shows that the government is aware of the problem and is prepared to respond. This time, though, a decade cannot go by before action is taken. A timetable should be formulated giving a precise date for when it will come into effect.
Some in business will scoff at such a proposal. They are likely to use the same arguments as to why Hong Kong should not have set hours for a working day, week or month as they did for a minimum hourly wage. Those are that some firms will not be able to afford them and will close, putting people out of work; that productivity will be undermined and that it goes against our city's free market principles. They will use every effort to drag out the discussion, hoping that frustration will cause the matter to be shelved.
It is for those very reasons that the government needs to start thinking about an implementation date. For one, we have already had the discussion - maximum working hours and a minimum wage are about the same issue, worker's rights. Both are necessary in a developed society and should be non-negotiable. What needs to be discussed is what level they should be set at.
That we have had neither for so long has been an embarrassment. Hong Kong has a reputation for sweatshop labour, with the world's longest working hours and lowest wages for a developed society. That has led to another first - the widest gap among wealthy societies between the rich and poor. We have got more of the latter than is reasonable for so affluent a city. The government puts the number at one in nine of our seven million people, although some social welfare groups claim it to be more like one in six.
The minimum wage law will help to start improving the lot of our most destitute, although it has to be regularly reviewed and fairly adjusted. As it is, it has been delayed until May to give companies time to adjust. They have already had long enough to prepare. The benefits of maximum working hours will be as great, allowing for a work-life balance that will improve health and well-being. Everyone, from office workers to fast food staff to labourers, will equally be able to have a family life, hobbies and an opportunity for self-improvement. As with a minimum wage, some companies will have a price to pay. They may need to hire more staff or keep shorter hours, which could have an impact on profits. If they are in industries that require staff to work on days like Boxing Day and Easter Saturday, they will have to provide for an extra five days of holiday a year. That may be hard for some employers to swallow, but it is a necessity for Hong Kong's societal development. It is good that Tsang well knows that. With the first phase in place, he has to now get the next stage under way.
