Legislation can't fix problems of long working hours
Shirley Yuen says a legitimate concern for Hong Kong's overworked employees should not blind us to the impact that legislating for standard working hours will have on our livelihoods and the economy
The fact that we are one of the world's top two or three business centres is due to our flexible, diligent and savvy entrepreneurial work ethic that is admired the world over. We don't just get the job done; we do it better than most.
This is why companies from around the world continue to set up offices here. In the first six months of this year, 352 non-Hong Kong companies - almost 60 firms a month - set up business here. Of course, our rule of law, free press, low tax regime - things we tend to take for granted - are a significant factor in swaying companies' decision to choose Hong Kong over some of our neighbours. But being able to tap an educated, flexible workforce with a "can-do" spirit is equally important.
Would regulating how many hours employees should work solve the problem in the first place?
However, labour unions calling for the government to legislate standard working hours to address the problem of our long working hours could significantly change businesses' decisions to invest here, which over the longer term would affect employment prospects. Would regulating how many hours employees should work solve the problem in the first place?
The Labour Department's "Report of the Policy Study on Standard Working Hours" points out that legislation should not be taken as a panacea for all problems arising from long working hours.
The report also flags a wide range of potential unintended consequences if Hong Kong does decide to go ahead with standard working hours. Supporters of legislation argue that the business community is merely using scare tactics to oppose it.
The same argument was used when the chamber warned of unintended consequences during the debate on the statutory minimum wage. We highlighted the fact that such a move would push up the cost of living, particularly for people on the lower end of the pay scale. Now that the effects of the minimum wage have filtered into the economy, basic food, even a simple meal at a cha chaan teng costs considerably more as businesses have had to increase their prices to pay higher wages.
We do agree that the lower income groups should be protected and the statutory minimum wage should serve as a safety net for them, but at the same time there are consequences that the whole of society has to understand and be prepared for. Management and cleaning companies are simple examples of how increases in pay have affected everyone in Hong Kong.