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Panel head hopes for consensus on standard working hours as committee studies 44-hour plan by unionists

Dr Leong Che-hung says ‘rift’ still exists between representatives from labour and business sectors

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Dr Leong Che-hung (centre) said that the committee had discussed a report submitted by the labour sector last week. Photo: David Wong

The head of the Standard Working Hours Committee is keeping his fingers crossed that consensus can be reached on the contentious issue of regulating working hours, even as the panel’s business representatives are still up in arms against the demands of their labour sector counterparts.

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Speaking after a committee meeting on Wednesday, chairman Dr Leong Che-hung said that members had discussed a report submitted by the labour sector last week.

“We studied in detail the report from the labour sector. We discussed their suggestions of how [standard working hours legislation] can be put forward in phases, as well as their suggestions that some jobs can be exempted,” Dr Leong said.

He said there was still a “rift” between those in the labour and business sectors. But he expressed hope that the committee would be able to reach a consensus “in some areas” by the next meeting next month.

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Union representatives have been boycotting the committee’s meetings for about a year, accusing the business representatives of a lack of sincerity over standardising working hours.

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