Discussion stalled on minimum wage

2013-4-10

From：Macau Daily Times

The battle over setting a standard for the minimum wage seems as if it will continue for the year as no further agreement was reached during yesterday’s discussion. The authority said it will be impossible to implement the new standard this year.
The government proposes setting the minimum wage in the range of MOP23 to MOP28 per hour for cleaning and security staff. According to the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) Director, Wong Chi Hong who is also the Coordinator of the Committee, the discussion took into consideration many factors. Issues discussed  included the hourly pay of government-outsourced cleaners (MOP23 per hour), the initial minimum wage set by Hong Kong (HK$28 per hour) and the unemployment rate.
Workers’ representatives urged the authority to promise a date for the implementation of the minimum wage. “We have been waiting for too long. It should be realized this year,” they stated.
But the Bureau Director Wong said the request was impossible: “The amendment is related to legislation. The Legislative Assembly has stated clearly that they will not accept new bills this year.” He said UM would deliver a final version of the report by May and hopefully they could finish the discussion in June. Therocess will not take shape until next year and Wong predicted that to be “the fastest”.
Mr. Wong Kwok Sing, who talked to journalists as a representative of employers, did not display a clear viewpoint upon the government’s proposed salary range: “Our concern is that service charges also have to increase when the minimum wage is settled. This will affect residents’ lives at the same time. We hope the process will progress in a smooth manner so that society has more time to accept [it].”
Controversy also surrounds the review mechanism for the minimum wage once it takes shape. The government suggests a review should be completed every three years, while workers insist it should happen every year, whereas employers said yearly amendments would be too frequent.
Other topics that were discussed included standard wages for part-time workers and compensation for those fired unreasonably.

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