Hong Kong is taking into consideration ways to better shield workers of digital platforms, including meals delivery riders, included in efforts to safeguard labour rights.
Admin for Labour plus Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han, who had taken office on This summer 1, said he or she was concerned that such workers was missing clear employment status, as some were considered to be employees while others were merely treated because self-employed.
In a media interview final Thursday, in which he outlined his focal points, he highlighted electronic economy workers, the ongoing minimum income review and office safety as places he was paying attention to.
He referred to digital economy workers as a group who acquired emerged from brand new technologies.
In contrast to those with a job agreement, self-employed people are not entitled to rights plus benefits under the Work Ordinance, including paid leave, severance plus long service obligations, and compensation pertaining to work injury mishaps.
“In addition to improving employee defense under the Employment Ordinance, we should also look at what is excluded through the ordinance, ” he said.
With more individuals taking jobs provided by digital platforms, there has been more labour differences arising from unclear employment relationships.
Attacks have occurred occasionally, including among meals delivery riders wondering to be treated much better, and there have been phone calls on the government to give these workers with additional protection.
Sun noted that mainland China and other locations had already set up some guidelines plus laws covering these workers.
This individual said his agency had been studying the issue and collecting related information, and he anticipated to complete the work throughout his five-year term.
On the process of reviewing the city’s minimum wage, he said that at an appropriate time, the specialists would consider whether to shorten the two-year interval between each review.
Hong Kong introduced the statutory minimum income in 2011, initially establishing it at HK$28 (US$3. 59) each hour. It was raised gradually to HK$37. fifty in 2019, yet has remained freezing at that price, with the authorities citing a struggling economy battered by the coronavirus outbreak .
The particular Minimum Wage Fee started the latest review in April and will submit its suggestions to Chief Executive Mark Lee Ka-chiu by the end of October.
“I have excellent expectations for it, hoping various parties, including employers, employees, academia and the government, may reach a general opinion, ” Sun mentioned.
Former work minister Law Chi-kwong previously dismissed a public appeal to evaluation the rate annually, saying it was unfeasible except if the current two-year process underwent significant reconstructs.
Sun agreed that the process has been time-consuming, involving research, data analyses plus consultations, but mentioned his bureau has been prepared to examine the particular duration and strategies later.
The particular minister also spoke about occupational safety, revealing that their bureau was working to improve the safety of suspended bamboo scaffolding in particular, since there were several situations of such structures falling every year.
He said his bureau was trying to end unsafe methods by workers plus was drawing up rules for property management companies.
Sun said he wished to have a pilot system targeting suspended bamboo scaffolding to bring different departments and groupings together to improve place of work safety.
The city recorded about twenty fatal accidents at workplaces annually over the past decade, according to government data. – South China Morning Blog post