Minimum wage law

TODAY the Legislative Council (Legco)debates the minimum wage bill. This is ofimmense significance to Hong Kong's socialevolution. As it is widely agreed that there should be astatutory minimum wage, the bill will doubtless go through Legco. However, it is only a framework. TheProvisional Minimum Wage Commission has yet to propose the first statutory minimum wage rate to Chief Executive (CE) Donald Tsang. As the rate would have much to do with employers' and employees' real interests, that is what capital and labour will wrestlewith each other about.

In determining the first statutory minimum wagerate, it is advisable to have regard both to capital'sinterests and to labour's. It should, for example, fallbetween $27 an hour and $30 an hour. The government should monitor its effects on the jobmarket and gradually adjust it in the light of actualdata.

Any policy may have both advantages and disadvantages. The "well well--intentioned" minimum wage legislation may have adverse effects. However, itwould have favourable effects - guarantee workersminimum incomes and encourage people to workinstead of relying on CSSA. Minimum wage law hasbeen in force in the US and some European countriesfor many years. It has not eliminated poverty, but noneof their economies have collapsed. Clearly, minimumwage law is neither a panacea nor a scourge scourge. What all. should try to do now is to ensure that Hong Kong's firststatutory minimum wage rate is reasonable andappropriate so that the minimum wage legislation'sadverse effects will be minimised and the ordinancewill help make Hong Kong more competitive by bringing into play employees' initiative and productivity.Now the minimum wage bill is about to be carried,the government ought to be aware of two things.

First, it ought to be aware that the legislationwould not help narrow the rich rich--poor gap. Livingstandards in Hong Kong are such that a worker will stillbe hard pressed even if he is paid no less than $33 anhour (about $7,000 a month) as unionists havesuggested. The government must not rely just on theminimum wage legislation to help people from lowersocial strata make ends meet. To do so, it must carryout a package of measures - provide them withlow low--rent public housing, free health care, subsidisededucation, fruit money and low low--income CSSA.

Second, it must be aware that, while the minimumpoverty poverty--stricken legislation will make things a little lessdifficult for poor workers, it will not help increaseemployment. The danger of it pushing upunemployment must not be ruled out. It is therefore thegovernment's top priority to create jobs. Donald Tsanghas proposed that Hong Kong should develop sixindustries where it has advantages. That is a goodthing. That is one of the few industrial policies thegovernment has adopted in recent years. However,two years has passed, but we have seen littleremarkable come of it. If the six industries are fullydeveloped, there will be many more jobs. The Tsangadministration must put greater effort into carrying outthat policy lest there should be more cry than wool.

After the 2012 constitutional reform package hadgone through Legco, Donald Tsang said that, as therow over constitutional arrangements was over, thegovernment would strive to develop the economy andimprove citizens' wellbeing. The Tsang administrationhas introduced the minimum wage bill. That is the firstpolicy step it has taken in the new stage. DonaldTsang is to deliver his last policy address but one nextOctober. Let us see whether he will strive to shine inhis job as he pledged when he ran for CE or resignhimself to being a lame duck until he leaves office inJuly 2012.

明報社評2010.07.14

最低工資並非萬應靈丹 解決深層矛盾須組合拳

立法會今日審議「最低工資條例草案」，此事對本港社會演變歷程極具意義。由於實施最低工資已在社會形成較廣泛共識，草案獲得通過，沒有什麼懸念；不過，通過的只是法例框架，首個最後工資水平，仍待「臨時最低工資委員會」向行政長官曾蔭權提交建議，工資多少？涉及勞方和資方實際利益，是勞資角力焦點。

法定最低工資水平宜勞資兼顧（例如時薪訂在27 至30 元之間），觀察會否對就業市場構成嚴重衝擊，再按實際數據逐步調節。

任何政策，有好的一面，也有壞的一面，最低工資立法除了可能出現「好心做壞事」，政策積極一面是讓工人獲得最起碼待遇，鼓勵就業，減少依賴綜援；綜觀歐美國家實行最低工資多年，雖然未能解決貧窮問題，但是他們的經濟並未因而崩潰。可見最低工資政策雖非萬應靈丹，也不是洪水猛獸。各方要爭取的，是首個最低工資水平應該以合理得當為原則，盡量減輕它對整體經濟的衝擊，也能夠調動打工仔的積極性，使他們的生產力發揮出來，強化本港的整體競爭力。

在法例即將通過之際，政府在兩方面要有正確認知。

第一、政府應該認知，最低工資不能解決貧富懸殊問題。就算按工會普遍主張時薪不少於33 元（即月薪約7000 元），以本港的生活水平，依然拮据。照顧低下層市民生活需要，不能單靠最低工資。必須配以廉租公屋、免費醫療、資助教育，以及生果金、低收入綜援等輔助措施，以「組合拳」方式，照顧低薪工人的家庭生活需要。

第二，政府應該認知， 最低工資可以稍為紓緩在職貧窮人士的困境，但是不會增加就業機會。相反，實施最低工資之後，推高失業率的風險，不能完全抹殺，所以，創造就業應該是政府的重點工作。曾蔭權提出推動的六大優勢產業，乃近年來特區政府鮮有的產業政策，本屬好事，只是至今已經兩年，仍未看到有什麼顯著成果。六項優勢產業若全面發展，可以創造不少職位，增加就業機會，曾蔭權政府應該大力推動，不應出現雷聲大、雨點小的局面。

2012 年政改方案通過之後，曾蔭權表示政制爭拗告一段落，政府會致力發展經濟、改善民生，最低工資立法是曾蔭權政府新階段施政方針的第一步，今年10 月曾蔭權提出他治港的倒數第二份施政報告時，且看他在2012年77 月離任之前，會甘於做跛腳鴨？抑或兌現他競選特首時「做好這份工」的承諾。

Glossary

capital

people who use their money to startbusinesses, considered as a group.

scourge /sk ??:d :??//a thing or person that causes trouble orsuffering.

shinebe very good (at something).