Trade unions are calling on the government to set out a schedule for introducing legislation on standard working hours for people who work in catering, hotels, care, nursing, building management, security, and retail sales.

Second quarter figures by the Census and Statistics Department of the government show there are 1.89 million employees working more than 44 hours a week, accounting for more than half of the 3.61 million employees in the city.

Figures also show about 620,000 employees work more than 60 hours a week, accounting for 20 percent of the working population.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang has ordered that research into standard working hours be undertaken in the 2010-2011 Policy Address.

Employees enduring long hours come mostly from grassroots service industries, covering catering, building management, community care and nursing homes and retail industries, the figures indicates.

Lo Tang-king, a pastry chef, also chairman of Catering and Hotel Industries Employees General Unions, told China Daily she works around 11 hours a day.

"I work from four in the morning till three in the afternoon and work 6 days each week. In total, I need to work 66 hours a week", Lo said, complaining this kind of high-intensity work load makes her feel very tired.

Mr Ho, a building security guard said he works 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. He also thinks the hours are too long and he does not get enough time with his family.

He also said the paid vacation time of employees in Hong Kong is unsatisfactory.

"The paid vacations increase with seniority. Employees working for 10 years have only 26 paid vacation days, compared with 41 days in Europe and 36 days in Japan and South Korean," said Li Hoi, executive secretary of Hong Kong Building Management and Security Workers General Union.

International Labor Organization has set weekly standard working hours at 40 hours.

Referring to international experience, the labor unions urge government to formulate standard working hours - 44 working hours each week and overtime compensation at 1.5 times regular salary with maximum working hours at 60 hours.

An information officer for the Labour Department said it is too early to standardize working hours at the present stage.

She added the department is carrying out the commitment made by the Chief Executive and initiating policy analysis for standard working hours.

The analysis is expected to finish by mid-2012, the officer added.

fanfeifei@chinadailyhk.com

China Daily

(HK Edition 10/05/2011 page1)