Minimum wage legislation --- “The road to hell is usually paved with good intentions”
In the governor’s annual policy address, our CE Donald Tsang pledges to review the “wage protection movement” in two years. Should it is found to be not working the government will bring the minimum wage legislation for cleaning workers and security guards.
The Government will review and monitor the effectiveness of the “wage protection movement” from time to time in two years. If it is found to be ineffective, a minimum wage law will be implemented then. “The road to hell is usually paved with good intentions”. The starting point is good but it will yield the opposite results. Either by contextual deduction or in practice, enforcing a minimum wage law will only harm the vulnerable, aged and low-skilled workers.
Suppose the minimum wage is enforced at 5,000 dollars. The employers will reduce the employment vacancies in order to reduce costs. As a consequence the security workers may be required to work 12 hours straight and only get a salary of 5,000 dollars only. They are still living below dignity then.
The right way to help those disadvantaged is through training and re-training. They should increase their competitive edges by acquiring new knowledge and skills. The low-skilled workers should face the constant changes in the market demand by learning new things. Under pressure, everyone should learn how to cope and live with it. This is the reality.
tcwong at http://wongtc.blogspot.com/
The Government will review and monitor the effectiveness of the “wage protection movement” from time to time in two years. If it is found to be ineffective, a minimum wage law will be implemented then. “The road to hell is usually paved with good intentions”. The starting point is good but it will yield the opposite results. Either by contextual deduction or in practice, enforcing a minimum wage law will only harm the vulnerable, aged and low-skilled workers.
Suppose the minimum wage is enforced at 5,000 dollars. The employers will reduce the employment vacancies in order to reduce costs. As a consequence the security workers may be required to work 12 hours straight and only get a salary of 5,000 dollars only. They are still living below dignity then.
The right way to help those disadvantaged is through training and re-training. They should increase their competitive edges by acquiring new knowledge and skills. The low-skilled workers should face the constant changes in the market demand by learning new things. Under pressure, everyone should learn how to cope and live with it. This is the reality.
tcwong at http://wongtc.blogspot.com/
posted by William, Wong Tak Choi at 8:41 下午
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