Sociology thesis reference:  A survey for minimum wage analysis
 
17pc of workers earn less than HK$33 an hour
Survey to be factor in setting minimum wage
 
Nearly one in six workers in the city earns less than HK$33 an hour, the Census and Statistics Department revealed in a detailed survey that will be a major reference in determining the statutory minimum wage.
Despite the release of the wage and employment data, officials are still a long way from deciding what the city's first statutory minimum wage will be and determining its impact on the labour market.  The department found that 469,400, or 16.9 per cent, of the city's 2.78 million workers, were paid less than HK$33 an hour, the rate unionists are fighting for. The number of employees excludes maids, civil servants and the self-employed.  Some 130,200 get less than the HK$24 that many business groups are demanding.  The median hourly wage of city workers is HK$58.50 and the median working hours a month is 192.  Among all industries, the lowest median hourly wage is seen in estate management, security and cleaning services at HK$27.60. Restaurant workers earned HK$32.70 and
HK$33.70 per hour was paid for miscellaneous activities, which covered couriers, homes for the elderly, laundry and food production workers.  The survey was different to the usual labour earnings survey the department does
quarterly.  "This survey offers more detailed and accurate figures since it interviewed more than 10,000 companies and organisations while the labour earnings survey polled only 2,000," an official in charge of the survey said. "Also this survey covers part-time workers and more industries. Companies with less than 50 workers are also included." 

The figures will be part of a wide range of information to be considered by the Provisional Minimum Wage Commission in setting the city's first statutory minimum wage, which could be announced as early as July. The statutory minimum wage would be implemented as soon as the beginning of next year.  "We can't say now what the rate will be based simply on the survey findings," the census official said. 

The survey was conducted in the second quarter of last year when the city was still severely affected by the financial meltdown and had a jobless rate of 5.4 per cent. The latest jobless figure is 4.6 per cent. 
The official said he did not believe the survey's findings would be outdated when the wage was being determined. "The survey is only one of the factors for the commission in determining the rate," the official said. "The commission will also take more recent information like the standard of living, labour market conditions, economic growth and inflation into account." 

The official also said the figures in the survey could not be used to estimate the number of workers likely to be sacked when a rate was set. "It only tells you the number of workers getting a certain wage, but it would be wrong to estimate how many workers will be out of a job when a rate is set. Employers may decide to cut into their profits to give more to the workers. They may ask workers to work fewer hours or they might raise the price for their products or services." #p#分頁標題#e#

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said he was concerned about the figures being outdated, but said: "I believe the commission will consider many factors when setting the rate so that it will be a reasonable and fair one. We have to ensure that the minimum wage can't be too low." 

Many jobs would be lost if the rate was not reasonable, he said.  Key business groups said it was impossible to suggest a minimum wage based on the data available, saying more studies were needed. 

Stanley Lau Chin-ho, deputy chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, said the provisional commission should consider factors such as the economic environment and the impact on enterprises when setting the minimum wage.  And Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades' president Simon Wong Ka-wo said the industry had not yetreached a consensus. But he said most frontline staff in the industry earned between HK$20 and HK$25 per hour. He was worried that less competent people would lose their jobs if the minimum wage was set at HK$33 an hour.  
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