Outgoing lawmaker Kwan Tsui Hang urged the government yesterday to improve social mobility for Macau’s future generations by limiting the number of non-local workers.
Kwan made the remarks at a joint press conference she held with fellow lawmakers Lam Heong Sang and Ella Lei Cheng I at the trio’s joint office in Rua das Lorchas about their 2013-2017 legislative work.
Both Kwan and Lam announced earlier this year that they were not seeking re-election.
Addressing yesterday’s press conference, Kwan, a vice-chairwoman of the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (commonly known as Gung Luen), insisted that the federation was not completely against the import of workers. Underlining the large number of non-resident workers in Macau, Kwan said she acknowledged that Macau’s economic development needs the non-local workforce.
According to official statistics, the number of non-resident workers stood at 178,694 at the end of June.
The city’s total labour force – comprising local and non-local workers amounted to 390,200 in the April-June employment survey period. The officially estimated jobless rate stood at 2.0 percent in June.
Kwan said: “As a union which represents local workers, we [Gung Luen] have our stance, which is, [the government] has to pursue economic development while protecting locals’ interests.
“Locals’ salaries and benefits should not be affected by the import of non-resident workers,” Kwan said.
Kwan also said the main goal of importing high-skilled non-local workers should not only aim to improve Macau’s economy but also to pass on their skills to locals and making the city more competitive.
Kwan, who was a legislator for 21 years, said: “Our future generations should have more social mobility.” She urged the government to set up appropriate policies and also to study the impact of the import of non-local workers on locals’ salaries.
During the press conference, Lei said her federation would urge the government to amend the Labour Relations Law so that private sector workers could enjoy paid paternity leave and payment in lieu of holidays as soon as possible.
Public servants already enjoy five days of paid paternity leave. Earlier this week, several companies announced that they will offer five days of paid paternity leave to their staff.
Lei said her group would keep monitoring the government’s implementation of the smoking ban in casino. She also said the government should use plots of idle land to build more public housing (HOS) units before anything else.
Meanwhile, a reporter asked Lam if he would like to be a government appointed lawmaker in the incoming legislature if the chief executive offered him the opportunity. Lam replied: “I would love him [the chief executive] to offer me this job!” However, he was quick to add he believed he had little chance of being a government-appointed lawmaker. Lam was the legislature’s vice-president
for the past four years. Seven of the legislature’s 33 members are appointed by the chief executive.
Lei is running in next month’s direct legislative election under the Union for Development banner.
Lawmaker Ella Lei Cheng I (left) speaks during a press conference yesterday as fellow unionists Lam Heong Sang (centre) and Kwan Tsui Hang look on, at their joint office in Rua das Lorchas. Photo: Debby Seng
