The government in Hong Kong will introduce legislation on a statutory minimum wage for low-income workers.

In the Policy Address 2008 – 2009, Chief Executive Donald Tsang said that the Wage Protection Movement launched for cleaning workers and security guards in October 2006 was far from satisfactory because “there are limits in promoting wage protection through voluntary participation.”

Tsang said that the government would establish an advisory Minimum Wage Commission, with the members coming from the labour sector, business community, academia and government departments. “The introduction of an across-the-board minimum wage should protect workers against exploitation while at the same time prevent the loss of low-paid jobs.”

“The Commission will study the level of minimum wage as well as the review mechanism, to ensure a sensible balance between safeguarding the interests of grassroots workers and forestalling the loss of low-paid jobs, while sustaining our economic growth and competitiveness,” said Tsang. The Labour and Welfare Bureau will proceed immediately with the preparatory work for the establishment of the Commission.