沒有最低工資的實習
沒有最低工資的實習？－－實習生豁免條例初探
作者：達哥 (左翼21成員)
雖然最低工資通過了，這無疑是終於為香港一眾打工仔提供了保障。然而，伴隨著最低工資通過後的一連串的修訂案，似乎隱沒在大眾的視線。也許有人以為，這些修訂案對於最低工資的「主體法案」難有太大的影響，但其實，這些修訂案是將商家在最低工資下所造成的「利潤損失」轉移在勞工階層中的更弱勢的那部分──當中就包括了大學生實習。
根據《最低工資條例》，有關大專實習豁免，就是「容許工作少於59天的大學實習生可獲豁免，即毋須受最低工資法例限制」。當中更分類成「工作經驗學員」和「實習學員」，兩者的分別在於，前者根據政府定義，就是根據僱傭合約而受聘的學生；後者則是指學生的「工作就頒授該課程所達致的學術資格而言，屬頒授要求中的必修或選修部分」，有關工作經驗計算於學分之內。但其實，兩者的本質並沒有相差很遠，因為，「不論其實習是否與課程有關，亦不論該機構有否參與安排有關實習，亦會獲豁免於法定最低工資的涵蓋範圍」，總之只要你是專上學生，不論你所做的工作，是學校需要，還是自己出外尋找的，有關工資亦不會受到《最低工資條例》之保障。
學生打工並不只在學習
支持修訂案的議員大多表示實習是讓學生「學習」相關的工作經驗，薪金只是次要，然而這是事實的全部嗎？政府看來認為大專生是在象牙塔裡吸風飲露的，平時不需吃飯坐車，不用幫補家庭開支，亦不用為將來的生活儲蓄，也不用償還巨款給政府。對，大專生也是學生，但同時也被承認是成年人，我們要開始為自己當下，甚至將來的生活負責，實習，也是為了讓我們預先知道日後的工作模式；然而，修訂案條例卻將「實習」抽空成「純粹學習」，忽視了學生在當中的勞動付出，變相使學生「免費」出賣勞動力。
當中的「工作經驗學員」，對自行尋找兼職、暑期工的大專生影響尤大。縱使按政府規定，「工作經驗學員」每次只有一次有關「59日」的豁免，但是，同一時間，條文又容許僱主在首三個月試用期內以較低的工資聘用僱員，對於沒有最低工資保障的大專生而言，這三個月簡直是他們的「寒冬」。最壞的情況是，三個月後，該大專生就可能因各種因素無法繼續相關工作，而那三個月，就變成低價賤賣勞動力；好一點，三個月後仍然維持現有工作，工資也提昇至最低工資水平，然而那三個月時間所付出的勞動力依然沒有得到補償。
在美國亦同樣有實習制度，但和香港不同的是，美國政府是要求「僱主最起碼要給實習員工最低工資及加班費等等的相關保障」。當中背後的理念，就是承認實習制度中薀含的僱傭勞動關係，肯定了學生當中的勞動付出。
工資豁免將進一步削弱中學生競爭力
同樣，現在亦有不少出身基層的中學生落堂後去兼職，暑假時同樣繼續工作，很多時候和大學生一樣也是為了減省家庭開支，打工養自己。
但是，自這項修訂案通過以後，同樣打暑假工的中學生和大學生則面對「同工不同酬」的情況，大學生薪金不受保障，甚或有機會比中學生低，這無疑是削弱中學生的競爭力。
最後，本來處於被剝削位置的中學生現在換成了大學生，至於中學生，甚至被拋棄出勞動市場，這不但是對中學生自身，甚或其家庭，也造成了打擊，昂貴的學習、膳食、交通、升學等開支又再一次回歸到這些父母身上。
59天規定 = 418？
在立會辯論中，職工盟的李卓人議員曾有提及，這個豁免是「教僱主如何迴避最低工資」。情況就如香港勞工法例中的418規定（即打工仔必須連續為僱主每月最少工作4星期，每星期18小時，方可受到勞工法例保障），不少僱主為了逃避責任，故意讓工友的工作時數未能達到418，例如可能每星期工作只有17小時，又或是有一星期不用上班之類。
回到這個豁免條例上「少於59天」的規定，假設實習期是三個月，僱主要逃避最低工資的規定，只要要求同學每星期返三四日，那就已經可以豁免於最低工資的保障。這方面，甚至在《最低工資條例草案委員會報告》中，也指出這將會是「潛在的執法問題」。
這個豁免規例，一方面把青年納入生產過程，卻一方面模糊化他們的勞工身分，變相使他們無償出賣勞動力，這種剝削，比對任何一個工種的剝削，還要過分。
「左翼21」是由一群有志於推動社會平等及進步的朋友所組建的平臺，以凝聚香港的左翼力量，建立和推廣左翼分析及主張。我們將透過討論交流、學習、出版等，介入社會時政，參與和支援勞工運動及社會運動。我們認為，一個理想的社會，必須顧及廣大勞動階級的福祉，維護生態環境的可持續發展，消除性別、族群之間的不平等，同時尊重不同性取向群體的權利。這一理想社會，必須依靠群眾自下而上的民主參與和推動，同時需要不同群體透過共融互助來合力創建。
Filed under: Current Issues | Leave a Comment
Tags: hong kong, internship, labour welfare, legal disputes, minimum wage, student jobs
黃偉文真的是才子
他的歌詞越聽越有意思，可能我真的老了？ 燕尾蝶 主唱: Shine 作曲: Barry Chung 填詞: 黃偉文 那些胭脂色的 香檳色的 伸手可折的 段段艷遇 處處有染 都放在眼前 害怕採花天黑路遠 情願對路邊燈色眷戀 那些玻璃鑲的 水晶雕的 一觸即碎的 逐步逐步 進佔世界 通向沒有完 地厚天高如寂寞難免 誰家有後園修補破損 燕尾蝶 疲倦了 在偉大佈景下 這地球 若果有樂園 會像這般嗎? *摘去鮮花 然後種出大廈 層層疊的進化 摩天都市大放煙花 耀眼煙花 隨著記憶落下 繁華像幅廣告畫 蝴蝶夢裡醒來 記不起 對花蕊的牽掛* 那些山中開的 天邊飛的 不知所措的 漸漸熟習世界 會變不再受驚怕 為免犧牲 情願被同化 移徙到鬧市找一個家 燕尾蝶 存沒了 在發射塔之下 這地球 若果有樂園 會像這般嗎? Repeat * 再也不怕懷念昨日餘香百合花 芬芳嗎? 摘去鮮花 然後種出大廈 文明是種進化 儘管適應別制止它 力竭聲沙 情懷承受不起風化 叢林不割下 如何建造繁華 別問怎麼不愛它? 蝴蝶夢裡醒來 記不起對花蕊有過牽掛
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Is it WE or is it just ME?
I’m no luxurious traveller, but I’ve sampled a good number of stellar hotel chains that may or may not have lived up to their big names – Westin, Hilton, Hyatt, Intercontinental, and so on; and in my humble opinion, the landscape of the hotel industry is changing. While the more conservative and traditional hotels definitely have some kind of VIP-and-membership based following among the frequent business travelers, a new kind of niche market has flourished here and there. Extremely well-designed boutique hotels have developed into chains, which are so successful and sought-after that even the previous generation of hoteliers have started developing new brands to feed our generation’s (of young hippy and not-too-frugal 20s and 30s) craving for novelty, individuality, and glamorized decadence. The Westin-derivative “W-Hotel” is no small example. W-hotels bombards you with a self-conscious idiosyncrasy that invades every detail of their branding, most notably that ubiquity of the letter “W” that ominously resembles a kind of V-for-Vendetta dictatorial regime. And strangely, it works. It would bring a smile to a typical twenty-something guest’s face to find a WOW Waterspa next to a WET pool (possibly also including a WHATEVER Water-party that gives out WTF cocktails for free).
My friends and I stayed with the ME by Melia hotel (another boutique chain) recently and the experience was quite phenomenal. Besides the usual no-frills high ceiling, airy minimalist design unified by ambient lighting, the hotel emphasizes sensuality and brings it in the most unexpected ways. Huge abstract sculptures (that suspiciously resemble phalluses) aside, they also clean the place with a kind of detergent that smells like a mixture of ginger flowers and the ocean. The glass elevator is lit up in a scandalous dangerous red that makes it feel like a semi-exhibitionist strip room. The concierge features semi-transparent lamps that are hung from the ceiling and takes on the appearance of an upside down, dripping white candle. The translucent creamy white looking thing that’s actually an extension of the lamp invites guests to touch and examine this curious artistic looking object. The receptionists are all gorgeous people who could be beach models. And you get a glass of champagne when you’re waiting in line to be checked in. If that’s not enough, the room comes with a sound system that includes a sexy ME lounge mix that comes in several compilation varieties. Plus classy adult parties every weekend that wouldn’t make you feel like you’ve walked into some sketchy meat market.
Very strangely, my cursory experiences of lodging in this increasingly popular category of designer hotels had a rather depressing quality to them, the kind of feeling you get after you’ve gone marathon clubbing for a week in a fabulous city schmoozing with equally fabulous-looking friends and find yourself soberer than ever before a huge, harsh mirror that seems to say LUST, SIN, GUILT, and most importantly ask WHO, WHAT, and WHY. I would venture to say that we’ve entered into an age of decadent urban design that seeks to exteriorize desires and the emphemeral, and in a sense, to commercialize, commodify, and therefore socially legitimize the importance of our ego and all the appetites that come with it. This is nothing new in the mediascape, of course, it’s not even a new thing in the realm of interior design (think night clubs, lounges, and restaurants), but I find it intriguing how the success of these idiosyncratic hotels could speak volumes about how our consumerist and extremely escapist live styles could bring us to witness the spirit of our age so bluntly, in such tangible and intoxicating forms as a room that makes you feel like you are inside an expensive disco ball and could dance your life away in dreams. The impermanence of what we think we want is almost epitomized in these temporary living spaces, as if saying “Welcome drifters, we’ll give you the best of what don’t last. Have a pleasant stay until you leave.”
Filed under: Mental conditions | Leave a Comment
Tags: boutique hotel, consumerism, decadence, design, ME, W-Hotel
Juno Swings Around!
When I was 10 (plus or minus 1 yr, memory is an unreliable thing), I got so bored that I built my own tent with a thin blanket using the spine of an armchair and pulling the other end of the sheet over the edge of a coffee table. Then I took my mini torch and mini radio player, and ‘moved in’. It was immensely gratifying to have my own space within the tiny apartment. The blanket was embroidered with dark reddish peonies, so it’s quite pretty to see light filtering through from the outside. Sometimes the peony tent would collapse on me, but that’s just part of the fun. So one summer afternoon I heard this song over the radio and instantly fell in love with it. Heck, that was the beginning of my nostalgia-syndrome. I found the past romantic (like the rest of Hong Kong). I might start a Junior Paper progress blog soon since it’s intimately related to Hong Kong and nostalgia, but that’ll be another post in the near future.
Swing came up in my mind today because a friend sent me a link to Juno Mak’s latest MV – a necrophilic and incestuous visual stunt (by Hong Kong commercial video standards) – and I remembered how I used to like Juno Mak even when everyone else thought he was kind of…hopeless. His first CD was the first and only Cantonese album I bought, and I bought it in a remote place in China (Lianzhou!) while I was finding my way back to the hostel. Anyway, so Juno refined his style and pooled his talents together with a couple of amazing songwriters and the SillyThing production troupe, et voila! A Final Fantasy (58%) X Khalil Fong (40%) X Miike Takashi (2%) melange with Eric Kwok’s expressiveness and Swing’s unique blend of ‘Canto chill’. I’m in love again. Incredibly impressed.
最愛這 這古老擴音機
是那動聽聲音 那缺憾美
再沙啞也帶著不羈
再聽這 這古老擴音機
就似是置身於1984
年月日分秒某人某地
以最溫暖的聲音 與不變的天真
送上熱吻
要讓我珍惜一段光陰
我那天沒太關心
甚至讓妳空等
不知怎去再復尋
似聽到 這古老擴音機
是播著妳聲音說掛念我
似一首已變舊的歌
聽說妳 似不再記得起
熱愛是發生於1984
年月日分秒某人某地
三千春江水 暫住寂寞天空
逛夠了世界 跌進了春風
活著自活著 萬象在逝水中暢泳
偶爾愛上過一些倒影
流言流成河流 流過幾道名勝
浪停下像拿著鏡 難辨舊日風景
山水非山水 涷了變雪堆
山水般山水 遇熱若霧水
混雜絕望後便是淚水 衍生出心碎
狂潯約花絮 再醉了愛再醉 會跌進漩渦太虛
擠於渠裡 浸於浴裡 同樣落自春水
汗滴在血海紅不紅 散聚後味道餘殘濃不濃
那是快感還是痛 深海裡永遠看不通
靜靜地浮游在清空 一轉身可以化進了杯中
口乾了便喝盡那密雲 像喝掉如夢如幻信不信
三千春江水 暫住寂寞天空
逛夠了世界 跌進了春風
清水苦水一樣暫住半空
水清不起花 萬物靜默夾道
碎了這塊鏡 照見了洶湧 眉頭才震動
汗滴在血海紅不紅 散聚後味道餘殘濃不濃
那是快感還是痛 深海裡永遠看不通
靜靜地浮游在清空 一轉身可以化進了杯中
口乾了便喝盡那密雲 像喝掉如夢如幻信不信
水慢慢飄升於天空 水慢慢將萬物玩弄
活著若是夢 是夢蝶讓水色震動
撇夠了冷雨 得到升空
Filed under: Inspiring sounds, Pictures that move | Leave a Comment
Tags: Eric Kwok, Juno Mak, Silly Thing, Swing
Weltschmerz wiki
Weltschmerz (from the German, meaning world-pain or world-weariness) is a term coined by the German author Jean Paul and denotes the kind of feeling experienced by someone who understands that physical reality can never satisfy the demands of the mind. This kind of pessimistic world view was widespread among several romantic authors such as Lord Byron, Giacomo Leopardi, François-René de Chateaubriand, Alfred de Musset, Nikolaus Lenau, Herman Hesse, and Heinrich Heine. It is also used to denote the feeling of sadness when thinking about the evils of the world—compare empathy, theodicy.
The modern meaning of Weltschmerz in the German language is the psychological pain caused by sadness that can occur when realizing that someone’s own weaknesses are caused by the inappropriateness and cruelty of the world and (physical and social) circumstances. Weltschmerz in this meaning can cause depression, resignation and escapism, and can become a mental problem (compare to Hikikomori). The modern meaning should also be compared with the concept of anomie, or a kind of alienation, that Émile Durkheim wrote about in his sociological treatise Suicide.
Filed under: Inspiring words, Mental conditions | 1 Comment
I travelled differently this time; still pretty diligent with using the camera but I’ve stopped taking notes and writing things down. I breathed in the sun, the heat, the temples, the salsa, the festive tunes, and let them wrote their own impressions onto my heart.
Filed under: Pictures that move | Leave a Comment
Tags: Cancun, Chichen Itza, Merida, Mexico, Valladolid, Yucatan
why worry?
IRISH PHILOSOPHY
In life, there are only two things to worry about -
Either you are well or you are sick.
If you are well, there is nothing to worry about,
But if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about -
Either you will get well or you will die.
If you get well, there is nothing to worry about,
But if you die, there are only two things to worry about -
Either you will go to heaven or to hell.
If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about.
And if you go to hell, you’ll be so busy shaking hands with all your friends
You won’t have time to worry!
Filed under: Inspiring words | 2 Comments
Tags: happy, humour, Irish, philosophy, worry
I believe in you
Super refreshing tune, I’m so in love with it – been on loop for 2 days straight!
Filed under: Inspiring sounds | Leave a Comment
Tags: German Singer, Sarah Connor
Sufei’s Shanghai Diary
I couldn’t embed the video here for some reason, but this version of Sophie’s Diary was pretty awesome! Entertaining enough to keep me hooked for 4 hours despite all the impending, ahem, deadlines.
Okay fine. It’s a cheesy growing-up/romance story with a lot of annoying ‘look-at-our-sponsors’ moments. But the episodes are SHORT, and they are set in SHANGHAI!
I really miss the city. The terraces along the bund. The randomly-brought together friends. The free desserts. The photos. The Shanghainese pride. 你儂我儂. Shanghai has shanghaied me into a colorful time capsule. I’m reposting this Renren blog entry here to relive a piece of the adventure I had..
申夏誌（一）理发篇
我手機的電話簿裡有一個專屬上海的分欄，裡面都是一些江湖朋友的聯絡訊息：有40弄胖大姐的，包子嫂的，九重天前調酒師“彩虹”的，也有免稅貨源秦哥的。當然還有一大堆泡吧認識的朋友的朋友的朋友的朋友，我為他們取的名字一般采用亢長的Who-Where-What-Misc的格式，如”Summer M2 pku thin” 或 “Andy ktv upenn cute”等，奈何這些標簽仍然不能讓我記住他們的長相或聲音。季師傅是我今天交的新朋友，屬於他的訊息名条為“Master Ji cab bread”。他開那輛深紅色的出租車已經有十六年了，每天朝7晚1(凌晨)，月入好時四千五坏時三千整，育有一兒，估計跟我年紀相差不遠。他是我今天的專用司機，帶我走遍了黃浦，盧灣，長寧和普陀區，尋找老式的上海理發廳。
滬城的夏天非常惱人，我搖著我的一號寶貝/烏鎮藍布扇(5元)，與二號寶貝/Nikon機械眼(無價的禮物)穿梭於淮海中路的十幾個交叉路口中，納悶著為何上海如此像一個中年女人：遠看成熟嫵媚，近看不敢恭維。走到瑞金一路的理發廳時，我的身體已經流失了十分之一的水分，雖然頭頂已曬到能煎蛋的溫度，心裡也熱得不爽，可是我還是提著照相機，夾著名片，滿臉堆笑地華爾茲步走進去了。這國營美發廳在解放前開業，裡面所有的吹風機，鏡子，和椅子都比我爺爺老，連他們的態度也是解放前的：你干嘛的？整天拍這個拍那個的煩不煩呀？不剪頭發就走啊！ 我去過上海歷史博物館裡的老上海蠟像展覽廳，裡面有一個場景就是仿做二十年代理發廳的，那個蠟做的老師傅替同樣是蠟做的客人刮胡子，貌似談笑風生，和藹可親，讓我對這種民間小店有了不切實際的幻想。還好，真人版剃頭師傅的逐客令讓我回到了現實。這種國寶根本不用別人幫它打廣告。可能它根本不是為了做生意而存在的。裡面五個師傅都年過半百，大概每天上班就為了幫寥寥幾位老客刮刮胡子洗洗頭，八卦八卦周邊時事趣聞，當是接待朋友。我白頭發還沒有，一看就知道不是光顧的。所以我打算改變策略，要先讓店員放下戒心，再問借場地拍攝的事情。
到了雁蕩路的美發店，我就決定要收起專業姿態，先跟經理聊聊天，乘個涼。我一進去就吁了口氣，一句 “好熱” 就跟蔣先生搭起訕來，他看了老師的名片還幽了一默：“這是假的” “名片明騙嘛，哈哈！” 根據了解，這店比瑞金一路的還要老，已經有七十年歷史了，店裡雖然翻新過，可是窗裡還是掛著奶色的紡簾，地上鋪的仍然是碎白青方磚，我對這店本來印象不錯，不過後來蔣先生開的條件太多了，或許跟這家店還是沒緣分呀。前面兩家理發廳雖然洋派(舊時代的)，但論排場論裝潢都不夠寶慶路的紅玫瑰經典。紅玫瑰現在當然是有點破，可是看見它的綠色牆紙，銅紅色天花，就知道紅玫瑰以前走的大概就是半中半西的Art Deco路線。在三間 “花店” 紅玫瑰，白玫瑰(即是歷史館裡的樣板模范店，與華安，南京，綺華等老字號名聲相當)，與紫羅蘭中，只有紅玫瑰尚在，至於白花和紫花，都已成歷史。我在武康路上的紫羅蘭舊址徘回，想著我二奶奶照片裡亮亮的卷發。她一直都沒有講完她與爺爺在上海邂逅，再一起逃難到香港的故事。如果她在生的話，大概會如數家珍般跟我說她以前最愛的店，最新(舊)潮的發型，最好的師傅等。不過現在她帶著她那些奇奇怪怪的古董走了(我小時候最怕有鬼會從她那個老式坐地收音機下爬出來)，我也只能想象她穿著爺爺造的紫色滾邊旗袍走進紫羅蘭呼朋喚友的樣子。
季師傅看著我拿著照相機呆想，就說車子等著呢，然後自顧自的走開了。我看著他的背影，心想他穿得可能有點太正式了。有幾個出租車司機會穿白襯衫黑西褲黑皮帶黑皮鞋的？不過這季師傅還真夠特別的。一般的上海司機聽到我講得不鹹不淡的普通話，要不就繞路亂收費，要不就用上海話罵半天(不知道罵誰)，可是季叔會慢慢的問清楚地址。對於那些我也不大確認的，他會主動把車停下來替我打聽。半天下來，他也沒嫌我煩。從南昌路兜到天山路，我拿著一堆的地址，登門拜訪了一家挨一家的店，他就耐心的在門外抽著煙等我。我在紫羅蘭前懷古完畢，就回到車子裡頭了。季叔從前座給我遞來了兩個小袋。“這是什麼？” 我問。我接過兩個Christine餅屋的包裝袋，原來是他買給我的午餐。“你好像一整個上午都沒吃飯吧？都兩點了，你不吃不健康的。我不知道你喜歡吃什麼面包，他們蛋糕好像不錯，不過奶油會把你照相機弄髒，這面包一個甜的一個鹹的，先吃著填填肚子吧。” 我掏錢給他，季叔卻不接受。我在上海呆了兩個夏天，都沒有遇過會幫乘客問路的司機，至於送面包就更別說了。我感激地把面包啃掉，心想，上海惡人多，壞人也多，我這樣罔顧危險粗心大意的人到現在能完整無缺，真要感謝老天眷顧，讓我遇到了這些恩人：讓我白住的房東婆婆，撿到我錢包的何阿姨，每天請吃提拉米蘇的阿裡斯，凌晨兩點送我回家的公安同志，提醒我關煤氣關窗的阿叔，還有給我買豆沙和肉松面包的季師傅。
當然，還要謝謝久春理發廳的老板，讓我重拾對老上海的好感，也讓我完成了任務。
Isn’t it weird how you could love a place so much?
Filed under: The 3 cities | Leave a Comment
Tags: China, Nostalgia, Shanghai, Sofia's Diary
Ireland’s calling…again
Filed under: Inspiring sounds | Leave a Comment
Tags: Enya, Gaelic, God
TVP’s owner
Recent Entries
Categories
- Current Issues (1)
- Inspiring sounds (3)
- Inspiring words (6)
- Interviews (1)
- Mental conditions (3)
- Pictures that move (3)
- The 3 cities (1)
- Uncategorized (5)
