lesson 1 - why does the poverty problem occur? (1d)

Miss Choi, Angel

Teaching period: 14/3 – 6/5

E-mail:angelchoi909@hotmail.com RM 210

Facebook: Missws Choi

2.2 Why does the poverty problem occur?

Lesson 1

Why does the poverty problem occur?

Two types of factors:Personal factorsSocial factors

Personal factors

Personal factors can make a person unable to workE.g. 1) the person may have health problem, 2) have lost working ability, or 3) need to look after his family. If these problems are solved, he can return to the

labour force.

Remain poor because low work ability poor work, etc…

Social factors

Economic restructuring (經濟轉型 ) since the 1980sMany labour intensive (勞力密集 ) manufacturing industries have moved to the Pearl River Delta region (珠江三角洲 ).The number of jobs ↓Low-skilled workers have become unemployed ( 失業 )

Some low-skilled workers changed to find low-skilled jobs in the service industry.E.g. cleansing workers, waiters

Low income

A number of enterprises (企業 ) hire low-skilled workers in forms of casual (臨時 ), part-time and contract (合約 ) jobs.

Unstable income

Low-skilled workers usually lack bargaining power ( 議價能力 ).

Hourly salary is often lowWorking poverty (在職貧窮 )

HK has been gradually developing a knowledge-based economy (知識型經濟 ).

The demand for workers with low education and skill levels ↓

Unemployed (失業 ) or underemployed (就業不足 )

Marginal workers (邊緣勞工 )

Definition:

Refer to people who engage in jobs

of poor nature (e.g. low-skilled jobs,

offensive jobs 厭惡性工作 ), received

low wages, lack labour protection,

have unstable working hours and

can easily lost their jobs.

Marginal workers (邊緣勞工 )

These worker are socially rejected because of

their age, sex, race and health condition and so

they cannot find stable jobs.

They are often unemployed, underemployed, and

engage in low paying jobs.

e.g. Skilled and unskilled middle-aged men and

women, the disabled and new arrivals

Marginal workers (邊緣勞工 )

Working conditions

Long working hours: some of them work more than 50 hours a week

Low wages: Most of them receive less than HK$4,500 a month

Poor working conditions: Usually perform offensive jobs including cleaning public toilets and collecting waste

Unstable posts: Usually employed by short-term contracts may immediate dismissed (解僱 ) without compensation ( 賠償 )

No holidays: may have to work 7 days a week

Next Lesson

Take a look at Activity 4 (p.56-57)

Check the dictionary