The Macau Federation of Trade Unions (aka Gung Luen) co-hosted a press conference in conjunction with the Macau Clerical Employees General Association to announce that the findings of their latest survey show that a mere 17.1 percent of clerical staff understand what the “Labour Relations Law” is all about.
The press conference was held at the latter’s office on Rua do Campo.
The survey was carried out between January and August this year, involving 1,510 local clerical staff aged 16 and above.
The survey aimed to conduct an in-depth analysis of several key aspects affecting local clerical staff, including their career development and training opportunities, work environment and overall job satisfaction, sources of stress and professional challenges, as well as their awareness and utilisation of employment benefits and rights.
The survey revealed that only 27 percent of clerical workers feel optimistic about their career prospects.
According to the Labour Affairs Bureau’s statistics on the number of non-resident workers (NRWs) and enterprises/entities by industry, as of June 2025, sectors such as finance employed 900 non-resident workers in clerical positions, over half of whom held non-professional positions.
The survey’s findings highlight that, actually, there exists significant room for expansion in career advancement channels and the localisation of management positions for clerical employees.
Based on the findings, the association recommended during yesterday’s press conference that the government implement a “locals-first” employment policy, clarify procedures for the phased reduction of NRWs, and establish specific targets for the localisation of management roles in sectors such as finance and clerical occupations.
The findings show that over 40 percent of respondents said they experience stress due to tight deadlines, heavy workloads, and limited promotion opportunities. Additionally, 43 percent reported that their physical and mental health has been adversely affected by work-related pressure. However, only 18 percent of companies provided psychological support services, according to the findings, while nearly 60 percent lacked relevant measures to address these issues.
The association recommends that the government strengthen institutional guidance and supervision by establishing a long-term monitoring mechanism and promoting a “Dynamic Workload Management System.”
It also suggested incorporating mental health into corporate social responsibility evaluation frameworks. Furthermore, the association emphasised that enterprises should ensure competitive compensation and develop salary adjustment mechanisms based on scientific assessments.
Representatives from the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (aka Gung Luen) and the Macau Clerical Employees General Association look on during yesterday’s press conference, including lawmaker Lei Cheng I (second from left). – Photo: Gung Luen
