CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO. 596
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TOP COPY
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
63
SECRET
RECEIVED INT
ARCHIVES No. 63 14 MAY 1968
MAY
1968
HW
f.a. HWAP/4 #5 145.
ADDRESSED CO TELEGRAM NO. 596 OF 13TH MAY REPEATED PA SINGAPORE
WASHINGTON, HC CANBERRA, AND PEKING.
FOR COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND CABINET OFFICE FOR JIC.
FOLLOWING FROM LIC.
WEEKLY ASSESSMENT AS AT 0600 HOURS, 13TH HAY 1968, FOLLOWS.
THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE WEEK HAVE BEEN:-
(A) 88 VISITS BY COMMUNIST DELEGATIONS TO 10 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS
CONCERNING REINSTATEMENT, 'GIFT RICE' AND RELEASE OF PRISONERS
AND 31 TO 10 PRIVATE COMPANIES SEEKING RE-EMPLOYMENT. TWO DELEG-
ATIONS INCLUDED WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND SOME MERE NOISY AND
ADOPTED A BELLIGERENT ATTITUDE. A GROUP OF WOMEN ALS VISITED
THE OFFICE OF THE LOCAL RED CROSS 13 CONNECTION WITH THE
RELEASE OF PRISONERS (SEE PARAGRAPH.CB) OF TELEGRAM NO. 215).
(B) FURTHER MEETINGS BY COMMUNIST UNIONS AT WHICH IT WAS AGREED TO CONTINUE ATTEMPTS TO INTERVIEW EMPLOYERS REGARDING
REINSTATEMENT. THE TWO MAJOR DOCKYARD UNIONS PLAN TO INCREASE
VISITS AND ENCOURAGE THE PARTICIPATION OF RELATIVES OF 'STRIKERS'.
(C) A DIRECTIVE BY THE KOWLOON BRANCH OF THE MOTOR TRANSPORT WORKERS' UNION (M.T.W.U.) WHICH CATERS FOR TAXI AND LORRY
ORIVERS, MECHANICS AND OTHER ANCILLARY WORKERS IN THE TRANSPORT
TRADE THAT ALL STRIKERS UNABLE TO OBTAIN REINSTATEMENT WITH FORMER
EMPLOYERS SHOULD NOW SEEK ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT. STRIKE ALLOWANCES WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THEY OBTAIN WORK. MEMBERS OF THE TAXI
WILL
SECTION OF THE UNION, WHO HAVE OBTAINED PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT,
WILL STILL RECEIVE STRIKE PAY BUT MUST CONTRIBUTE THE MAJOR
SHARE OF THEIR SALARY TO THE UNION.
(D) THE AWARD OF A SALARY INCREASE TO ALL EMPLOYEES OF LOCAL COMMUNIST BANKS RETROSPECTIVE FROM 151 JANUARY, 1968,
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AVERAGING
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