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DISPUTE AT THE FACTORY OF EAST ASIA TEXTILES LIMITED
The East Asia Textiles limited operates, with a labour force of about 680, a
spinning department and a weaving department. There are 240 workers employed in
the weaving department. Of these, about 40 are members of the Cotton Industry
Workers' General Union (C.I.W.G.U.), a right wing trade union. The weaving
department operates simultaneously two systems of shifts. The first system involv-
ing about 70% of the workers is organised on three shifts of eight hours each. The
second system involving about 30% of the workers is organized on a single day
shift of 91⁄2 hours.
2.
On 3rd November 1966, Mr. CHUNG Ho-lung, a member of the C.I.W.G.U., working
in the weaving department, asked his foreman for one day's sick leave. His
request was refused and the worker walked out of the weaving department. He was
dismissed by the management on 4th November. Following representations by the vie
chairman of the C.I.W.G.U., the management agreed to Mr. Chung's reinstatement
with effect from 12th November as a newly-joined employee.
3. On the evening of 11th November, the chairman of the factory committee of the
C.I.W.G.U. persuaded workers to stage a sit-down strike in protest over
Mr. Chung's dismissal and form of reinstatement. On 12th November, the management
dismissed six workers, all factory representatives of the C.I.W.G.U. for being
"bad elements". Workers on the morning shift also staged a sit-down strike and
posted a notice on the factory notice board making eleven demands. On 13th
November, the management posted a notice to the effect that three more workers,
all factory representatives of the C.I.W.G.U., were dismissed for instigating
workers to join the strike and preventing others from entering the factory.
4.
On 14th November, the management recruited labour for the weaving department.
Some of these were the original workers. Pickets were placed outside the factory by
the striking workers. On 17th November, the management informed the striking
workers by notice that, unless they returned to work on 18th and 19th November,
they would be deemed to have resigned. On 19th November, arrangements were made
for representatives of workers to meet the management, but because the management
/refused
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