Fédération
sernationale des Travailleurs des Industries
de l'Habillement
PRESIDENT:
Textile
JOHN B. NEWTON
VICE-PRESIDENT:
K. BUSCHMANN
Internationale Textil- und Bekleidungsarbeiter-Vereinigung
Internationella Textil- och Beklädnadsarbetarefederationen
INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE AND
GARMENT WORKERS' FEDERATION
120 BAKER STREET, LONDON, W.1
GENERAL SECRETAKY: J. GREENHALGH to whom all communications should be addressed
TELEPHONE:
WELCK 1745
TILBORAM ADDRESS:
WORKINTEX, London, W.1
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attitude of the Federation of Hongkong Industries and also the employers generally, because it was only in May last year when they declared that they would oppose any attempt to reduce the hours of work, both in the Executive and Legislative Councils.
You state that the fifth, sixth and seventh points of my letter call for a more detailed rebuttal, and so we will examine them in detail.
5.
6.
7.
It is a fact that two strikes took place at the East Asia Textiles Ltd., and in spite of what the records might say, the management did orginally dismiss workers for trying to form a trade union branch at the mill. This reason was soàn changed, but I had adequate assurances on this point whilst I was in Hongkong Last year.
The second strike was caused by a Mr. Chung Hon Loong absenting himself from work for just one day in spite of the fact that he had regularly qualified for the 'good attendance bonus' by WORKING 359 days EACH YEAR DURING THE PREVIOUS SIX YEARS.
It is a fact that in the agreement for a settlement to enable work to be resumed, the fifth clause read:
SHOULD NEGOTIATIONS ON REINSTATEMENT FAIL TO REACH ANY SETTLEMENT BY THE END OF THE ONE-MONTH PERIOD, THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOUR WILL ARBITRATE AND THIS DECISION SHALL BE BINDING ON BOTH PARTIES.
It is a fact that the employer refused to honour this undertaking.
It is a fact that I have not heard of any action being taken by the Commissioner of Labour to restore his prestige.
IT IS A FACT that this can be interpreted as showing that there are certain employers in the colony who have no respect for those in authority.
IT IS A FACT that where there is no respect for the law, and where employers can flout the decision of such an eminent person as the Commissioner of Labour, it is abundantly clear that any effort to build a responsible trade union movement will be doomed to failure.
So much for the points in my letter, and now we will examine your so-called rebuttal.
There is no misapprehension over the dippute at East Asia Textiles Ltd, and I am fully aware of the terms of the final settlement, made on February 2nd 1967. Without going into precise details, an amount of about .K. 1,450 was paid to each of the 10 dismissed workers on the understanding they they found other employment. From a financial point of view that was a satisfactory settlement, but it does nothing to
./.....