HK
THE TIMES
13 OCT 1970
Cutting dated
19
Churches oppose curbs on unions in Hongkong
From Leo Goodstadt Hongkong, Oct. 12
The Hongkong Government is running into a wave of public protest. Its plans to amend the trade union law to reduce drasti- cally the freedom of strikers to picket peacefully have outraged leading religious organizations in the colony. At the head of the protest movement has been the Roman Catholic Church.
A workers' meeting organized by a Catholic welfare organiza- tion has issued a strong denuncia- tion of the draft legislation. The meeting was presided over by the Bishop, Mgr. Francis Hsu Chen Ping, and attracted widespread publicity. It was attended by representatives of other denomi- natious.
They joined Catholic and other workers, together with Catholic priests and nuns, in denouncing ile Trade Union Amendment Bill as a violation of human rights and completely at odds with basic Christian principles of social jus- tice.
Workers present affirmed that, if enacted, "the Bill would make
strikes almost impossible with- out breaking the law. They vigo- rously expressed their suspicions of the Government's plans as an attempt to smash the workers' right to organize successful strikes.
In taking this strong stand the Catholic Church and other reli- gious bodies are defying the advice of Sir David Trench, the Governor, that the churches should stay out of political issues. This year has seen growing discn- chantment by all denominations with the Government's efforts in the social and labour fields.
As missionary groups shoulder' a great share of the burden of providing educational, medical and social services, they regard con- cern for the well being of the residents as an important respon- sibility. Senior members of the Catholic clergy are saying in pri- vate that any attempt to restrict the right to picket peacefully in industrial disputes will he resisted, whatever the law. These priests. as well as representatives of other denominations, are supporting the workers' call for a campaign to oppose the Bill.
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