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Hong Kong tightens up union legislation
BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
THE Hong Kong Government has drafted new trade union legisla- tion which threatens to sout Industrial relations in the colony. The most controversial clauses in the new Bill seriously reduce the right of strikers to form effective picket lines.
Employees will be forbidden to picket a person's private resi. dence. Some officials are already complaining privately this could cause trouble as frequently the smaller employer lives in the same building as bis factory or workshop.
Even more unpopular is the creation of a new offence making it illegal for strikers to block or cause any obstruction on a road or street.
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If this provision is enacted sh,
and vigorously enforced, picket nd lines outside a factory will be
to virtually banned altogether. Thi
Significantly several senior to- officials feel uncomfortable about these proposals. They feel the existing Public Order Ordinance
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already gives the police such sweeping powers to deal with all forms of public gatherings, and any hint of intimidation that changes in the trade union law are unjustifled. The workers are also beginning to show signs of restlessness about the measure.
Bosses' side
HONG KONG, Sept. 24.
tuated but has shown no overall tendency to rise. Chinese workers prefer to settle grievances with as little fuss as possible. This, means when a strike takes place tempers on both sides are already running very high.
The effect of the new Bill will probably be the adoption of Com- munist tactics by the work force. Several instances have occurred The present laws governing of employees trying to force the strikes and labour unions have management's hand by camping been strongly attacked recently out on the factory floor. This as far 100 restricti: The strategy makes it almost im workers also feel the alice possible for the police to inter- the fere and also prevents the use always end up support
hey of strike-breakers. management in a strike bitterly resent the curren tion in which the employe the Administration firmly o bosses' gide.
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However, it also creates the 9 danger of angry workers damag-
ing equipment.
Hong Kong is relatively from serious strikes. With working population of around lim. only 40,000-man-daya sete lost through industrial distortes last year. Over the last decade the number of disputes has flue-
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2. Perhaps you could take a suitable opportunity to find out what action, if any, the ICFTU propose to take on this resolution? The legislation complained of has not yet been enacted but will be placed before the Labour Advisory Board in Hong Kong on 15 October. The Hong Kong TUC is represented on the LAB and they will have a full opportunity of expressing any criticisms they may have on what is proposed. I will not labour this letter with details of the Bill, which is rather long and technical, but I can confirm:
3.
(a) that the 'right to strike' is not in any way affected;
so far as picketing is concerned, the law follows closely that of the UK except that
(b)
(1)
(11)
the right to picket a person's home is removed (which is likely to happen here shortly), and
the law makes clear that obstruction is an offence when picketing (as it is in this country although the law does not specifically say so).
If you should need any more detailed material to allay possible anxiety at the ICFTU, please let me know. They may well be satisfied with the knowledge that the British TUC is in touch with us about the legislation.
J.S. Vigors, Esq., British Embassy, Brussels
(G. Foggon)
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