HARK 7/17
Mr. Priddle
Mr. Wilford
зорь
Reference.
14
Sir L. Monson
Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company
t
As you know, there is a row brewing between the management and the employees of this Company over recognition of the newly formed Union by the Management.
2. I discussed this with Sir H. Norman-Walker yesterday. Unfortunately, our letter reporting the meeting Mr. Foggon and I had with Mr. Jenkins, who is advising the Hong Kong
Union, did not get to Hong Kong until after the management had again turned down the Union's request for recognition and the dispute had been referred to the Department of
Labour. Mr. Hetherington, the Commissioner for Labour,
was therefore in the dark when confronted by angry Union
representatives.
•
3. Sir H. Norman-Walker said that he doubted if the Board of the Company would give way on the point of recognition. He confirmed that the Department of Labour will, of course, do what it can to have the dispute settled amicably but he pointed out that the Government had no legal authority to arbitrate in a
matter of this kind. Moreover, any proposal that the
Government should acquire such authority would, he thought, not get far in the Executive and Legislative
Councils. This is rather disturbing and I have sent a telegram to Hong Kong asking for their views on the present position and likely developments.
Zaid
EX
(E. 0. Laird)
Hong Kong Department
26 June, 1970
Page 90Page 91