CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO.386
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
16 JUNE 1979
CONFIDENTIAL
LABOUR RELATIONS.
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 51
17 JUNIS70
LAKK 571
икк
MR.H.L.GIBSON OF THE INTERNATIONAL TEXTILES AND GARMENT WORKERS
FEDERATION HAS BECOME INVOLVED IN CERTAIN ASPECTS OF A LABOUR.
DISPUTE WHICH WAS IN PROGRESS WHEN HE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG.
2. THE NON-COMMUNIST COTTON INDUSTRY WORKERS GENERAL UNION
CLAIM INCREASED ALLOWANCES AND HAVE ALLEGED UNREASONABLE
DISMISSAL AGAINST THE GREAT EASTERN TEXTILES FACTORY. WORK
STOPPED ON 12 JUNE AND THE UNION PICKETED THE FACTORY.
3. THE POINTS AT ISSUE NOW SEEM TO BE NEAR SOLUTION, BUT
MR GIBSON WAS PRESENT OUTSIDE THE FACTORY ON 13 JUNE WHEN
THE POLICE AFTER ISSUING WARNINGS ARRESTED TEN PICKETS FOR
CONTRAVENING THE LAW ON PEACEFUL PICKETING. THERE WAS SOME
RESISTENCE AND THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES ON BOTM SIDES.
MR GIBSON TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ARRESTS AND WE UNDERSTAND
THAT HE INTENDS TO INFORM ICFTU AND TO RAISE THE MATTER ON HIS
RETURN TO ENGLAND.
CONFIDENTIAL
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