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CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NO. 305
CONFIDENTIAL [NEUTRAL].
CONVIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
29 JANUARY 1970
ADDRESSED TO FCO TELEGRAM NO. 305 OF 29 JANUARY REPTD FOR INFMN
TO HONG KONG.
ADVANCE COPIES FOR FOGGON, DUNNETT AND NICOLL (BOARD OF TRADE), STEWART (MINTECH.
TEXTILE IMPORTS.
JACOB POTOFSKY, PRESIDENT OF THE AMALGAMATED CLOTHING WORKERS OF AMERICA (WHICH IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH MEN'S CLOTHING) HAS ASKED THE LABOUR COUNSELLOR TO MEET WITH HIM AND TWO SENIOR UNION OFFICIALS ON MONDAY, 2 FEBRUARY, TO HEAR THE UNION'S VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT OF HONG KONG IMPORTS TO THE U.S. THE UNION IS ONE OF THE FOUR WHICH TOOK ADVERTISING SPACE IN THE 'GUARDIAN', 'WASHINGTON POST' AND 'SOUTH CHINA POST' OF HONG KONG ON 27 JANUARY TO PUBLICISE AN APPEAL TO THE PRIME MINISTER TO QUOTE
NEGOTIATE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF HONG KONG'S LOW WAGE
EXPORTS UNQUOTE TO THE U.S.
2. LABOUR COUNSELLOR PROPOSED THAT DISCUSSION SHOULD INCLUDE
COMMERCIAL DEPT COLLEAGUES BUT POTOFSKY SAID THEY WOULD PREFER
NOT. THEY APPARENTLY DO NOT WISH TO BECOME INVOLVED IN A DISCUSSION OF THE WIDER PROBLEM OF IMPORTS BUT SEEK ONLY ON THIS
CCCASION TO EXPLAIN TO LABOUR COUNSELLOR HOW THEIR MEMBERS ARE
BEING HURT BY HONG KONG IMPORTS.
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY M61 *20EB 1979
HKX6/304/1
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/N.P. 3. IT IS...