Reference....
Mr Laird
NIGHT WORK FOR WOMEN IN HONG KONG
2.
Mr Foggon is away until 21 May.
I agree with Mr Lambert when in para.3 of his minute dated 17 May he refers to the probability of strong trade union reaction in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.
3. I would strongly advise against acceptance of any modifications which weaken the conditions originally imposed. This is based on three considerations:-
4.
(a) The Hong Kong Saving Despatch of 11 May at
(1) does not reveal that any local consultations have taken place in Hong Kong at the level of the Labour Advisory Board or with the trade unions concerned. Their agreement to any modification would be the most effective rebuttal of any future criticism. The inter- views with women workers referred to at paras. 3, 4 and 5 of (1) are not, I would think, the type of consultation envisaged at para.2 of the submission at (1) (Flag 'B')
B') on Part A
of this file.
(b) The recent "Christie/Bettenson" report reveals
shortcomings in the Hong Kong Factory
(c)
Inspectorate and it is difficult to be sure that conditions imposed on night work for women are observed satisfactorily and, in particular, that effective inspections are carried out regularly and systematically at night. These doubts would grow if the number of factories employing women by night increased.
Mr Foggon has already drawn attention (p.45 on Part A, flagged C) of the need to guard against any extension of the exemption to smaller firms in view of the earlier stress placed by Lord Shepherd on the fact that only the larger firms will be permitted to employ women at night.
Mr Foggon is due to meet Mr Price, Hong Kong's Deputy Labour Commissioner, at 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday 26 May.
This might give further information and an opportunity for Mr Fogg on himself to comment on these proposals.
19 May 1971
1.A.5. hunt
HRG Hurst
653
Deputy Overseas Labour Adviser