CONFIDENTIAL
For discussion
on 12th June 1973
機密
XCC(73)50
Copy No..
ME MORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
AFFILIATION OF TRADE UNIONS TO ORGANISATIONS OUTSIDE HONG KONG
34
A
B
At the meeting of Executive Council on 15th September 1970, the Governor ordered:
2
(a)
(b)
that a paper be prepared for the information of Council listing those trade unions which are affiliated to unions established outside the Colony;
that consideration be given to revising the policy regarding the giving of consent to local trade unions being affiliated to unions established outside the Colony under section 45 of the Trade Unions Ordinance (Chapter 332).
A list showing bodies registered locally as trade unions and affiliated to bodies outside Hong Kong is attached at Annex A.
3
The legal position in Hong Kong is that the consent of the Governor in Council (this power may subsequently be transfered to the Governor under other proposals under separate examination) is required under sections45(1) and 51(1) of the Trade Unions Ordinance for any trade union to become affiliated to an organisation established outside the Colony or for any trade union member to take orders, direction or advice from such an organisation. Under section 33(1) (j), the approval of the Governor is required before any fees may be paid to such an organisation from the funds of a registered trade union. The relevant extracts from the Ordinance are at Annex B.
4
The intention of the legislation is to prevent local trade unions from falling under the influence or direction of associations established outside Hong Kong and over which this Government has no control. This policy was established in 1927 following a general strike in Hong Kong in 1925-1926 and it was designed to prevent the overt influence of political organisation in China, and subsequently in Taiwan, over local trade unions. In reviewing the policy it is necessary to take into account also a problem of comparatively recent origin, namely the possibility of undesirable influence from non-Chinese sources being exerted over local unions to the detriment of Hong Kong.
CONFIDENTIAL
機密