IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 190550Z
RESTRICTED
CONFIDENTIAL
ник
2216
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 196 OF 19 FEBRUARY. 1973
YOUR TELEGRAM 166
وا
3
1975
VISIT OF CLIVE JENKINS
MR JENKINS CAME HERE ON 29 DECEMBER, STAYING ABOUT TEN DAYS.
IT IS BELIEVED THAT HE WAS ON HOLIDAY, WHILST EN ROUTE TO AUSTRALIA. HE DID NOT INFORM US OF, OR CONTACT ANY OFFICIALS DURING
HIS VISIT WHICH WAS HOWEVER REPORTED IN THE CHINA MAIL. 1
FOCUSSED ON HIS PRESENCE TOO LATE TO GET HOLD OF HIM FOR A CHAT.
SINCE HE DID NOT COME TO NOTICE I PRESUME HE MUST
HAVE GENUINELY BEEN ON HOLIDAY.
2. IT QUOTED HIM AS SAYING:
QUOTE I THINK BRITISH UNIONS WERE GOING TO BE LOOKING VERY HARD
AT HONG KONG
IN MY OPINION THE LABOUR LAWS IN HONG KONG ARE
VERY UNSATISFACTORY. THERE IS NO SUCH THING HERE AS UNION
RECOGNITION IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ..... I THINK THERE SHOULD
BE AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR PROPER UNION RECOGNITION. MY EXPERIENCE
IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HERE IS SLOW AND UNWILLING TO ACT IN
THESE MATTERS. I LOOK UPON HONG KONG AS A CENTRE OF LOW WAGES
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO WORK HERE ON LOCAL CONTRACTS THIS APPLIES
TO BOTH EUROPEAN AND LOCAL PEOPLE. THESE PEOPLE ARE BEING
EXPLOITED UNQUOTE.
THE REPORT ALSO STATED THAT HE INTENDED TO RETURN TO EXTEND HIS (ASSOCIATION OF SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL AND MANAGERIAL STAFFS) UNION'S ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG, RECRUITING MORE MEMBERS,
PARTICULARLY AMONG EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS.
CONFIDENTIAL
:
/3. THERE IS NO