Ĉ.S. 41A
2600077
10,000-6/70-B74525
CONFIDENTIAL
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COLONIAL SECRETARIAT
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG KONG
REF. CR 3/3051/73
BY BAG
(36) 4KKS
25/16
Dear
Laurence,
1973 membership.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51
8 APR 1975
HKK 5/28
1st April 1975
David Lai, in his letter to Andrew Stuart of 4th December 1973, gave a general picture of the labour scene with particular reference to industrial relations and union
It would seem opportune now to give you a further report on the position since rather more than a year has passed, and the Executive Council has recently agreed that the Labour Relations Bill should now go to Legislative Council. This Bill remains, in its essentials, as Foggon saw it last year and includes provision for the "cooling-off" order as orginally envisaged.
In general terms the situation remains very much as previously reported, but against a background of considerably reduced employment in the industrial sector, and of a marked increase in under-employment (though this latter is particularly difficult to quantify). These changed economic circumstances have led to a further reduction in mandays lost resulting from labour disputes.
The figures for both strikes and man-days lost show a marked decrease in 1974 over 1973; the updated figures are as follows:-
Man Days Lost
HKK 5/16
1973.
36
2
Year
Major Disputes
Minor Wage
Strikes
Claims
1966/67
40
2,588
17
28,635
1967/68
68
3,093
8
5,231
1968/69
78
3,271
28
13,141
1969/70
127
3,372
32
37,141
1970/71
140
4,195
49
53,733
1971/72
130
4,694
40
21,204
1972/73
113
4,435
43
43,350
1973/74
87
4,853
40
49,311
1974/75
77
4,280
13
9,909
(9 months ending
31.12.74)
P.L.O'Keeffe, Esq. C.V.C.,
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
London S..1,
ENGLAND
CONFIDENTIAL