C
3. The Government's own pay policy is central to the
state of Hong Kong's labour relations since government is the biggest single employer and a pace-setter for much of private employment. There are deficiencies on both the trade union and official sides which require more extensive study.
5. Each of the three tentative suggestions requires further on-the-spot studies and, to avoid the possibility of Professor Turner and his associates becoming involved in other commitments, it was necessary to decide within the FCO that they should be offered terms to conclude this review during 1977. This will be
to be done on the basis of work carried out in August.
6. The advice of members of the OLCC is therefore sought as to the directions which the final phase of this review should take. Points which may require clarification or further consideration are:-
i. The utilisation of the Trade Boards Ordinance of 1940
(see paragraph 25 of the main report) to give unions the opportunity of participation in the fixing of statutory wage rates on an industrial basis.
ii.
iii.
iv.
V.
A trade union role in defining the general legal minimum wage suggested by Professor Turner (paragraph 4.1 above) and in filling the gap in labour relations at workplace level (paragraph 4.2 above).
Development by the trade unions with Government encourage- ment of a workers' education programme to build on the underlying predisposition of Hong Kong employees for collective action.
The training of public and private employers in good industrial relations and personnel management practices.
A broader institutional role for trade unions in Hong Kong: eg. participation in planning the expansion of social services (education, housing, medical, social security etc) which the two surveys at Appendices B and C of the interim report demonstrate command wide support among the majority of employees.
In developing these lines of enquiry, the attitudes of the major trade union groupings in Hong Kong would clearly be crucial and an assessment of their views would be needed.
Overseas Labour Adviser
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
15 April 1977
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