UNCLASSIFIED
Mr Hurst (OLA G 65/G)
OLCC MELTING: PAPER ON TURNER STUDY
1 SAPRBIT
HR.K 212/548
2/548/1
1. We discussed yesterday your draft paper for the CLCC and agreed the first five paragraphs.
2.
On paragraph 6, however, John Stewart and I have certain reservations. First, we think paragraph 6(i) should be deleted for too much is perhaps being read into the last aside of Professor Hart. The report also brings out that left-wing unions do not want to "rock the boat". Officials of these unions would be unlikely to take part in discussions for that reason alone.
3.
(102
We agree that paragraph 6(ii) should remain. It should be possible by means of this Ordinance to fix a minimum wage covering all trades.
4. Paragraph 6(iii): Certainly trade union members should have a role in defining a general legal minimum wage but if the trade unions have not yet been able to fill the gap in labour relations at work-place level, I do not see how they can be persuaded to do so now. Despite what Professor Turner says, there may well be an opportunity for the development of workers consultative committees, under the aegis of the Labour Department, in each factory over a certain size.
5.
Faragraph 6(vi) raises a difficult question. As you know, the Governor had great difficulty in finding a suitable person with a trade union background to put on Legco and would have the same difficulty in finding someone for Urbco or to put on any of the 83 statutory bodies and 49 non-statutory bodies which form part of Government. The question may well be raised by the CLCC but apart from pointing out the difficulties we had with Legco appointments, we can point out that certain bodies do include trade unionists, eg the Labour Advisory Board, the hidwives Board and the Nursing Board. There is certainly a good case for placing more workers on these statutory and non-statutory bodies but the difficulty, I repeat, is in finding the bodies.
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f.
95
14 April 1977
UNCLASSIFIED
T Duffy
Hong Kong & General Department K 245
233 4377