LA 393/9
Professor H A Turner PhD MA BSc (Econ) Burton Professor of Industrial Relations University of Sydney
Sydney NSW 2006
Australia
5 July 1977
RECVED IN REGIRY No. 51
W
then PA
~ Daffy
11 JUL 1977
Jees
HKK 212/578
186
I have been in correspondence with the TUC's Allan Hargreaves to clarify certain points he raised at the meeting with you at Congress House on Friday, 3 June.
I am now advised that the TUC attaches great importance to your final report reflecting the outcome of the following lines of enquiry:-
(i)
Are there areas in which trade unionism might be encouraged by building on organisations not associated with the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions or the Hong Kong Trades Union Council? These would be the trade unions in the neutral sector, particularly those in the civil service where the Hong Kong Government might give a lead in developing adequate representational machinery for civil servants at all levels, whether industrial or non-industrial.
(ii) It should be established how, at the level of the under-
taking, workers either individually or collectively are able, or unable, to represent a case to their employer. (This may be relevant to paragraph 80(2) of your interim report where you refer to ideas which are taking shape to fill "a gap in labour relations at the workplace level"). If it transpires that there is a kind of informal collective bargaining at the level of the undertaking, how might it be extended and institutionalised so that the methods applied and the results achieved are visible?
You will remember that Hargreaves made a reference to the Hong Kong Societies Ordinance but did not follow it up as he was called away to another meeting. I believe the point he was going to make was that some of the existing Hong Kong "trade unions" are not trade unions for practical purposes and could more appropriately be registered under the Societies Ordinance rather than under the Trade Unions Ordinance. He would like you to consider this point. I think he is under the impression that many organisations call themselves trade unions to bring them under the jurisdiction of the Registrar of Trade Unions rather than the Police.
hidden copy to Mr Stewart HKGD
HRG Hurst