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they would join a trade union if they were satisfied with the activities
that that trade union undertook.
Thirty seven of the respondents stated
i
here that they would. This is roughly the same proportion of the sample
who felt trade unions should have a part to play in Hong Kong today and
who felt that trade unions should undertake each of the functions listed
in the previously discussed question. There were also differences between
the sub groups in answering this question. The respondents in the small
firms were much more likely to say don't know than those in large firms
(64% compared to 36%), although about the same proportion of each group
would be willing to join (36% and 38%). The younger men and women were
also a little more willing to join than the older men and women (44%
and 40% compared to 26% and 33%). There, however, was little difference
with regard to skill.
The interviewers reported on this last question on trade unions that some
respondents were hesitant over answering, feeling that it committed them
politically, although we did try in the formulation of this question to
make it as neutral as possible. I suggest here that this question and
the question on whether trade unions had a useful role be combined viz.
"If trade unions did undertake all these activities you feel they should,
do you think trade unions would have a useful role to play in Hong Kong
today". It would also be useful next time to ask respondents which of
the trade union functions they felt was most important.