CONFIDENMAL
GRS 365
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 200915Z NOV 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
4kk 430/1.
TOP
2-1 NOV 1979
ིན་
No
23/111
м
Si
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1638 OF 20 NOVEMBER
INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
FOR MURRAY FROM CATER.
MY TELNO 1626: PUBLIC OFFICERS (INDUSTRIAL ACTION) BILL 1979.
1. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ADVISED THIS MORNING THAT THE PROPOSED BILL SHOULD NOT BE INTRODUCED INTO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT THIS
TIME.
(52)
تقوم
2. IN DISCUSSION THE GROUNDS FOR INTRODUCING A BILL ALONG THESE LINES WERE ACKNOWLEDGED TO HAVE SOME FORCE. HOWEVER, AS EXPECTED, COUNCIL TOOK THE VIEW I MENTIONED TO YOU YESTERDAY THAT THERE WERE OTHER MORE COMPELLING REASONS FOR NOR INTRODUCING LEGISLATION AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, AMONG THEM THE
FOLLOWING:
A. THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF GIVING STATUTORY FORCE TO SOME
OF THE PROVISIONS IN GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS NEED TO BE CAREFULLY
THOUGHT THROUGH AND THIS REQUIRES TIME.
B. THE PROPOSED BILL WOULD INEVITABLY THROW DOUBT PUBLICLY
ON THE VALIDITY OF GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS GENERALLY, INCLUDING SECURITY REGULATIONS, AND FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING REGULATIONS,
AS WELL AS CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS.
C. THE PROPOSED BILL MIGHT ACT AS A RALLYING POINT FOR THE
BETTER ORGANISED AND MORE AGGRESSIVE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS WITHIN
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
D. ON BALANCE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO CONTINUE TO RELY ON CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS, ONLY RESORTING TO LEGISLATION IF FUTURE EVENTS CLEARLY RENDER THIS NECESSARY.
ONFIDENTAL
/3. WE ARE