44
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
During the year 33 unions were prosecuted for sending in their annual returns late. The year ended with 304 unions on the register, as against 300 in December 1955. Nine new organizations were registered (8 of workers and 1 of em- ployers) but five (3 of workers and 2 of employers) were removed from the register. Four of these unions had ceased to exist; the registration of the other union was cancelled for violation of the Ordinance. The 304 unions consisted of 232 workers' unions, 69 organizations of merchants and employ- ers, and 3 mixed organizations of employers and workers.
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Labour Organization. Most of the trade unions in the Colony continue to be affected by political considerations. Except for a small number of independent unions, they support either the Chinese People's Republic or the Nation- alist régime in Taiwan.
The Federation of Trade Unions, supporting the Com- munist régime in Mainland China, continues to maintain its policy of providing welfare benefits, not only to members of its affiliated unions but to all workers willing to accept them. During the year an increased number of unions affiliated themselves to the F.T.U., whose strength has consequently
grown.
The principal activities in 1956 of the Trades Union Council, supporting the Nationalist régime in Taiwan, were in the propaganda field. The Council remains affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, but does not play an active part within that body.
Whilst the number of unions affiliated to the F.T.U. is considerably lower than the number affiliated to the T.U.C., the declared membership and approximate paying member- ship of unions under the former body is nearly twice that of unions under the latter.
During the riots at the time of the 'Double Tenth' cele- brations in October the premises of some left-wing unions