24
EMPLOYMENT
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
With the exception of a small neutral and independent segment, workers' unions are either affiliated to, or associated with, one of two local federations which bear allegiance to opposing political groups and which are registered as societies. Divided politically, and further separated by differences in dialect, the number of unions has grown beyond practical needs, and divergent loyalties have prevented those with common interests from amalgamating into effective organizations.
The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions supports the Chinese People's Republic. Most of the members of its 63 affiliated unions are concentrated in shipyards, textile mills and public utilities, or are seafarers. A further 28 unions, nominally independent, are friendly with the federation and participate in its activities.
The other trade union federation, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Trades Union Council, sympathizes with the policies of the Taiwan authorities. Most of the members of its 61 affiliated unions and of the 36 nominally independent unions, which generally support the TUC, are employed in the catering and building trades. The TUC is affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
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There are 51 independent unions, a number of which continued to make improvements in their internal administration and in the services offered to their members.
The Labour Department organized two courses of instruction for trade union members-one in trade union administration and one in trade union accounting. Ten trade union officials were issued with certificates on completion of the accounting course. Four local trade union officials attended the 12th Asian labour leadership institute held at the Asian Labour Education Centre of the University of the Philippines. Another trade union official and an officer of the Labour Department attended the Asian regional seminar sponsored by the International Labour Organization. One officer from the Labour Department attended an industrial relations course at the Ministry of Labour in London and another completed a similar course at the Labour College of Canada.
Taking disputes over wage demands into account, the conciliation section of the Labour Department dealt with 2,067 disputes, of