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Workers' Union - refused to accept the statement of the manage- ment that the closure was due not to any labour dispute but simply to lack of business. As a consequence of this attitude they roostended workers not to accept their pay and picketed the factory. It was a clash between these pickets and some vorkers vão insisted upon drawing the money due to them which led to police being stationed in the vicinity of the factory to koop the peace. I should mention that the local Manager and his ccountant were severely assaulted by some of the picketu on one occasion and had to seek police protection.
Between the 9th August and the 29th December several meetings have been arranged by the Hong Kong Labour Department between the management and the workers. During the course of these rootings various suggestions have been made for the resumption of work, all of which failed because the factory managant state categorically that they are not permitted, neither are they in a position to, reopen the factory until raw material again becomes available at an economic prios.
During the last three weeks in December vigorous representations made to the local Manager by the Camissioner of Labour in Hong Kong have resulted in securing agreement on the part of the Managing Director to the payment of one weeks wages to all workers aployed at the time when the factory was closed. This offer will probably be acceptable to the workers who are members of the Hong Kong and Kowloọn Rubber and Plastic orkers' General Union, but the representatives of the Hong Long Rubber Shoe Workers have so far refused to consider it and continue to demand the immediate re-opening of the factory.
It is clear that the allegations made in the report submitted by the Hong Kong and Kowloor. T.U.C. are based on