VEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1975
THE PROCESS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING DEPENDED ON A COLLECTIVE DESIRE OF THE PARTIES FOR AGREEMENT. LEGISLATION COULD ONLY BE REQUIRED TO REMOVE OBSTACLES TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, AND AT THE MOMENT THERE WERE NO SUCH OBSTACLES.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD MADE ITS POLICY ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CLEAR BY DECLARING THAT INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION CONVENTION 98 (APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE RIGHT TO ORGANISE AND BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY) WAS APPLIED TO HONG KONG.
COMMENTING ON DR. CHUNG'S REFERENCE TO FEARS ABOUT
VICTIMISATION OF WORKERS DURING A COOLING-OFF PERIOD, MR. HENDERSON SAID HE TOOK DR. CHUNG'S POINT AND AN AMENDMENT WOULD BE PROPOSED TO DEAL WITH THIS +1NSOFAR AS IT CAN BE COVERED BY LEGISLATIVE MEANS.+
FINALLY, HE SAID, THERE HAD BEEN A NUMBER OF COMMENTS ON ITEM 2 OF THE SCHEDULE TO THE BILL, WHICH TRANSFERRED FROM THE MORIBUND ILLEGAL STRIKES AND LOCK-OUTS ORDINANCE TO THE TRADE UNIONS ORDINANCE A PROVISION TO PROTECT WORKERS WHO REFUSED TO TAKE PART IN ILLEGAL STRIKES.
UPON REFLECTION, HE HAD DECIDED IT WAS UNDESIRABLE TO IMPORT THIS +PARTICULAR RELIC+ INTO THE TRADE UNIONS ORDINANCE PARTICULARLY AS IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE NO MEANING IN FUTURE WITH THE ABOLITION OF THE CONCEPT OF THE ILLEGAL STRIKE. THE ITEM WOULD THEREFORE BE DROPPED.
EARLIER, THE SENIOR UNOFFOCIAL MEMBER, DR. THE HON. CHUNG SZE-YUEN, OUTLINED THE REPRESENTATIONS RECEIVED AND CONSIDERED BY A SPECIAL AD HOC GROUP FORMED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.
THE GROUP HAD MET WITH ABOUT TEN GROUPS OF PEOPLE REPRESENTING TRADE UNIONS OR INTERESTED IN LABOUR MATTERS.
DR. CHUNG SAID THE MANY REPRESENTATIONS COULD BE DIVIDED INTO THREE CATEGORIES THOSE TOTALLY AGAINST THE ENTIRE BILL, THOSE OBJECTING AGAINST THE COOLING-OFF' PROVISION, AND THOSE WELCOMING THE LEGISLATIVE MEASURES BUT SUBJECT TO CERTAIN AMENDMENTS.
AFTER LONG DELIBERATIONS, THE AD HOC GROUP CONSIDERED THAT THE COOLING OFF PERIOD CLAUSE SHOULD REMAIN BUT SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT INTO FORCE UNTIL ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
IT ALSO FELT THAT SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIONS DESERVED SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNMENT.
THESE INCLUDED :-
*
SUGGESTIONS THAT CONCILIATORS SHOULD BE EMPOWERED TO COMPEL THE PARTIES IN DISPUTE TO MEET WITH THE CONCILIATORS.
:
/ IN THE EVENT .....