CO129-626-3 Labour Department- report to Labour Commissioner 1-3-1951 - 30-6-1952 — Page 95

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297.

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As the Tramway Company is a most enlightened firm and as prior to this rift there used to be regular monthly "labour-management conferences" between the union representa- tives and the management, this recent development is to be regretted. The responsibility for the present position, however, clearly rests with the union officials.

298. The Naval Dockyard Chinese Workers' Union, the Chinese Engineers' Institute, the Kwok Kwan Engineering Workers' Union and the Kiu Sing Engineering Workers' Union, all have established schemes for joint negotiation.

299. As many as 23 unions have written agreements with employers, but few of these cover all terms and conditions of employment. Sumu indeed are even restricted to such matters as welfare, perquisites, food, etc.

300. The officials of the måjority of the unions claim that they meet employers or their representatives who never matters

rise, but in the case of a few unions contact between both sides is restricted buc:use of fear of victimisation or reprisals. There would seem to be numerous instances where the officials of a union see the management of an individual undertaking in order to try and adjust some difficulty but such, contact is, of course, haphazard.

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301. d hoc approach in this way usually means that every time the workers' representatiges muet the management of firm it is because there is some trouble or difficulty this is not conducive to the development of understanding and good will, which is so necessary if collective bargaining is to be developed.

302. Improvement in relations between employers and workers' representatives is likely to be slow. Although there are s mony as 77 employers' associations registered under the Trade Unions and Trade Disputes. Ordinance the members of many of these associations are extremely individualistic in outlook and prefer t. agree wage rates with their own workpeople. Some do not, seem to appreciate and others reaslise only too well that standard rates in an industry would only be disadvantageous to the least efficient whereas under present arrangements it is only the least shrewd who suffer.

303. One of the chief uifficulties regarding the imposition of standard rates in many local industries is the extreme variation in mechanisation and the use of automatic machinery. The equipment of firms varies from the most primitive to the most modern and the former must often find it extremely difficult to keep their heads above water.

304.

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split in representation, caused by allegiance to one or other of the Federations, also retards the development of collective bargaining and joint consultation.

305. There is no simple and easy remedy. Reliance will have to continue to be placed on the inevitability of gradualness and the education of the workers' leaders. Some progress is apparent and it would seem that if the Federations were no longer to operate on present lines this movement would be accelerated..