TNAG-0065-FCO40-101-Local-intelligence-reports-1968 — Page 26

0160 G.F. 316

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Reference: GEN/14/368/56

Page No. 1 of

4 Pages,

Copy No. 18 of 50 Copies.

Special Branch,

Hong Kong Police.

Date: 18th April, 1968.

Subject: The Communist "Return to Work" policy.

The communist unions of Government servants

issued a call on the 10th June, 1967, to their members

to come out on strike in support of the local communist

confrontation campaign. Out of a total of more than

60,000 low paid Government employees (excluding the

disciplined services) just over 1,600 obeyed the strike

call, the majority of whom were drawn from the Marine

Department, Post Office, Government Water Works and Urban

Services Departments. This move was followed on the

24th June by what the communists termed a general strike,

which affected primarily the public transport system,

the dockyards, the public utilities, the harbour facilities

and, to a lesser extent, the textile industry. It is

estimated that, following the general strike call, some

20,000 workers initially downed tools. In some of the

areas affected there was a walk-out of over 80% of the

employees, while in others the stoppage was minimal.

2.

As an incentive to employees joining the strike

the communists had agreed to subsidise the strikers up

to a maximum of $500 a month and this subsidy has since

been paid regularly. In the ensuing months about 4,000

of the strikers were accepted back by their firms, while

approximately another 4,000 are believed to have found

other forms of employment. However, it is estimated that

the communists have up to 12,000 strikers still on their

/payroll...

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