TNAG-0065-FCO40-101-Local-intelligence-reports-1968 — Page 47

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CYPHER/CAT A

FROM PRIORITY HONG KONG

FINA

TO CWEALTH OFFICE

3 APRIL

7/12

ADDRESSED CO TELEGRAM NO. 423 OF 3RD APRIL

TEL NO. 423

Con

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HWA1B/4

HW

52

FOR GALSWORTHY. MY TELEGRAM NO. 406. WEEKLY JAITELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT.

SOME FURTHER BACKGROUND TO THE CURRENT EFFORTS OF THE COMMUNIST

UNIONS TO OBTAIN REINSTATEMENT IN EMPLOYMENT FOR THE WORKERS

DISMISSED LAST YEAR MAY BE HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU SHOULD

BE FACED WITH CRITICISM THAT WE ARE OBSTRUCTING WHEN WE

SHOULD BE ACTIVELY ASSISTING THESE UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN A

RETURN TO WORK.

2. LAST SUMMER, AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE PRESENTED WITH A MAJOR

CHALLENGE WHEN COMMUNIST UNIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE FIELDS

OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC UTILITIES, ORGANIZED FOR PURELY POLITICAL

REASONS ILLEGAL STOPPAGES AIMED AT BRINGING THE COLONY'S ECONOMY

TO A HALT. WE WERE ABLE TO RESIST THE CHALLENGE AND THE DISMISSAL

OF 'STRIKERS' BROKE THE POWER OF THE COMMUNIST UNIONS, WHICH

NOW HAVE MUCH REDUCED SUPPORT. A VERY CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF

THE ORIGINAL STRIKERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE TRANSPORT FIELD,

NOW HAVE AT LEAST PART TIME EMPLOYMENT BUT ARE STILL DRAWING

'STRIKE PAY'.

3. THE COMMUNIST POLICY NOW IS AIMED NOT ONLY AT LIQUIDATING

THIS LIABILITY FOR CONTINUED STRIKE PAY BY TRYING TO FORCE THE

UNIONS TO TAKE ACTION TO SECURE THE RE-EMPLOYMENT OF THE DISCHARGED

WORKERS BUT ALSO AT RE-ESTABLISHING ITS POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN

THE PUBLIC UTILITIES. IT IS KNOWN THAT THEY ARE PRESENTING THE

RETURN TO WORK AS A MEANS OF 'STARTING A REVOLUTION WHICH WOULD

CONTINUE UNTIL THE HONG KONG BRITISH WERE DEFEATED' THEY ARE

LAST

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