TELEPHONE:
WELBECK 1745
Fédération Internationale des Travailleurs des Industries
du Textile et de l'Habillement
PRESIDENT:
JOHN E. NEWTON
VICE-PRESIDENT:
K. BUSCHMANN
Mrs. Judith Hart,
Internationale Textil- und Bekleidungsarbeiter-Vereinigung
Internationella Textil- och Beklädnadsarbetarefederationen
INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE AND
GARMENT WORKERS' FEDERATION
120 BAKER STREET, LONDON, W.1
GENERAL SECRETARY: J. GREENHALGH to whom all communications should be addressed
H.M. Secretary of State for the Colonies,
Commonwealth Office,
Great Smith Street,
London. S.W.1.
L
NEXT
RCF.
Q
Dear Mrs. Hart,
TELEGRAM ADDRESS:
WORKINTEX, London, W.1
January 23rd 1967.
RECEIVED I
ARCHIVES N-
24 JAN196.
HWB 18/6
The above International Federation is actively engaged in trying
to improve the standard of living of workers in many of the developing countries, and we have, at the present time, stationed a representative in Hong Kong, for the purpose of assisting the trade union for textile workers to achieve strength and responsibility.
During the past 12 months, we have been in contact with both of your predecessors, for we are convinced that it is only by political action that the conditions can be raised to the level that is common to Asiatic countries.
The main source of our complaint is that working hours for women and young persons in Hong Kong are 60 per week (10 hours per day-6 days per week) plus a permitted overtime of 100 hours per year.
J
During an interview between Mr. Fred Lee and representatives of the British garment and textile unions on June 21st 1966, Mr. Lee stated that he fully expected that new labour legislation would be introduced in Hong Kong during this summer"
On December 19th, Mr. Ernest Thornton M.P. and myself had another interview with Mr Lee, when he gave us certain confidential information regarding the question of new labour legislation. In the meantime, a strike has occurred at the East Asia Textiles Ltd., because the firm had refused to allow a worker to take a day off work in spite of the fact that this worker had worked at least 359 days for each of the previous six years. A further six workers were alsoddismissed as being 'bad elements' and another three dismissed for instigating workers to join the strike. In actual fact, the laster nine workers were all members of the union and were acting as the union's representatives. During the strike a number of workers were arrested and fined when acting as pickets. Accordingly, it cannot be disputed that police were used to protect the interests of the employer.
The strike was 'settled' on December 22nd 1966 when it was agreed that work should be resumed on December 23rd and the position of the ten dismissed workers could then be the subject of further talk between the management and the union. If no agreement was reached between the management nad the union, the fate of the ten dismissed workers would then be decided by the decision of the Commissioner of Labour,
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