TNAG-0089-FCO40-125-Social-welfare-working-conditions-in-Hong-Kong-1968 — Page 66

Fédération Internationale des Travailleurs des Industries

du Textile et de l'Habillement

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

PRESIDENT:

JON E. NEWTON

VICE-PRESIDENT:

K. BUSCHMANN

The Rt. Hon. Herbert W. Bowden, C.B.E., M.P., H.M. Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs,

Commonwealth Office,

Great Smith Street,

LONDON. S.W.1.

Dear Mr. Bowden,

potisfied with

Neply

now

TELEPHONE:

Mr Gooden

WELBECK 1745

TELEGRAM ADDRESS:

WORKINTEX, London, W.1

May 17th 1967.

C

As you may be aware, the above International Federation has been actively engaged in trying to improve the conditions of workers in Hong Kong during the past few years, and as a consequence, the hours of work for women and young persons in the colony, is now a very live issue.

On March 21st this year, Mr. John Rankin, in a supplementary question to you, asked if the amending legislation would remedy the situation of women and young persons having to work a 60 hour week plus a permitted overtime of 100 hours per year. In your reply you stated '...........The Governor is looking into the question of an alteration of the regulations, and the question is under urgent discussion'.

It was therefore, with some surprise that I was informed from my Hong Kong representative, that the proposed legislation provides for a reduction of working hours for women and young persons from 10 per day to between 10 and 8 hours per day. Thus an employer will only need to reduce the hours of work of any women and young persons in his employ by as little as 5 minutes per day, in order to comply with the proposed legislation. It is only fair that I should add that this information was equally a surprise to officials at the Commonwealth Office.

My purpose in writing to you is to draw your attention to the fact that, if one so desired, you could be accused of mis-leading the House by your reply to Mr. Rankin on March 21st. I know of course, that your reply was correct at the time it was given, and that the action of the Commission of Labour in Hong Kong in wording the proposed legislation so loosely, was done without your prior knowledge or consent. I have informed Mr. Rankin of the situation, and have also sent a copy of the document submitted by the Commissioner of Labour in Hong Kong, to the Labour Advisory Board, to Mr. Foggon at the Foreign Office.

I could add that the riots in Hong Kong are an indictment of the conditions that exist in the colony, even if admitting the political nature of the demonstrations. Following the riots consequent upon the increasing of the ferry fares between Hong Kong and Kowloon by only 5 H.K. cents per trip, certain conclusions can be drawn. So far as I am personally concerned, these conclusions can be described by

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