TNAG-0230-FCO40-266-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 165

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Fédération Internationale des Travailleurs des Industries

du Textile et de l'Habillement

No.51

ARKS/3

PRESIDENT:

JOHN E. NEWTON

VICE-PRESIDENT:

K. BUSCHMANN

Internationella Textil- och Beklädnadsarbetarefederationen

Internationale Textil- und Bekleidungsarbeiter-Vereinigung

8

To Dive for

Дере

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ple

24/2

INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE AND

GARMENT WORKERS' FEDERATION

120 BAKER STREET, LONDON, W.1

GENERAL SECRETARY: J. GREENHALGH to whom all communications should be addressed

c.c. to m. tog you

TELEPHONE:

01-935 1745

TELEGRAM ADDRESS:

WORKINTEX, London, W.1

23rd February, 1970

The Rt. Hon. The Lord Shepherd,

Minister of State,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office, LONDON, S.W.1.

Dear Minister,

To

2412

Hong Kong

cc Mr Fog pa

On behalf of over three and a half million Textile and Garment Workers in thirty-six different countries of the free world, I wish to protest and indeed announce our apprehension and disgust on the decision of the Commissioner of Labour in Hong Kong to permit women to work during the night in the colony. I am aware that permission has been granted under four conditions:-

1.

2.

3.

The women must write a voluntary agreement to work at night.

There must be a monthly rotation of the shifts,

Women supervisors, who are already permitted to work at night, must supervise the womens work.

4.

Canteens, restrooms and sitting facilities, must be provided for the women.

Point No. 1 is indeed farcical, as everyone knows, including the Commissioner of Labour and all the employers, that the women in Hong Kong just dare not refuse to sign a 'voluntary' agreement to work on a night shift. Should this statement be disputed, then I challenge Mr. Hetherington to include in the points of conditions, that the agreement of the women should be obtained ONLY through a secret ballot, conducted by the Trade Unions.

ar

REF

33)

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