TNAG-0289-FCO40-325-Departmental-briefs-on-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 11

10.

Settlement of labour disputes may be brought about by direct negotiation,

conciliation assisted by the Labour Relations Service of the Labour Department,

or voluntary arbitration by a tripartite council.

Trade Unions

11.

At the end of 1969 there were 321 trade unions registered under the

Trade Union Registration Ordinance (1962). 257 were workers' unions,

51 employers' associations, and 13 mixed organisations of employers and

workers.

Trade Unions on the register can be divided politically into three groups:

those affiliated or friendly to the communist Hong Kong Federation of

Trade Unions (FTU); those affiliated or friendly to the right-wing Hong Kong

and Kowloon Trades Union Council (TUC); those neutral or independant unions.

The FTU, affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), supports

the policies of the Government of the People's Republic of China.

The TUC,

affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU),

supports policies of the authorities in Taiwan. There are 65 worker's unions

affiliated to the FTU with 18 unions friendly to their policies, whilst there

are 71 unions affiliated to the TUC with 23 friendly unions. The remaining

80 unions are politically uncommitted and consist mainly of white-collar

workers, including many Government and armed services employees.

The total declared membership of all registered unions as at 31st March 1970

was 187,274 members, of whom 175,245 belonged to workers' unions.

Employers Organisations

12. Important employers organisations include the Government-sponsored

Federation of Hong Kong Industries (PHI), the Employers Federation of

Hong Kong (EPH), the Hong Kong Spinners Association (HSA), the Hong Kong

General Chamber of Commerce (HGCC), the Chinese Chamber of Commerce (Ccc),

and the Chinese Manufacturers' Association (CMA).

4.