TNAG-0296-FCO40-332-Legislation-for-registration-of-trade-unions-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 22

Ships

Report for the period 1st July 1968 to 30th June 1970

on the application in Hong Kong of the RIGHT OF ASSOCIATION (NON-METROPOLITAN TERRITORIES)

CONVENTION 1947 (number 84)

which was ratified by the United Kingdom on 27th March 1950

This convention was applied to Hong Kong without modification by a declaration registered by the I.L.0. on 27th March 1950.

There have been no changes from the report last made in 1968 except as follows :-

Question II

Article 2

A draft bill to amend the Trade Union Registration Ordinance has been prepared. The amending legislation, among other things, seeks to make it clear that no person shall be refused membership of a trade union solely on the ground that he is casually or seasonally employed in the trade, industry or occupation with which the trade union is directly concerned. With reference to the direct request of the Committee of Experts made in March 1969 to be kept informed concerning the progress of this legislation, the Committee will wish to know that consultations on the draft bill have been initiated with the Labour Advisory Board and other interested organisations.

Article 6

Since the amalgamation of the Conciliation and Advisory Sections of the Labour Department in March 1968, the new service, known as the Labour Relations Service, has expanded its establishment to provide for one Senior Labour Officer, five Labour Officers and seventeen Assistant Labour Officers. A Labour Adviser whose duties are to advise the Commissioner of Labour on the appropriate machinery for the further development of industrial relations including procedures for joint consultation is actively engaged in this field of work since his appoint- ment in June 1968.

Question VI

Copies of this report have been sent to the Employers' Federation of Hong Kong and the Labour Advisory Board which includes four workers' representatives, and, through the United Kingdom Department of Employment and Productivity, to the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress of Great Britain. No observations concern- ing the application of this convention in Hong Kong were received from any of these bodies during the period under review.

HONG KONG

29th August 1970

R.M. HETHERINGTON COMMISSIONER OF LABOUR