CONFIDENTIAL
Both are registered under the Societies Ordinance. The FTU has at present 66 affiliated unions, largely concentrated in the public utilities, the printing trade, the textile mills, shipyards, sea-faring and Western type hotels.
The FTU claims a total membership of 114,387, an increase of 13,672 in the year, A further 21 unions, nominally independent, are friendly towards the Federation. The TUC, which sympathises with the policies of the Taiwan authorities, has 93 affiliated unions with a total membership of 36,280; most of the members of these unions and of the 9 independent' unions which generally support the Council, are employed in textiles, catering and the building and construction trades. The Hong Kong TUC is affiliated to the international Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) with its headquarters in Brussels. Two of the International Trade Secretariats associated with the ICFTU have representatives in Hong Kong: the International Textile Workers Federation
(Mr LEONG Fook-ke) and the International Metalworkers Federation (Mr LEE Shing-Chu).
26. Notwithstanding the outside help it receives in this and other ways, the TUC remains a comparatively ineffective body. Individual cases are taken up and the Textile Union under Mr PANG has had some success in negotiating the long term gratuity scheme referred to in paragraph 10 above. But membership is almost stagnant if not falling and (in common with the FTU) the TUC has not been able to conclude a single collective agreement. In 1967 a number of such agreements were in being Iainly concluded by the left wing unions - but these were swept away in the period of 'confrontation' and have not been re-negotiated. The prevailing attitude of employers in Hong Kong even the larger and more enlightened - is one of opposition to full recognition and negotiating status for trade unions. To a considerable extent, therefore, the trade unions exist in a partial vacuum representing workers' interests collectively on the Labour Advisory Board and other bodies (as with the TỪC); and intervening where possible at factory level in individual cases; but unable to give any effective impetus to the general improvement of wages and conditions of labour. The Left Wing FTU also suffers from these handicaps but operates more vigorously by providing a service to the individual member through social and educational work; organised parties and picnics; the provision of clinics; and alertness to disputes in factories where they can move in
the and make an impression. (There is some evidence, states Registrar of Trade Unions, that whereas the left Wing unions use only qualified practitioners in their clinics, a less discriminating attitude is taken by the TUC.)
madaga
27. The capacity of the Left Wing unions to cause widespread industrial trouble is clearly less than it was in 1967 and given the outlook of the average Hong Kong worker it is unlikely that, for the coming year at least, disputes will be other than localised, unless there is a political motive instigated from the mainland. But in the tight-knit communities that make up Hong Kong, small incidents can easily flare up into
It is in major issues (eg the case of the blind workers). dealing quickly and expertly with these small incidents that the Labour Relations Service will make its major contribution to stability.
10
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.