TNAG-0383-FCO40-429-Trade-unions-and-industrial-relations-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 11

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勞工處總處

LABOUR DEPARTMENT

LEE GARDENS

HYSAN AVENUE

CAUSEWAY BAY

HONG KONG

YOUR REFERENCE:

來編號

香港銅鑼灣希慎道利園大廈

6th November 1973

OUR REFERENCE: 本處檔案編號

LAB/CR 781/706/10

BY AIRMAIL

Dear George

Anti-Union Discrimination Bill

I refer to the opening paragraph of your letter of 2nd October. Unfortunately, my proposals ran into heavy opposition in Ex Co on 30th October when, in order to save the day, H.E. directed that the proposals should be withdrawn and re-considered after information had been obtained on the extent to which legis- lation in other countries complied with the full provisions of IL Convention 98. This is the official wording.

2.

In fact, the unofficials were united in their strong opposition to the proposals on the grounds that they were unnecessary and that the time was not ripe etc. etc. but they hit upon the device of saying that the proposals did not go far enough! They argued that Hong Kong's image would not be improved by half-hearted attempts aimed at implementing only paragraph 2(b) of Article 1 of Convention 98. When pressed by H.E. they said that we should go the whole way or not move at all.

3.

I now send you a copy of my proposals, as currently drafted; you will see that it was never the intention to meet all our obliga-

In tions under this convention but merely to meet most of them. particular the draft aims to legislate only for "employees" defined in the Employment Ordinance.

4.

H.E. himself appeared quite keen on the proposals and intervened and told me not to be too disappointed but to find out what other developing countries do regarding paragraph 2(a) of Article 1. This, of course, goes much further than our proposals and legislates against making the employment of a worker subject to the condition that he shall not join a trade union or shall relin- quish trade union membership.

G. Foggon, Esq., CMG, OBE Overseas Labour Adviser

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Rm. 119 Downing Street East London SW1