TNAG-0383-FCO40-429-Trade-unions-and-industrial-relations-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 91

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Union Council (TUC).

(b) The latest information available (31 March 1972) shows

that the FTU has at present 66 affiliated unions largely

concentrated in the public utilities, the printing trades,

textile mills, shipyards, sea-faring and Western-type

hotel. The FTU affiliates claimed a total membership of

126,408, an increase of 12,021 over the year.

(c) The TUC, which sympathises with the policies of the

Taiwan authorities, has 91 affiliated unions which claimed a

total membership of 36,005, a decrease of 45 compared with

the previous year. Most of the members of those unions and

of the independent unions which generally support the Council

are employed in textiles, catering and the building and

constructions trades.

(a) The Hong Kong TUC is affiliated to the ICFTU and two of

the International Trade Secretariats associated with the

ICFTU have full time paid representatives in Hong Kong: the

International Textile, Leather and Garment Workers Federation

and the International Metalworkers Federation.

(e) If paid-up membership is taken as the criterion, the

unions probably represent no more than 10% of the total

working force of about 1.5 million.

Despite its external links, the TUC remains a largely

ineffective body. Industrial grievances may be taken up but (in

common with the FTU) the TUC is not able to secure the recognition

necessary for the negotiation of wage agreements. The prevailing

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