TNAG-0383-FCO40-429-Trade-unions-and-industrial-relations-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 96

CONFIDENTIAL

3. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT HE CONTACTED ANY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE

STAFF ASSOCIATIONS DURING HIS STAY OR THAT HE APPROACHED

THE HONG KONG AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING COMPANY (HAECO). WHEN HERE BEFORE, IN 1970, HE MADE AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO GET MORE PAY FOR SOME

HAECO WORKERS.

4. THE CHINA MAIL SUBSEQUENTLY REPORTED COMMENTS BY THE DEPUTY

COMMISSIONER OF LABOUR. THE MAIN POINTS MADE WERE:

(A) GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SEE STRONG BUT RESPONSIBLE

IN HONG KONG:

TRADE UNIONS

(B) IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, HONG KONG WAGES ARE LOWER ONLY THAN

THOSE OF JAPAN:

(C) THE REAL WAGES INDEX HERE HAS RISEN BY 56 PER CENT SINCE 1964.

5. I SHOULD EXPECT MR JENKINS TO RAISE THE SORT OF MATTER THAT

THE CHINA MAIL QUOTED HIM AS MENTIONING. THIS IS ALL FAMILIAR GROUND, AND THOUGH I HOPE THE MATERIAL IN PARAGRAPH 4 MAY BE OF USE I WILL NOT AGAIN REHEARSE OUR GENERAL PROBLEMS ABOUT GETTING

EFFECTIVE TRADE UNIONS ORGANIZED HERE.

FCO PASS COPY TO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

MACLEHOSE

FILES

OLA

HKIOD

PS TO MR RCYLE

SIR D WATSON

MR WILFORD

- 2 - CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

H.K. GOVT.OFFICE LONDON

E