be maintained pending a final settlement. Nevertheless, we remain constantly on watch for ways of improving the situation and are anxious to achieve social progress to the maximum extent compatible with local and international factors. The recent advances have been impressive when one considers the constitutional and inter- national impediments. In this situation the Governor and Legislative Council deserve great credit for what has been accomplished.
Within the limitations set by our inability to move in stages, as we should like, towards elected representative rule, the utmost support will be forthcoming from HMG for the Hong Kong Government and people. In the meantime we are grateful for the hard-headed thinking which informs TUC thought on these problems.
Item 4: Recent developments with regard to the Labour Attaché
service: Paper OLC (1974) 4)
16. Mr Morgan referred to developments following the economies imposed by the Duncan report. The Labour Attachés in the Caribbean and Nigeria, respectively, now covered additional countries, and a new post had been created in Portugal. Two additional posts were to be established in South Africa and Spain, respectively. In South Africa, the Labour Attaché (his formal title will be First Secretary (Labour)) would have two main functions in line with the recommendations of the TISC reports. These are the collection of information which can be used by those UK Departments dealing with requests for guidance to British companies in South African Labour affairs and, secondly, the provision, when required, of on-the-spot information and advice to South African affiliates of British companies. In Spain, the incumbent would be concerned with following developments in the labour and social fields and assessing their implications. An announcement had already been made in both Houses concerning the new post in South Africa. It would be filled by Mr W J Vose, now a member of the Diplomatic Service who had formerly spent four years in West Africa as a Labour Attaché.
17. Mr Morton queried whether the Labour Attaché in South Africa could also cover Namibia. Mr Foggon replied that he understood that the post would include Namibia: and Mr Ford explained that most of the British Companies found in Namibia also had establishments in South Africa. Though the TISC report was limited to South Africa it had always been made clear by HMG that the TISC guidelines apply equally to British affiliates in Namibia.
18. Mr Naylor referred to another general aspect of Labour Attachés' functions. Arising out of his contacts with national, as distinct from British companies, a Labour Attaché was in a unique position to play a commercial role. This should not be overlooked in the promotion of British Commercial interests. It was also regretted that gaps existed in the Labour Attaché service: for example, in Iran where there were currently good prospects for British exports, and in the Middle East generally and Latin America.
6
/ 19.
Doos 0
Tage 9
Docs O
19. Mr Hargreaves regretted that attention had not been drawn to the commercial value of Labour Attachés in time to affect the thinking of the Duncan Committee. The TUC was glad to see new posts in South Africa, Spain and Portugal. In the case of the last two countries, the TUC was awaiting developments, while South Africa would continue to be a country of special concern. It presented problems which it was hoped the OLCC would discuss from time to time on the precedent of the consideration given to Caribbean affairs by the previous Commonwealth Labour Advisory Committee.
The TUC was on the point of providing financial support (exceeding £10,000 in the first instance) for the Institute of Industrial Education in Durban; assistance for the Urban Training Project in Johannesburg was also contemplated in the near future. The TUC was therefore in particular need of information on all current develop- ments in South Africa. Good relations were maintained with UKSATA and the latter organisation was aware of the TUC's intentions with regard both to the IIE in Durban and the UTP in Johannesburg. The aim was to promote the development of African trade unions capable of entering into meaningful negotiations; the TUC's primary interest was in effecting organisational changes. Assistance would be given towards the provision of tutors in the training field and to union organisers and the TUC was looking to the goodwill and co-operation of leading British concerns in South Africa and had already been in touch with British Leyland and Pilkingtons. For example, it was hoped that British concerns would give a lead in recognising and dealing with African trade uniors. Nothing was envisaged which was contrary to South African law. Anything done would be done openly.
The Scandinavian trade unions were also taking an interest in South Africa's problems and a mission was expected to visit the Republic very shortly.
20. Mr Hargreaves went on to say that the TUC was expecting three South African visitors in January. These were Mr Loute Douwes Dekker, the Chairman of the UTP: Mr Robert Kraft, the Assistant General Secretary of TUCSA, and Mr L Sikakhane, the General Secretary of the Sweets, Food and Allied Workers' Unions. In addition to discussions with the TUC, they would also be attending a conference organised by the Christian Concern for Southern Africa. The TUC would be providing some financial help but wondered if the cost of one return economy class air fare could be found elsewhere. Mr Foggon reiterated that the fact that South Africa is not a developing country need not rule out the possibility of assistance and a proposal will be circulated to members of the Aid Sub-Committee in the usual way.
21.
Mr Hargreaves, referring to the recent visit of a TUC delegation to Hungary and Czechoslovakia, drew attention to the absence in the Embassies at Budapest and Prague of a specialist in Labour affairs. Whilst not necessarily advocating the appointment of Labour Attachés, there was a need for more information on Labour developments within these and other East European countries.
/ This
-
7
Tage 9
Daas O
Tage 7
This was important in the context of developing East-West trade union relations, to which he would refer later.
22. Mr Hargreaves also foresaw the possibility of future "firebrigade" operations. For example, in Sri Lanka, the Inter- national Federation of Plantation, Agricultural and Allied Workers was taking an increasing interest in the terms of employment of tea estate workers. There would be pressure for major improvements and this would concern British firms such as Brooke Bond-Liebigs, and Lonrho. A great amount of detailed information would therefore be needed concerning the 600,000 or so, persons employed in the tea plantations of Sri Lanka, eg wage rates and other terms of employment: profitability of the industry and so on.
23. Mr Morton enquired whether reports from Labour Attachés could be circulated more freely to member firms of the CBI. Mr Morgan replied it was difficult to have a general rule but he would look into the possibility of introducing some system whereby classifica- tions of confidentiality could be graded to meet Mr Morton's point. Mr Foggon added that it was helpful to Labour Attachés to know which subjects were of particular interest to the TUC and the CBI. He hoped both bodies would make known their interests so that Labour Attachés could pursue them and report on them.
24. The Chairman also welcomed the introduction of the three new Labour Attaché posts. The post in South Africa had been subjected to careful recruitment procedures.
Mr Vose, having served as a Labour Attaché for four years in West Africa, was known to the TUC and CBI. He would spend a month in London for careful briefing on South Africa affairs prior to leaving for Pretoria. The CBI's references to the commercial aspects of the typical Labour Attaches work and the gaps in the Labour Attaché service in the Middle East and Latin America had been a timely reminder. Commercial officers, up to and including the rank of Counsellor, were doing fine work at many Embassies, but this should not prevent our following-up the possible need for more posts for Labour Attachés with a composite function derived from a labour and commercial role.
Item 5:
25.
European Trade Union Developments
(Paper OLC (1974) 5)
Mr Hargreaves confirmed the factual accuracy of Paper OLC (1974) 5 in relation to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) although it was not strictly true to say that the French CGT was actually in discussions with the ETUC on the subject of ETUC member- ship. The ETUC now had 35 million members and had taken into affiliation nearly all of the national trade union centres of Western Europe. The main problems now arose in France in respect of the FEN, which organised teachers and ancillary grades, and the communist led CGT.
The first presented constitutional problems to the ETUC in view of the limited occupational categories of workers represented in the FEN: the case of the CGT was more difficult. Nevertheless
/ it
8
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.