CONTADENAAR
BRIEF FOR LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS' VISIT TO HONG KONG
Brief No.2:
Labour Affairs
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A paper on labour affairs prepared for the Overseas Labour Consultative Committee meeting on 16 December chaired by Lord Goronwy-Roberts gives a very full resumé of the labour situation in Hong Kong and a copy of this paper is attached for reference. Also attached is a copy of the Overseas Labour Adviser's report on his visit in February 1974 which contains a more critical
assessment.
Department of Labour
2. 1974 has been a year of considerable progress in the enactment of labour legislation in Hong Kong and in the improvement and tightening up of labour administration and the inspection services. Much credit is due to the Commissioner for Labour, Mr Ian Price, and the staff of his Department. The Department has in the past been the subject of much public criticism and the
morale of the staff suffered. A word of praise from Lord Goronwy- Roberts for the work of the Department would be both justified and well received. (Both the Commissioner for Labour and his Deputy are expatriates and if opportunity permitted Lord Goronwy-Roberts might ask also to see senior Chinese officials in the Department,
in particular Mr Jack Lao; and Mr Tim Fook Tsui, the very able Chief Labour Officer responsible for the Conciliation Service and a mine of information on the trade unions).
Legislation
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The only major piece of labour legislation currently under
discussion is the Labour Relations Bill. This should be
relatively non-controversial, with the exception of the possible insertion of provisions giving the Governor power to intervene in
strikes gravely injurious to the Hong Kong economy or the welfare of its people. In the view of the Overseas Labour Adviser, it would be wiser not to include any such provisions since, apart from their probable ineffectiveness, they could bring the Governor into the area of public controversy.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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