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ATTACHAD
Nevertheless, as presented in the draft speech, it seems to me to be undersold. We must try to make this scheme succeed. If it fails, the possibility of a contributory insurance type of scheme will be lost for the next decade. I would like to see the Governor commend the scheme as something which would be built on for the future and for him to express the hope at X that employees and their organisations, ie trade unions, would respond en masse to the Green Paper and say what the wage earners really want by way of social security coverage and the extent to which they could contribute to it. We already know from Professor Turner's interim report (para.55) that workers are prepared to contribute towards social security (pensions) schemes.
Miscellaneous Omissions
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5. I see there are no references to a statutory minimum wage, hours of work or overtime - our memorandum of 14 December 1976 to the TUC and CBI noted these as measures for the future. Neither is mention made of industrial relations, trade unions or employees representation generally. As you are aware, there is considerable interest in the UK in the general conditions of wage earners in Hong Kong, including the development of trade unions and collective bargaining. It would take the edge off some UK criticism if the Governor made a reference to these matters.
26 September 1977
HR G Hurst Overseas Labour Adviser
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