TNAG-0647-FCO40-795-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H-A-Turn-1977 — Page 112

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for instance, that the various legal reforms in industrial relations

and employment conditions of recent years have largely originated in

the administration though no doubt pressure from organisations and

agencies outside Hong Kong, and from a few prominent individuals inside

the country, have been instrumental in their initiation; just as the

recent widening of the composition of the Legislative Council to reduce

the past dominance of its "Unofficial" element by business and

"establishment" figures has helped to ensure the passing of certain

mildly progressive measures.

68.

It is fairly clear, certainly, that the Labour Department itself

plays as active a role in negotiating the settlement of wage revisions

as do trade unions. Thus, in the last two years covered by the Labour

Commissioners' Reports, 1974 and 1975*, there were 32 cases in which

major "Changes in Conditions of Employment" (nearly all, wage-increases)

were made by some process of mutual discussion between employers and

workers' representatives which became known to the Department. In 18 of

these a decision was reached by direct negotiation alone, but in only

8 was a trade union reported as involved. In 10 cases "the officers of

the Labour Department conducted the negotiations .....", including 4 in

which unions were involved. In the remaining 4 cases (only one

involving a trade union) "the Labour Department gave guidance and advice

to the parties", which presumably contributed to the settlement achieved.

69. One gets an even more definite picture of the Labour Department as,

in effect (and faute de mieux), a more decisive protector of employee

interests than are the unions from the record of lesser disputes and

grievances; in these, it appears normal for workers to approach, singly

or in groups, the Department (or certain associated agencies) for a

remedy. Thus in the last three annual Department Reports, the Section

dealing with "Labour Disputes" (ie generally, disputes over substantive

terms of employment other than general wage-claims) runs as follows:

/ Total

Reported

* See Appendix 6 of those Reports.