TNAG-0647-FCO40-795-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H-A-Turn-1977 — Page 157

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In the last question on trade unionism, the respondents were asked

whether they would join a trade union if they were satisfied with the

activities that the trade union undertook. Thirty seven of the

respondents stated here that they would. This is roughly the same

proportion of the sample who felt trade unions should have a part to

play in Hong Kong today and who felt that trade unions should undertake

each of the functions listed in the previously discussed question.

There were also differences between the sub groups in answering this

question. The respondents in the small firms were much more likely

to say "don't know" than those in large firms (64% compared to 36%),

although about the same proportion of each group would be willing to

join (36% and 38%). The younger men and women were also a little more

willing to join than the older men and women (44% and 40% compared to

26% and 33%). There, however, was little difference with regard to

skill.

The interviewers reported on this last question on trade unions that

some respondents were hesitant over answering, feeling that it committed

them politically, although we did try in the formulation of this question

to make it as neutral as possible. I suggest here that this question and

the question on whether trade unions had a useful role be combined viz.

"If trade unions did undertake all these activities you feel they should,

do you think trade unions would have a useful role to play in Hong Kong

today". It would also be useful next time to ask respondents which of

the trade union functions they felt was most important.

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