TNAG-0647-FCO40-795-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H-A-Turn-1977 — Page 244

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from the situation because of special cultural factors in it. The second argument is that the absence of political democracy, the power of business interests and divisions in the trade union movement have prevented a strong trade union movement from growing, combined with the constant flow of refugees to form a labour pool.

The Hong Kong Labour Market and the General Determination of

Wage Movements

6. In paragraphs 33-48 Professor Turner examines the Hong Kong labour market and the general determination of wage movements. He points out that labour is generally immobile. This is in part due to the paternalism of many fim, particularly those of Shanghainese origin, partly because of the High proportion of white-collar workers in Hong Kong (35% of the labour force) who depend on continuity of service for promotion and partly because many firms use outworkers to cover fluctuations in demand for their products. It is interesting to note that the Professor sees the present interval of two years between the age of compulsory education and the minimum age for employment as a factor which prevents yong men without secondary education from obtaining work because employers consider them to be undisciplined. The final paragraphs of this section (41-48) are devoted to showing the strength of the employers who, through their various associations, have developed a system of systematic information exchange on pay rates and associated conditions. This situation is to the disadvantage of the worker.

The Attitudes of Hong Kong Workers

7. From his examination of the attitudes of Hong Kong workers, Professor Turner shows that greater security and more social benefits were considered by workers to be more important than increases in salary. Only 1% of workers interviewed in a sample survey considered stronger trade unions of prime importance (paragraph 52) and welfare benefits closely rivalled pay as their top priority, followed by education, housing, pensions, sickness benefit and job security. Three quarters of the workers interviewed in the survey were prepared to accept an income reduction in return for such benefits. This is an indication that a contributory social security scheme would be acceptable to labour. It is interesting to note that workers interviewed considered that government legislation was seen as equally preferred to direct workplace representation through employee committees as routes to improvement. Eighty per cent thought that if unions pursued collective bargaining, dealing with individual grievances, and securing workers more say in government, then workers should join them. This demonstrates that there exist needs and aspiration which are not met by existing labour organisations.

The Character of the Hong Kong Labour Movement

8. In the penultimate section of the Report (paragraphs 59-72) Professor Turner shows that Hong Kong trade unions are not generally speaking unions in the accepted western sense but a combination of friendly society and politico-cultural organisations. are only two unions in the accepted sense, the Cable & Wireless Monexpatriate Staff Association, and the Professional Teachers& Union.

There

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