TNAG-0647-FCO40-795-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H-A-Turn-1977 — Page 85

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It

is relatively low: ie it is very much a private enterprise economy.

is not, from its political situation, a democracy, so that the "back-

wardness" in labour relations which presumably stimulated official

support for the present enquiry is paralleled or complemented by the

absence of a political labour movement. There is a great variety of

organisations of business, employers and workers, but no strong movement

towards their consolidation on class lines such as is generally

characteristic of the industrial political democracies rather the

reverse, indeed: a tendency towards fragmentation and multiplication.

Which equally implies, however, a diversity of viewpoints and interest-

expressions which is probably greater than might be found in many

industrial societies with vastly greater populations.

8.

On the other hand, it is clear that in the last few years a

continuing attempt has been made by the administration (which I for one

have found pretty liberal in spirit) to improve social conditions, often

against considerable resistance from vocal and powerful local vested

interests. One might question whether the pace of advance matches the

relative wealth of Hong Kong and its past and prospective rate of

economic growth (and one might ask again whether the presence of a

labour movement with a socio-economic programme typical of that in

democratic industrial economies would not have accelerated matters).

But one sees little reason to question the genuineness of the

administration's intentions.

9.

-

Social improvement has covered several fields housing,

educational facilities, and so on.

In particular, there have been a

number of modifications (for instance, to introduce severance pay and

protect trade unionists against victimisation) to the originally limited

or restrictive labour legislation: new legislation will increase

compulsory rest days, introduce a statutory week's paid holiday, and

restrict overtime further for young persons. Other legislative amend-

ments are still under process and administrative discussion; I am not

fully informed of the present state of those relating to the revision of

the Trade Union Ordinance, for instance, but if all turn out as forecast

they should remove most of the legal impediments which have been held to

obstruct the formation and conduct of unions in the past. Whether at

this stage they will do much to help overcome the apparent weakness of

trade unionism in Hong Kong is another question.

/10.

However,