TNAG-0648-FCO40-796-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H-A-Turn-1977 — Page 21

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TO ROUTINE HONG KONG TELNO 324 OF 29-APRIL.

3 MAY 1977

MY TELNO 277: OVERSEAS LABOUR CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

128

TURNER STUDY.

1. AT THE MEETING OF THE OLCC HELD TODAY, TUC REPRESENTATIVES, AS PREDICTED IN MY TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE, REFERRED TO THEIR PREVIOUS PROPOSAL THAT THERE SHOULD BE DIRECT TUC REPRESENTATION ON THE TURNER ENQUIRY. IT PROVED POSSIBLE TO HEAD OFF A RENEWAL OF THIS PROPOSAL BY DIVERTING TUC ATTENTION TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A MEETING BETWEEN THEM AND PROFESSOR TURNER 11 LONDON THIS SUMMER BEFORE HE COMPLETES THE FINAL PHASE OF HIS ENQUIRIES, WE CONSIDER SUCH A MEETING WOULD BE OF THE GREATEST VALUE, NOT LEAST IN SECURING RECOGNITION BY THE TUC THAT TURNER'S FINAL REPORT WILL DE AUTHORITITIVE. A LONDON VISIT BY TURNER WOULD PUT AN END TO ANY LINGERING TUC WISH TO SEND A GENERAL COUNCIL MEMBER TO HONG KONG TO ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH TURNER.

2. 1 SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD PUT THIS TO TURNER DURING HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO HONG KONG. STEWART'S IMPRESSION DURING HIS

LAST TELEPHONE CONVERSATION TO SYDNEY WAS THAT TURNER DID INTEND

TO VISIT BRITAIN THIS SUMMER.

3. MR JONES MADE IT CLEAR THAT ONE OF THE TUC'S MAIN CONCERNS WAS

THAT ACTION ON TURNER'S INTERIM CONCLUSIONS SHOULD NOT BE HELD UP

PENDING COMPLETION OF THE FINAL REPORT, HE REFERRED PARTICULARLY TO THE QUESTION OF THE MINIMUM WAGE (PARAGRAPH 95(1) OF THE REPORT) AND SAID THIS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED UP IMMEDIATELY.

4. A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING WILL BE SENT BY PAG.

OVEN

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MK & GD (5)

OLA

PS/LORD GORONWY--ROBERTS

PS/MR LUARD

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

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