TNAG-0649-FCO40-797-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H.-A.-Tu-1977 — Page 70

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While measures such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Code on the conduct of multi-national companies, and the demand for the in-

troduction of a social clause into the multi-fibre

arrangement by the European textile and garment trade

unions, are intended to check some of the abuses that

take place in such countries as Hong Kong, these measures

alone are likely to fall short of what is needed. Thus, it is in the spirit of international solidarity, as well as in their own respective self-interests, that the various International Trade Secretariats, together with

the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and

their regional organisations in Asia, should consider extending assistance to Hong Kong's trade unions.

The need for trade union education has already been high- lighted. In the paper "Hong Kong: The Problem Colony" a suggestion was made that the ICFTU and the various International Trade Secretariats might explore whether they could help the Hong Kong trade unions to organise trade union training on an extensive basis. Such assistance has been offered to some countries before, and there is no obvious reason why it cannot be done in Hong Kong. The international trade union movement could also appoint a joint representative who would work in co-

operation with the trade unions. The presence of such a representative would, no doubt, be helpful in the various tasks discussed earlier, especially in the establishment of negotiating machinery, amalgamation of trade unions and the creation of effective trade union training.

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Further, because of the presence of, such a representative, the government might be more forthcoming when dealing with trade unions, and the representative might also be in a position to identify areas that need further inter- national assistance.

Continued/...