TNAG-0650-FCO40-798-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H.-A.-Tu-1977 — Page 100

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set such pattern as there is in wage-movements) try to

"keep ahead of the labour market" by periodic improvements

in pay or fringe benefits..

iii) There is also in any case a high degree of informal

communication between employers and workers. Supervisors,

in the Chinese firms, act as a channel for grievances and

workers' expectations, which employers are careful to keep

in touch with. Communication in smaller firms is heightened

by the frequency of family and clan connections between

employer and employee, or identity of regional origin and

association. The workers for their part, understand the

highly competitive nature of Hong Kong business, and the

vulnerability of Hong Kong industry to external competition,

and are not anxious to prejudice their firms (or the economy's)

viability by excessive demands.

iv) Again, the refugee background and the political situation of

Hong Kong (the 1997 expiry, etc.) makes the workers take a

short-term view. They value immediate material gain (i.e.

cash now) rather than longer-term social improvement. They

are broadly satisfied with the gains brought by their labour

market situation and the paternalistic policy of employers.

Moreover, they are not interested in (for instance)

sacrificing immediate money gains for such things as

improvements in social security.

v)

In any case, the Hong Kong worker is not collectively-minded,

and does not identify in a class or occupational sense, as

....