TNAG-0650-FCO40-798-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H.-A.-Tu-1977 — Page 88

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industries which subsequently collapsed; again there has been no time to

examine the back history of labour relations and disputes

J

or even

their present detailed state in several industries to the extent that

one might wish, to fully understand the present state of affairs. Nor,

again, would I care at this stage to comment on the total effect of all the

detailed labour legislation which has been passed in recent years or is in

prospect, or on the adequacy of the present Labour Department's staff

resources to enforce and apply it beyond the remarks, first, that

whatever their historical effects I do not think the laws bearing on

(taking into account their prospective mendentment in labour relations are now a major obstacle to the latters

Hong Kong; and second, that to the best of my observation, present

regulations on labour conditions and terms of employment are on the whole

as scrupulously administered as lies in the Labour Department's power.

(I would certainly say that the enforcement of the regulations relating

to labour conditions is considerably more effective than in many

developing countries with superficially more elaborate protective

legislation).

12.

This note therefore concentrates on three questions:

1) Why, despite frequent attempts by international union

agencies and the current expressed sympathy of the adminis-

tration towards collective bargaining and more highly

organised industrial relations, should trade unionism

remain so weak in Hong Kong, and collective bargaining be

so little developed?

2) Why should there apparently be little pressure from

employees themselves for improvement in social provisions

of the kind normal in industrial societies and considerable

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uncertainty as to their support for some recent legal pro-

visions, such as that to introduce a week's paid holiday?

....!