TNAG-0650-FCO40-798-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H.-A.-Tu-1977 — Page 93

Year ending

1969

- 12

No. of registered

employee associations

257

1970

272

1971

276

1972

280

1973

283

1974

293

1975

302

The average size of trade union, though it has increased since 1970,

-

remains very small at 1200 in nominal terms and less than 1000 in paid-

up membership. The full report of the Registrar for 1975 was not

available at the time of our enquiries, but from his detailed record we

found only 19 unions with more than 4000 claimed members and only 6 with

10,000 or more. In his 1974 report, 160 unions, more than half of those

registered, claimed a membership of 250 or less.

18.

?

In type, moreover, unions remain generally restricted in their

jurisdictional coverage. A few of the larger unions, notably such bigger

associates of the F.T.U. as the seamen's, motor transport, and textile

But there are many unions, are in principle of an 'industrial' type.

smaller associations confined to particular occupational or local groups

and minor trades within larger economic sectors. This fragmentation has

clearly been encouraged in the past by the law relating to union registrát-

ion, but one doubts that to be the only factor. Despite a more liberal

attitude in this respect on the administration's part, there has been only

one successful combination of unions in a closer grouping

G

and that of

4 very small printers' societies with a combined membership below 200.

There is still despite the alleged mobility of much of the Hong Kong

labour force - no union of a "general" type. By and large, the biggest

....!