Throughout the dispute over this welfare class review, our Union s not being treated fairly and properly by the Government. Only with repeated written requests, the Union was received to discuss the issue with the Assistant Director of Social Welfare Department. However, our request or a second face-to-face dialogue was rejected without reason.
Our Union wonder very much if the Govt is using the "delaying and closing-door tactics" so as to discourage and obstruct our first social workers' union movement in H.K. We also wonder very much if the Govt will really stick to the recognised principle of "Equal Work: Equal Pay" in action: that is to pay social workers of V.A. with revised salary backdated to April, 1979.
We are here to appeal for your support and advice to our
following demands:
1. that the Hong Kong Social Workers' General Union be respected
as a legitimate Union of social workers in Hong Kong;
2. that all social workers in Hong Kong with comparable ranks
and qualifications and doing comparable tasks be equally treated by the Government;
3. that a schedule for conducting the Welfare Class Review for
social workers of the voluntary agencies be set without delay and that our Union must be a member of any committee that considers any such review;
4. that the H.K. Social Workers' General Union be given an
assurance with a statement issued by the Govt that social workers of V.A. will be treated equally and comparable to their Govt counterparts and will be receiving their revised salary backdated to April, 1979 as soon as the review completed
Our Union is newly formed and we are relatively inexperienced, and so we look to the rich experience and great gains of the British trade union movement to advise and support us. Our Union is only concerned with legitimate trade union activity: free collective bargaining, the representation of the interests of our members, the attainment of fair wages and conditions in our profession. So far, the Government of Hong Kong, which is responsible to that of the United Kingdom, treats us not as a legitimate representative of labour, but as an irritant to be delayed or dismissed out of hand. This antedeluvian attitude is harming both industrial relations and the welfare of the needy that is the daily concern of our members.
We are looking forward to your timely assistance and support. Thank you.
Contact Addresses:
Your fraternally,
Lav Kusbye
LAU Kwok-yu
Representative of the Hong Kong Social Workers' General Union in the United Kingdom
1. In York: c/o Department of Social Administration and Social Work,
University of York, Heslington, York YO1 5DD, ENGLAND. 2. In London: c/o Secretary, H.K. Research Project, 71 Balfour Street,
SE 17, London, ENGLAND.
3. In Hong Kong: 67B Shantung Street, 3/F., Kowloon, HONG KONG.
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