TNAG-1027-FCO40-1277-Visits-by-officials-from-the-UK-(other-than-FCO)-to-Hong-Kon-1981 — Page 26

布政司署

港下亞

畢道

BY BAG

GOVERNment SECRETARIAT

* LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

本署檔號 OUR REF: (67) in SS 98/3/5683/58

來兩檔號

* YOUR REF: LAG 1 212/1

Hong Kong & General Department,

Foreign & Commonwealth Office,

London, S.W. 1.

Dear Hong Kong Department,

20th February 1981

International Labour Organisation:

Alleged Infringements of Trade Union Rights in

Hong Kong (Case No 1005).

Please refer to the letter LAG 212/1 dated 13th January 1981 forwarding a letter dated 5th November 1980 from the Public Service International and another letter dated 17th November 1980 from the International Labour Office alleging infringements of trade union rights in Hong Kong. we set out below our observations thereon for consideration by the Committee on Freedom of Association.

€2.

The Hong Kong Government is generally awere of the feelings of the Public Service International (PSI). on the subject of the promotion and development of negotiation procedures for public service workers in =Hong Kong, This was discussed on two occasions between

Mr. Harry Batchelor, Assistant General Secretary of PSI, and senior officials of the Hong Kong Government when Mr. Batchelor visited Hong Kong in early December 1980. During these discussions Mr. Batchelor was fully informed of the present position and future developments in this field within the Hong Kong Civil Service, and was assured that the Hong Kong Government would continue to operate within the spirit of Convention 98, although the necessary consultative and negotiation procedures to be developed within the Hong Kong Civil Service would have to be in line with Hong Kong's special constitutional position.

3.

In his letter of 5th November 1980 to the Chief of the Freedom of Association Branch of the ILU, Mr. Batchelor stated that there was little evidence that the main principles of Convention 98 were being applied in Hong Kong as far as

This statement is public service unions were concerned.

not true and we would venture to suggest that it was made in ignorance as Mr. Batchelor was not fully aware of the situation in Hong Kong at the time he lodged his complaint.

/In our view...

*