G.F. 316
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PRESSURE GROUPS
28.
Page No. 8 of 12 pages
Protest by a wide range of organisations against the mooted increase in bus fares has continued with signature campaigns, public meetings and public opinion surveys, all well publicised by the media (para 23, December 1980 Report). The communist Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) has given covert support although it has not prevented its affiliated unions from supporting openly. So far however there has been only limited support from the public the organisation claim to speak for. This was manifest at a widely advertised public meeting staged by the major organisation involved, "The Coalition Against Bus Fare Increases" (CABFI). 10,000 people were expected but only 2,000 turned up (half of them in transport provided by the organisers). At the meeting, CABFI proposed the following resolutions: that bus fares be frozen for six months, that the public be allowed some say in the policies of public utility companies and that protest should take an active form if the increased fares were approved. It is not known what form this would be but it was suggested that the public should refuse to pay the increase.
29.
The FTU has openly initiated a campaign for an increase in salaries tax allowances so as to keep pace with inflation. The Federation regards this as an appropriate cause to which to be seen to be devoting its energies. The Christian Industrial Committee (CIC), which happens also to be one of the leading groups in CABFI, has followed up by announcing its intention of forming a coalition to press for an increase in the allowances. Other pressure groups have yet to become involved, although the issue is likely to attract growing interest.
30.
Four students belonging to the United Kingdom Federation of Hong Kong Students returned to the UK following a 3-week visit to Hong Kong to gather support for the Federation's campaign to obtain home status, and thus reduced fees, for Hong Kong students in the UK. Before coming to Hong Kong, two of them are believed
/ to have been
....
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