UNCLAS SECTION 33 OF 04 HONG KONG 15680
E.0. 12356: N/A
TAGS
PGOV, ELAB, HK
SUBJ : THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS
TO A NUMBER OF FTU LEADERS. EXAMPLES INCLUDE THE FTU RIGHTS AND BENEFITS COMMITTEE CHAIRWOMAN MS CHAN YUEN-HAN'S JULY 11 ADVOCACY FOR MORE LABOR SEATS IN LEGCO, HER SEPTEMBER 11 CALL FOR DUE CONCERN FOR THE RIGHTS OF FEMALE WORKERS, AND THE FTU SOCIAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRMAN WONG KWOK-HING'S SEPTEMBER 12 PROPOSALS TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON HOW TO DEAL WITH ECONOMIC SLOW DOWN AND INFLATIONARY PROBLEMS IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
11. AS A PREPARATORY MEASURE FOR NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS, THE FTU RECENTLY SET UP A MULTI-FUNCTIONAL WORKERS CLUB IN KWUN TONG, A FTU POWER BASE IN EAST KOWLOON, OFFERING COUNSELLING SERVICES ON WORKERS' RIGHTS, CHEAP MEDICAL SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL COURSES AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES. IN A SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT, THE FTU HAS ALSO RENOVATED ITS HEADQUARTERS IN HUNG HOM TO ESTABLISH A COOPERATIVE STORE AND A WORKER EDUCATION CENTER. THE FTU HOPES TO ATTRACT NFW MEMBERS AND RETAIN AND MOTIVATE CURRENT MEMBERS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF THESE TANGIBLE BENEFITS.
PROBLEMS:
12. A LACK OF SOLIDARITY AMONG ITS 81 LOOSELY ORGANIZED CONSTITUENT UNIONS IS A MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCK TO THE FTU ́S DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNAL COHESIVENESS.
SPURRED BY IMMEDIATE ECONOMIC BENEFITS, MANY WORKERS JOIN THE FTU ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME. FOR THOSE RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS WHO ATTACH MORE IMPORTANCE TO IMPROVED WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS THAN WORKERS CLUBS, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BE IN FULL ACCORD WITH THE FTU ́S COOPERATIVE APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT. IN
IN ADDITION, THE FTU'S IMPROVED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRO-TIANANMEN CHINESE REGIME IS ANOTHER FACTOR LEADING TO THE ALIENATION OF MANY PRO-DEMOCRACY WORKERS. IT IS REPORTED THAT ABOUT 10,000 MEMBERS QUIT THE FTU ANNUALLY, A FLUCTUATION WHICH IS DETRIMENTAL TO UNION SOLIDARITY. MOREOVER, THE SCARCITY OF WHITE COLLAR AND HIGHLY EDUCATED WORKERS IN THE FTU ALSO GREATLY UNDERMINE ITS REPRESENTATIVENESS AND POSES DIFFICULTIES IN ITS AIM TO BE AN EFFECTIVE ADVOCATE OF WORKERS' RIGHTS. MORE EFFORTS ARE NEEDED TO ENHANCE ITS OWN COHESIVENESS BEFORE THE FTU IS ABLE TO MAKE HEADWAY IN NEXT YEAR ́S FLECTIONS.
13. AN ABSENCE OF VETERAN UNIONISTS TO STAND FOR NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS IS AN OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS FACED BY THE FTU. MOST OF ITS TOP LEADERS ARE WELL-KNOWN FOR THEIR PRO-BEIJING STANCE AND CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA. GIVEN THEIR SOCIAL PROMINENCE, IT IS LESS LIKELY THAT THEY WILL BE WILLING TO RISK FAILURE IN THE DIRECT ELECTIONS.
UNCLASSIFIED
HONGKONG
215680/03
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