ENG-1964 — Page 38

EMPLOYMENT

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of two local federations which bear allegiance to opposing political groups. Divided politically, and further separated by differences in dialect, the number of unions has grown beyond practical needs, and divergent loyalties have prevented those with common in- terests from amalgamating into effective organizations. General ignorance of trade union movement principles, despite continued efforts at trade union education, makes it difficult to improve this

structure.

The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions supports the Chinese People's Republic. Most of the members of its 63 affiliated unions are concentrated in shipyards, textile mills and public utilities, or are seafarers. A further 28 unions, nominally inde- pendent, are friendly with the federation and participate in its activities. The foundation stone of its ten-storey workers' club building was laid in January and the building completed in time for the October 1st celebrations. It was reported that a fund-raising campaign, started in 1958, had raised a sum of two million dollars towards the cost of the building project. The federation has also set up a committee to raise $500,000 to finance the schools for workers' children and to acquire by stages, self-owned school premises.

The other trade union federation, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Trades Union Council, sympathizes with the policies of the Taiwan authorities. Most of the members of its 62 affiliated unions and of the 46 nominally independent unions, which generally support the TUC, are employed in the catering and building trades. Although the number of unions sympathetic to it far exceed those adhering to the FTU, both the declared and estimated paid-up membership figures are in fact lower than those in the other group. The TUC is affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. The TUC organized a seminar on secretarial administration for secretaries and paid clerks of affiliated trade unions, and in addition organized one simple and one advanced training course in trade union education.

When the Rt Hon Arthur Bottomley, now Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, visited Hong Kong in January, the TUC presented him with a five-point memorandum requesting the introduction of a minimum wage law, the construction of a new price index, the granting of subsidies to union-operated schools