Page 31 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

19.
Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee 7*
1970 was a most eventful year for the Committee. New work has
started and two full-time staff workers have been added, making a
total of six. She most significant development is the deepening of
our involvement with labour. We have moved from the level of general
contact to the level of commitment and identification with workers.
Herewith a rundown of programs.
Labour Education
This is of three types.
A. Groupwork with approximately 500 workers. They provide the
basic stay of all our work.
B. Formal labour education courses.
C. The preparation of pamphlets to inform workers of their legal
rights. To be distributed are 50,000 copies of "Workers, know
your rights."
Labour Legislation
Our Shop Employee's Survey and subsequent actions in 19&9 bore
fruit in 1971. A new labour law entitled the Employment (Amendment)
Ordinance (No. 2) came into effect on April 1, 1970. One provision
gives all workers who make less than $1,500 a month the right to four
rest days a month. This covers practically every one of Hong Kong's
one million and more industrial workers and workers in the service
sector.
Another involvement was the attack on the Trade Union Registration
Bill a draft of which contained anti-labour provisions. Combined
effort of university lecturer, trade unions, and church labour groups
made the government delete three of the four provisions.
Industrial Disputes
Workers have been coming to us in times of dispute. There were
different degrees of involvement. In some cases, we just did
straight-forward reporting. In other cases we helped the workers find
a place where they could meet, or assisted them in formulating their
demands. The deepest involvement so far has taken place in the Cross
Harbour Tunnel Welders Dispute. In this instance, we took a public
stand on the side of the strikers and helped find and channel money
from Christians to the workers in need. The strike ended after a full
month with the replacement of the welders' immediate management and
financial compensation for the strikers.
Worker's Weekly
This weekly newspaper began May 1 and has since been considered an
out-spoken labour voice. It has attracted the displeasure of some
managers and church leaders. Improvement is continually being made.
Management
We cooperated with the EACC Layman Abroad programmes in a number
of luncheon meetings for managers. The last one was series of
discussions and workshops resulting in a Code of Personnel Relationships
between an employer and his employees.
It is fair to say that in 1970, the Committee has emerged as a new
factor to be reckoned with in the labour scene. The church in Hong
Kong is on the map in industry.