Page 16 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

Workers’Rights
In the year under discussion CIC offered a total of 200 talks on workers' rights, given by volunteer lawyers,
staff, labour departm ent officials and factory workers. Apart from the quantitative significance, more im portant
is that all of these talks took place in workers areas in workers groups, and that participating workers, even after
only one single session, spread their knowledge of labour law and of the organizations from which they can get
help, among their neighbours and workmates. As a result, we were able to record nearly 1,000 enquires on the
question of rights from workers in dispute situation. Dispute counselling has become a routine.
As for new labour legislation, the most im portant was the passing of a law providing for 7 days of paid annual
leave. Our role was more or less a supportive one. Through surveys, lobbying and mass media, we neutralized
fierce opposition from many employers and their associations. Later, when the new law came into effect, we
focused on the im plem entation aspect through data collection, publicity and education.

s
Forthcoming labour law issues are workm en’compensation, child labour and minimum wage.
Labour Evangelism & Lay Training
The programme, first begun in 1976, have largely remained the same. In 1977-8, we held a total of 3 workers
theological camps, 2 gospel camps, 6 evening courses on the Christian faith, weekly workers fellowship m eet-
ings, and some home gatherings. There was also a small bi-monthly publication for worker Christians. A meeting
format and liturgy has been prepared and some hymns w ritten. But while our understanding of labour evangel-
ism has deepened, and workers' interest continued, progress has been slower than other aspects of our work. On
the whole, we have a firm grasp of labour evangelism, but the same cannot be said of nurturing, of helping
worker Christians grow in the faith. We have yet much to learn. The present trend of de-centralizing CIC pro-
gramme, of building contact points and grassroot groups in workers areas, will provide a more appropriate soil.
Social Advocacy and General Service

This Committee is founded by the churches primarily to serve workers and to deal with m atters directly related
to labour. This has always been our focus as seen by the three thrusts described above. In the process, it's inevit-
able that we come across issues of a broader nature. It is also necessary, in the process, to seek allies outside of
the working class. This Committee has been extremely fortunate in having the genuine support of a large
spectrum of friends. Many have unfailingly offered us their time, their connections and their expertise.
In the area of social advocancy, our major contribution was in the pom otion of social insurance covering old
age pension, sickness benefit and unem ploym ent benefit. In 1976-77, we lobbied to put the issue into the
decision-making chanels. We did. The idea of social insurance for old age and sickness was included in a govern-
m ent green paper on social security.

CIC also participated in an umbrella organization called Public Housing Rent Policy Action Group. This is a
coalition of some 50 groups whose purpose it is to influence Government's public housing policy which affects
two million low-income people.
Personnel
Our honorary treasurer, Mr. Spencer Gung, left Hong Kong and had to resign from the post. We are ever grateful
for his faithful service. There was no change in the staff with Raymond Fung, Hans Lutz, Elsie Yue, C.S. Lau,
P. L. Leung, working half-time with the Hong Kong Christian Council on justice and peace issues. Angie Tsang
will re-join the staff in July.

If there is any one lesson learned in the year, it is the need for us to be both salt of the earth and light of the
world: to be so much an integrative part of the people as to be invisible, and yet uplifting their aspirations and
dignity for the whole world to see. As Jesus told his disciples, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and
dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (John 12/24)

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