Page 4 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

he year 1979 has created a general feeling with more than 50 participants was held last Au-
of insecurity among lower-income masses tum n. The results were good and it reflected the
in Hong Kong with the influx of Viet- awareness among workers of the need to acquire
T namese refugges and Chinese immigrants expertise in labour law. The camp provided exami-
(both legal and illegal), double-digit inflation rate nations as training in counselling skill. Several la-
and a 3-figure rental-rate increase. Industrial bour law courses were also organized for social
disputes broke out much more frequently as more workers who work in industrial communities.
workers are ready to secure their own rights. 1979
witnessed a vigorous thrus from the growing poli- Our worker-instructors gave lectures in labour
tically neutral unions accompanied by a greater Law in more than 20 workers' communities in Chai-
willingness among local residents to express their wan, Western District, Wong-Chuk-Hang, Castle
disatisfaction through action. Even the City District Peak, Shatin, Tsuen Wan (covering Kwai-fong,
Office acknowledged their failure in rallying grass- Kwai-chung, Shek-lai and Fook-loi), Shamshuipo,
root support for government. As a result, the go- Hung-hom, Wong-tai-sin, Tung-tau, Tse-wan-shan,
vernment turned to a more subtle form of political Ngau-tau-kok, San-po-kwong, Ping-Shek, Lam-tin,
control. This new form of control curtailed greatly Sau-mau-ping, Yau-tong and Kwun-tong. Other
the cutonom y of acting among voluntary agencies courses in organizing technique and social psycho-
who rely on government subventions. This develop- logy were also provided. We usually established
m ent made the role of independent organizations labout-dispute counselling service after these courses
who do not depend on government funds more that workers in these areas could seek advice in the
im portant. locality.

Last year there was a significant increase of grass- Five exhibitions on labour law and two on industrial
root support from workers to our work. This safety were held in various industrial areas. These
enabled us to have a greater say in influencing the exhibitions were largely designed by workers and
process of decision making in Hong Kong. The Boat the workers themselves served as demonstratiors.
People Issue and the On Lok Village Incident made These exhibitions were attended by more than
it clear that the Government does not welcome self- 50,000 people.
initiated people's movements or organizations.
However, given our present industrial relations, with Labour education co-ordinating bodies were set up
all their inequality and exploitation, it is extremely
both in Kwun-tong (including Yau-tong, Lam-tin,

difficult for the government to discourage workers’
movement and organizations. It remains one of the Sau-mau-ping, Ngau-tau-kok and Ping-shek) and
major challenges to the Committee to fultil the Labour education co-ordinating bodies were set up
responsibilities and comm itment to enhance the both in Kwun-tong (including Yau-tong, Lam-tin,
workers' movement in Hong Kong. Sau-mau-ping, Ngau-tau-kok and Ping-shek) and
Eastern Kowloon (including San-po-king, Wong-tai-
sin, Tung-tau and Tse-wan-shan). This two bodies,
Labour Education
together with the Tsuen Wan Labour Education
Co-ordinating Com m ittee which was the first of
ur main task in labour educations was to
O prom ote the service as well as providing groups and social service agencies.
its kind, are now actively involved in prom oting
worker's rights and social justice in the local com-
further training to worker-instructors.
munities through co-ordinating various workers，
A training camp for worker-instructors