Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2009, publiée 99ème session CIT (2010)

The Committee notes the observations of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) dated August 2009 and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) dated 26 August 2009 and 9 September 2009 concerning discrimination of the authorities against the HKCTU, as well as the Government’s comments.

Article 1 of the Convention. Protection against anti-union discrimination. In several of its previous comments, the Committee referred to the need to provide further protection against anti-union discrimination and noted the Government’s reference to the drafting of an amendment bill that would empower the Labour Tribunal to make an order of reinstatement/re-engagement in cases of unreasonable and unlawful dismissal without the need to secure the employer’s consent. The Committee notes the Government, in its report, indicates that progress on amendments to introduce new provisions on mandatory reinstatement and re-engagement under the Employment Ordinance, Chapter 57 and that upon completion of the draft, it will be introduced into the Legislative Council. The Government indicates that it has committed to introduce a bill which criminalizes non-payment of labour tribunal awards. The Committee once again expresses the hope that this bill, which has been under examination since 1999, will soon be adopted so as to give legislative expression to the principle of adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination and requests the Government to indicate any progress made in this respect.

Article 4. Measures to promote collective bargaining. Several of the Committee’s previous comments concerned the need to strengthen the collective bargaining framework, in particular with respect to the low levels of coverage of collective agreements which were not binding on the employer (see Committee on Freedom of Association, Case No. 1942), and the absence of an institutional framework for trade union recognition and collective bargaining. The Committee previously requested the Government to continue to provide information on measures adopted or contemplated for the promotion of new bipartite collective agreements through the full development and utilization of machinery for voluntary negotiation between employers or employers’ organizations and workers’ organizations and to indicate any further sectors covered by collective agreements, as well as the level of coverage (number of collective agreements and workers covered). In addition, the Committee previously requested the Government to take all the necessary measures to continue to promote voluntary bipartite negotiations in the private sector and to provide additional information concerning new sectors in which collective agreements have been concluded. The Committee notes that the Government refers to promotional materials, seminars, and operational activities between workers’ and employers’ representatives and indicates that since the last report, collective agreements have been negotiated in the food processing and security services. The Committee also notes that the Government states that it will continue to use tripartite committees as one of the useful channels for promoting bipartite voluntary negotiation at the industry level. The Government adds that it has been promoting direct and voluntary negotiations between employers’ and workers’ organizations. In addition, the Committee notes that the ITUC indicates that less than 1 per cent of workers are covered by collective agreements and those that exist are not binding. The Government answers that in the recent years the number of trade unions and affiliates has increased steadily. The Committee wishes to recall the comments submitted by the Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council with respect to the need for the Government to introduce legislation on collective bargaining rights. The Committee notes that the Government indicates that it has all along taken measures appropriate to local conditions to promote voluntary and direct negotiations between employers and employees or their respective organizations. The Committee once again requests the Government to continue to promote collective bargaining and to provide information in this regard.

Article 6. Measures to promote collective bargaining for civil servants not engaged in the administration of the State. The Committee previously requested the Government to indicate the different categories and functions of the civil servants so as to identify which of them are in the administration of the State and which are not. The Committee notes that the Government again reports that all civil servants in the HKSAR, i.e. persons employed to work in government bureaux/departments, are engaged in the administration of the State as they are responsible for, among others, formulating policies and strategies and performing law enforcement and regulatory functions. The Committee notes that according to the ITUC, all employees in the public sector are deprived of the right to engage in collective bargaining. Noting that it follows from the Government’s report that in the public sector there are consultations but not collective bargaining, the Committee recalls that, according to Article 4, civil servants not engaged in the administration of the State should enjoy not only the right to be consulted on their conditions of employment but also the right to bargain collectively and requests the Government to ensure this right. The Committee once again requests the Government to indicate the different categories and functions of the civil servants so as to identify which of them are engaged in the administration of the State and which are not. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate any agreement concluded in the public sector.