Confederation of Trade Unions

The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) (香港職工會聯盟) is a pro-democracy labour and political group in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It was established in 1990. The group is headed by President Lau Chin-shek and General Secretary Lee Cheuk-yan, and has 160,000 members in 61 affiliates (mainly trade unions in various sectors).

The values of the HKCTU may be summarised as "Solidarity, Rice Bowl, Justice and Democracy". The group focuses on the rights and interests of workers, and the development of a democratic political system in Hong Kong. It calls for the right to collective bargaining and protection against dismissals for involvement in trade union activities.

The group is active in the political arena in Hong Kong, and has representation in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo) to challenge government policies and push for legal protection of worker and trade union rights. It is one of the two most influential labour groups in Hong Kong. (The other is the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions).

Days before reunification in 1997, with the support of the democratic camp, the HKCTU successfully established statutory rights of collective bargaining of labour unions, which mandate employers to negotiate with labour unions on issues such as salaries, welfare and working hours. Under strong objections from the pro-business sector such as the Liberal Party, the laws were abolished by the Provisional Legislative Council shortly after reunification.

Besides calling for universal suffrage of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong and LegCo, the group also supports pro-democracy movement in mainland China, including the struggle for independent trade unions. It participates in a number of human rights and labour rights networks to oppose the alleged supression of labour movements in mainland China.

Members of HKCTU is pivotal behind the organization of a number of local protests, including the mass protests in July 1, 2003 (in which General Secretary Lee Cheuk-yan is responsible for organization, under the banner of Civil Human Rights Front) to oppose the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law, and other protests to struggle for labour rights and democracy.

In the 1998 LegCo election, the group is represented by Lau Chin-shek (also a Democratic Party member) and Lee Cheuk-yan (also a member of The Frontier) in the LegCo. But Lau was defeated in the 2000 LegCo election and only the latter remains in the legislative body.

Principles of the Union

Solidarity

"that solidarity is strength"

Rice Bowl

"workers' rights & livelihood, and the improvement of working & living conditions [must be fought for]"

Justice

"[the union has] a responsibility to defend social justice, to reduce the gap between rich and poor, and fight for the redistribution of wealth"

Democracy

"workers' rights and democracy are inseparable; without genuine democratic institutions working class people will always be excluded from the decisions that affect them and will face repression of their rights"

See also:

• Politics of Hong Kong

External Links

• Web site of The HKCTU