In this issue: Our Executive Director’s Message: Our Role is Even More Important During a Low Point in the Movement| Labour Rights Analysis | Event Recap | HK Labour Rights Newsflash
Our Executive Director’s Message: Our Role is Even More Important During a Low Point in the Movement
Some people are frustrated that the international community has been paying less attention to Hong Kong issues lately, as conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and elsewhere occur throughout the world. My response is that exactly because the movement is at a low point, our role becomes increasing important. Imagine if large-scale protests were ongoing and the movement was thriving; we wouldn’t need to work hard to bring the international community and media attention to Hong Kong. We would only need to follow the flow of events. However, now comes the biggest test: how to continue reminding the international society that our struggle is not over yet, even at this low time of the movement, through our own efforts.
This month, we participated in Hong Kong-related events at the UK Trades Union Congress and the UK Labour Party conferences. We hope to engage with more British unions and Labour Party members to keep the Hong Kong issue alive. From September 8 to 10, my colleagues and I attended the UK Trades Union Congress’s annual conference in the coastal town of Brighton in Southeast England. We demonstrated the development of Hong Kong’s independent labour movement as well as the current situation under the repression of the National Security Law in the exhibition area. We also encouraged attendees to participate in the “One Person, One Photo” campaign calling for the release of trade unionists in jail. I also spoke at an international seminar with leaders from Myanmar and Eswatini about the challenges faced by labour movements in our regions.
About two weeks later, we attended the UK Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool. The party held its first conference since taking office in July. It is undeniable that Hong Kong advocacy groups have historically had better ties with the Conservative Party, making it important to strengthen our relation with the Labour Party. Therefore, the Labour Campaign for Human Rights and the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation jointly established Labour Friends of Hong Kong and invited me to speak at the inaugural event. The event was well-received, with about 80 attendees, including MPs, their assistants, and active party members.
During the talk, I shared my own experiences with cross-border repression and reminded them that many Hongkongers, even while in the UK, cannot openly express their views due to the threat of political repression. I urged the UK government to establish a dedicated department to address cross-border repression as soon as possible. In addition, I mentioned that China’s Vice Premier has recently called on the UK to resume long-suspended economic negotiations. I voiced concern that if Sino-British economic relations normalize, the Chinese government might mistakenly believe that the UK government prioritises economic interests over human rights. I urged the UK government to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment before making any decisions. I emphasised that the issue of forced labour in Xinjiang has long existed and has received extensive attention from the United Nations and the International Labour Organisation. The UK government must take a stronger stance against imported products involving the use of forced labour in production lines.
We may not know how many of these initiatives will be adopted or how long they will take to become policy. However, I believe that our efforts are not in vain. Regardless of the outcome, our actions ensure that the world hears ear the voices of Hong Kongers.
I salute every fellow advocate who continues to stand up for Hong Kong.
Christopher Mung
Executive Director, Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor
Labour Rights Analysis
Hong Kong Government’s Labour Policies Agenda Diverges from Public Opinion Under National Security Law
Radio Free Asia Cantonese published a commentary by our Executive Director, Christopher Mung, regarding Hong Kong’s foreign labour importation policy. In the article, he pointed out that despite the economic downturn and a significant decrease in private housing development, the government has implemented a new foreign labour importation scheme. Since July of last year, the influx of foreign workers in the construction industry has increased by 20 times.
Even foreign workers in the construction sector have reported being exploited by unscrupulous employers, including intermediary companies that take a cut of their wages, force them to work overtime without compensation, and pay them far less than the standard contract rate in black market wages. However, under the Legislative Council’s “improved” electoral system and the oppressive governance of the National Security Law, channels for workers to voice their grievances have been blocked. This has allowed the government to unilaterally implement previously contentious policies.
The controversy surrounding the extension of the foreign labour importation policy exemplifies the new normal in Hong Kong—a shift towards “rule by authority.” The government now wields unlimited power, free from checks and balances from civil society, resulting in more uneven governance that drifts further from the public’s expectations.
Credit: RFA Cantonese
Event
Our First Occupational Health and Safety Seminar for Hongkongers in the UK: Union Experts Offer Guidance on Handling Workplace Issues
This month, thanks to the support of UNISON, we hosted an online seminar titled “What You Need to Know About Occupational Health and Safety” for Hongkongers who have relocated to the UK. UNISON arranged for its occupational health and safety expert to provide participants with essential knowledge on workplace safety in the UK. The online seminar covered employers’ responsibilities under UK labour laws and the proper procedures for dealing with workplace injuries.
In the UK, workplace injuries are not limited to physical harm or fatalities caused by occupational accidents. Psychological trauma, such as verbal abuse or threats from clients or colleagues, is also recognized under workplace protection. Employers have a responsibility to address these issues from an occupational health and safety perspective, ensuring that employees are protected from such harm.
HK Labour Rights Newsflash
- Journalists and Their Families Harassed and Threatened: Chinese Communist Party’s Thuggish Tactics to Suppress Dissent Spread to Hong Kong <Read more>
- Government Uses National Security Law to Seize Assets of Speech Therapists’ General Union <Read more>
- Cowardly Regime’s Shameful Suppression of Press Freedom: Former Stand News Editor Chung Pui-kuen Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison <Read more>
- MPF Default Cases Hit Three-Year High; Tiered Surcharge Proposal Falls Through <Read more>
- Post-Pandemic Strikes Persist: What Lies Ahead for China’s Labour Movement? (Chinese only) <Read more>
- Retail Sector Unemployment Soars Nearly 45% in Six Months, Underemployment Rises by Over 70% (Chinese only) <Read more>
- Comparing Minimum Wages Worldwide: How Many Big Macs Can You Buy with One Hour of Work? (Chinese only) <Read more>