HK White Collar Union became the second trade union de-registered by the HK government 

2 mins read

One more trade union was deregistered, even as Hong Kong officials worked hard to whitewash its human rights record before the UN committee. This was the second trade union to get its registration revoked since the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists. Over 100 trade unions have been deregistered since the implementation of the National Security Law.

Hong Kong White Collar (Administration and Clerical) Connect Union (HKWCCU) was established in November 2019 and reached a peak membership of 2,000. Its trade union registration was revoked by the Registry of Trade Unions of the HKSAR government on 17 February 2023. The authorities said HKWCCU had breached the Trade Union’s Ordinance.

The de-registration came one day after Assistant Commissioner of the Hong Kong Labour Department Cheung Hoi-Shan claimed that “Trade union rights in Hong Kong are strong and intact as ever” before the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

HKWCCU said in their final Facebook post that they felt calm about the disbandment and lamented the unpredictable “red line” in the Hong Kong National Security Law has already become “a red tide”, and “the shallow traces of the HKWCCU in the past three years have been washed away into the sea without pain”.

According to figures from the Hong Kong Labour Departments, 176 trade unions have been disbanded from 2020 to 2022, including the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists (de-registered on 22 October 2022). The HKWCCU is the second trade union deregistered by Hong Kong authorities.

The HKWCCU members consisted of non-governmental organisation administrative and clerical staff from various walks of life. In August 2022, the Registry of Trade Unions of the HKSAR government accused HKWCCU of violating the Trade Unions Ordinance by activities such as asking members to volunteer for and support the democrats’ primary election, standing in solidarity with the then HA Employees Alliance’s strikes, and supporting roadshows against the Hong Kong National Security Law legislation.

Timeline for deregistration of HKWCCU 

  • November 2019: The HKWCCU was founded, with a peak membership of 2,000.
  • December 2021: The Registry of Trade Union, for the first time, accused HKWCCU the suspected breach of the Trade Union Ordinance.
  • January 2022: The HKWCCU responded in writing to the Registry. Their written reply stated that according to the International Labour Organization Convention and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, trade union activity is not confined to employment relationships, but also includes the promotion and protection of economic and social rights, occupational safety, and so on. Under Hong Kong Basic Law Article 39, both covenants remain in force in Hong Kong.
  • August 2022: The Registry accused HKWCCU of asking members to volunteer for and support the democrats’ primary election, standing in solidarity with the then HA Employees Alliance’s strikes, and supporting roadshows against the Hong Kong National Security Law legislation. The Registry accused the HKWCCU of asking members to volunteer for and support the democrats’ primary election, standing in solidarity with the then HA Employees Alliance’s strikes, and supporting roadshows against the Hong Kong National Security Law legislation. In its response to the Registry, HKWCCU reiterated that the trade union’s objective purpose is founded on the Hong Kong Basic Law and relevant international laws. 
  • December 2022: The Registry notified HKWCCU that the registration would be cancelled, in effect on 17 February, 2023. 
  • February 16, 2023: “Trade union rights in Hong Kong are strong and intact as ever.” Assistant Commissioner of the Hong Kong Labour Department Cheung Hoi Shan spoke before the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
  • February 17 2023: HKSAR government gazetted to revoke HKWCCU registration.


(Sources: Mingpao, inmediahk net, Hong Kong Free Press)

香港白領同行工會被港府DQ 理事:紅線已化為捉摸不定的紅潮 《國安法》下逾百工會被迫解散  

3 mins read

香港政府在聯合國否認打壓工會,翌日再有工會被DQ。上星期(16/2),勞工處助理處長張凱珊在聯合國經濟社會及文化權利委員會回應提問時指「香港的工會權利一如既往強健完好無損。」翌日,政府刊憲撤銷 香港白領 行政及文職 同行工會 工會登記,這是自香港言語治療師總工會後,第二個被當局撤銷註冊的工會。

2019年11月成立、會員人數最高峰達2000人的香港白領(行政及文職)同行工會於2月17日,被職工會登記局以涉嫌違反《職工會條例》撤銷其登記。白領工會理事同日在Facebook發出最後帖文,稱對遭撤銷登記感到坦然,慨嘆「紅線一早已經化為捉摸不定、無定向的紅潮」,將工會過去3年「淺薄痕跡不痛不癢地沖入無垠大海」。工會會員包括所有從事文職、僱主非政府的受僱者,故會員行業及崗位包羅萬有。自《國安法》在 2020 年6月30日實施以來,逾百工會被迫解散。 

2021年8月,局方向工會寄出過百頁社交平台帖文截圖,指工會涉嫌違反《職工會條例》,包括呼籲會員登記出任民主派初選公投義工及支持初選、聲援現已解散的醫管局員工陣線罷工行動、及反對《國安法》立法的街站等。 

根據勞工處數字,2020年至2022年期間,共有176個職工會解散,包括在2021年10月22日被刊憲取消登記的香港言語治療師總工會。香港白領同行工會是第二個被當局取消登記的工會。 

香港白領(行政及文職)同行工會被DQ時序 

  • 2019年11月:香港白領(行政及文職)同行工會成立,會員人數最高峰達2000人 
  • 2021年12月:首次收到勞工處職工會登記局來信,指工會涉進行與《職工會條例》不符的活動 
  • 2022年1月﹕工會向職工會登記局提交書面回應,指出根據《基本法》39條適用於香港的《國際勞工公約》及《經濟、社會與文化權利的國際公約》,工會事務包括促進及保障其經濟及社會利益、促進職業安全與衛生,非僅限於狹義僱傭關係層面。
  • 2022年8月:局方向工會寄出過百頁社交平台帖文截圖,指工會涉嫌違反《職工會條例》,包括呼籲會員登記出任民主派初選公投義工及支持初選、聲援現已解散的醫管局員工陣線罷工行動、以及反對《國安法》立法的街站等。 工會回信重申其會章宗旨乃基於《基本法》及相關國際法及公約。
  •  2022年12月:局方通知工會將取消其登記,並於2023年2月17日正式生效 
  • 2023年2月16日﹕勞工處助理處長張凱珊在聯合國經濟社會及文化權利委員會回應提問時指﹕「香港的工會權利一如既往強健完好無損。」
  • 2023年2月17日﹕政府刊憲撤銷工會登記 


(Sources: 明報, 香港獨立媒體

Photo: 香港白領行政及文職同行工會)