Country Report: Hong Kong SAR, China Mr Yau Chi Hang Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions

Opportunities and Challenges Basic statistics Labour force: 3 946 000 (61.6% of total population) (6-8/2015) Male participation rate: 69.5%, Female: 55.1% Employed persons: 3 808 500 Unemployment rate: 3.3% No. of Employee Unions: 819 Total union members: 838 761(Until 31 December 2014) Unionization rate: 23.24% Memebers of HKCTU: 189 823 (Until 3 Match 2014) Opportunities and Challenges Aging members and union leaders Difficult to organize precarious workers Difficult to improve Labour Laws (e.g. CBR and working hour laws) because of no real democracy in HK ( executive system and legislative system)

Bargaining right Trade union right There was CBR law in 1997, however it was abolished by the pro-business legislative members. As no CBR protection, unions and workers could seldom get reasonable pay rise, many employers refuse to recognize unions. Trade union right Workers have no legal right for reinstatement, so many workers reluctant to participate unions as they are afraid of losing jobs.

Major issues of unions CBR Laws: Signing collective agreements: Although no CBA laws, several unions got the collective agreements with employers, Unions from Coca- Cola, Nestle and one social services institution obtained union recognition Legal right for reinstatement Labour protection for workers without continuous contract