Feminist and labour movements in HK: critical and co-constructive Sally Choi Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions , San Paulo Women’’s Empower, Gender Equality and Labour Rights: Transforming the Terrain

About myself Feminist Labour activist

outline The story of a founder, Ms. Yim of working women association Insights: Critical voices from women’s leaders and the movement The recent campaign against sexual violence at workplace Insights: cooperation between feminist movement and the trade union. Transforming the terrains: internal and external support; individual and collective leadership

YIM YUET LIN 1989 found Hong Kong Women Workers Association (HKWWA)—1 st organisation for the rights of women worker

A book project for the 15 th anniversary of HKWWA “Factory, Kitchen and Refuse Room: 15 years of Women Workers Movement in HK”

Unions development Before 1970s Before the 1970s, unions in HK pro-Chinese Community Party (CCP) unions (the leftist), pro-Kuomintang unions (the ruling party of Taiwan at the time, also known as the rightist unions) some unions with a neutral background (such as the civil servants’ unions). Yim was an electronic factory worker

Rise of social movement in 1980s 1974 a church based organisation HK Christian Industrial Committee (HKCIC) started intervening labour disputes 1984, HKCIC-Trade union education center 1984, Association for the Advancement of Feminism (AAF) set up Yim joined HKCIC and AAF study groups workeractivist

Conflicts on maternity leave Yim left HKCIC Not the top priority for advocacy among alliance of labour activists Cannot unit all the workers

1982 Amendment on Employment Ordinance in HK 2/3 paid for 10 weeks maternity leave

Mid 1980s

HKWWA Mother’s Day action: Caring support and subsidies for workers Concerning the rights of causal workers which are majority women workers

Yim-Women worker leader - strong fighter - transforming the labour rights advocacy - transforming the union movement

Women specific union/organisation The reproductive role and contribution of women workers were not well recognised even among unionists in early days. The base and voices of women workers’ association are small but critical. gender specific labour issues and create social discourse

Self-organizing- >Cooperation -> Alliance building

Women self-organised Hong Kong Women’s Coalition on Equal Opportunities (1995) HKCTU- women committee HKWWA Other women’s groups AAF

Campaign again Violence against Women at workplace

Loophole in the Law Sex Discrimination Ordinance in 1995 (SDO) prohibit sexual harassment No clause in SDO to prohibit customer conduct sexual harassment against service, goods and facilities providers Employees at service, retail industry are not protected by SDO !

A SURVEY ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AT WORKPLACE IN % female workers in catering industry encountered sexual harassment at workplace

Sexual violence issuse for DWs

Outcomes - reform in legislation in public attention - women’s issues to social issues

Alliance Building

Women’s solidarity and capacity building provides more opportunities for leadership growth and support for female unionists who committed to integrate gender equality at labour movement. External supports to women unionist in federation

Factors affecting women’s situation and ongoing battle Lack of working hours regulation Collective bargaining

Alliance Building for the rights of part-time workers Employment Ordinance only cover those with “continuous employment” i.e. being employed for 4 or more consecutive weeks and each week working for 18 or more hours (4-1-18). There is an ongoing campaign to amend the law so to cover part-time and causal workers.