Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee

In the face of severe sufferings of Hong Kong workers and a big discontent of poor in 1960's, the Hong Kong Christian Council set up its industrial mission. Eventually, Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee (CIC) was born in 1967. As a part of the Hong Kong Christian Council, CIC identified itself as a mission work of the Hong Kong Protestant Church to workers. Since its birth, CIC has been deciding to stand with workers. We do not attempt to become a leader of workers, but rather to struggle with workers and to organize them to fight for their own rights. We strongly believe that workers' desperate struggle is the only way to change their poor situations. CIC is an enabler only. During the last three decades, CIC has positioned itself as follows:

1. to provide direct service to workers and their families;
2. to be a watch-dog for current government policies;
3. to empower worker to fight for their own rights;
4. to promote independent trade union movement;
5. to preach gospel to workers and to develop relevant theologies;
6. to serve as a consultant to the Church for its industrial mission.
   
   

CIC's works

1. Independent Trade Union Movement
   
   Since 1949, when the Communist Party took up the power in China, the union movement in Hong Kong had been manipulated by either the leftist or the rightists unit 1991. Labour unions were not established for well-being of workers, but rather for political purpose. Therefore, CIC has worked with many unionists to promote the independent union movement. Eventually, the first and only independent union federation in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Union (CTU), was born in 1991. CTU has actively got involved in the union movement, and trained up unions' leadership through the Trade Union Education Center. More than 40 unions are CTU's affiliates representing around 120,000 workers. More importantly there is steady growth of membership.
   
   CIC works with CTU closely for strengthening the independent trade union movement, especially for change in the unions' regulations in Hong Kong. One of them is the collective of bargaining.
   
   
2. Conscientization
   
   To awaken workers' consciousness about their rights is one of CIC's tasks. Only workers recognize their rights, they will get involved in the movement to fight against unjust labour policies. More than 50 mobile exhibition on health and safety and on labour rights of migrant workers, regular heath and safety talk for hospital patients and seminars on labour law for graduating high school pupils are held every year. More than 30,000 copies of leaflets about safety regulation are disseminated to local migrant workers a year. Moreover, publications in different desks with 8,000 mailings will be sent out regularly (bi-monthly or quarterly) in Hong Kong and in the world.
   
   
3. Advocacy
   
   It is very difficult to change government policies if there is no public recognition of workers' suffering. Community education is also a main task of CIC. Campaigns on health and safety of Asian are held every year. In addition to our regular mobile exhibitions, the public concern about workers' rights is strengthened continuously. Moreover, CIC often works with CTU and other organizations to organize various kinds of campaigns to protect human rights in Hong Kong and in the world, and to lobby concerned government officers. CIC also joins with other human rights groups to submit alternative reports on human rights in Hong Kong to United Nations. Moreover, articles and comments on problems of the existing labour policies are published in press irregularly.
   
   
4. Direct services
   
   Direct services are a direct contact with workers and give workers substantial support. Crisis involvement is always a technique for CIC staffs to work with workers. Direct services include hot-line inquire, legal advice, counseling service, application for public assistance, and other activists requested. Now more than 5,000 hot-line inquires come every year and around one-fifth of them will be followed-up.
   
   
5. Policy change
   
   One of CIC's tasks is policy change. CIC often organizes accident victims and their dependents to fight for a just compensation legislature. CIC and CTU often negotiate with the Government and try to change current labour regulations and policies. To be more effective, CIC gets involved in the election of the Legislative Council (LegCo). Since 1991, the Director of CIC, Mr. Lau Chin-Shek, has been elected as a LegCo member. In the LegCo, Mr. Lau raises motions on current labour issues and tables private member bills to amend the existing labour laws.
   
   
6. Mission to the Mainland China
   
   Before 1990, CIC has focused fully on local workers. Since the birth of CTU, which shared the works of local labours, CIC needed to re-position itself. There is a belief that CIC should serve the marginalized and the poorest of the poor. In 1991, CIC stared a service to migrant workers from China. They were first group who were not local workers but still working in Hong Kong. Since huge investment in China from Hong Kong, it has aroused our concern about those Chinese workers who are working for Hong Kong investor. They have contributed to the Hong Kong economy a lot, however, they have been sufferings a lot and got back a little. Since September 1993, CIC set up a documentation service about working condition in South China. We try to publicize suffering stories of Chinese workers and organize campaigns against those factories violate human rights of workers and also local law.
   
   Recently, CIC works with local trade union and other labour groups to organize a platform, the Labour Rights in China, for monitoring the code of conduct movement in China. This not only serves as a platform for discussion with business, trade unions and non-governmental organizations in the world, but also a centre to promote concern and discussion about the code of conducts and relevant issues. The ultimate goal of the Labour Rights in China is to promote and to facilitate the right of independent organizing of workers in China.
   
   
7. Regional and Global Concern
   
   Hong Kong is deeply involved in the global trade. Hong Kong investors are all over the world, particularly in many Asian developing countries, such as the Mainland China, Macao, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Philippines. Like their investment in the Mainland China, Asian workers working for Hong Kong investment are seriously exploited. CIC has organized different campaigns against the exploitation of Hong Kong investment in other countries. For instance, the toy campaign is a world-wide movement against the toy business. CIC has also actively participated in other international campaigns to monitor transnational corporations, such as Nike Campaign and Clean Clothes Campaign. An Asian network for occupational accident victims was established in 19096 to enhance organizing work of occupational accident victims in Asia and to enhance better coordination among Asian occupational accident victim groups and concerned bodies.
   
   To arouse the concern of the Hong Kong public about the sufferings of Asian workers in Hong Kong investment, a consumer education campaign will be launched. It will not only go to the public, but also to the younger generation. An education kit will be drafted for discussion at high school about the role of Hong Kong investment in the global trade and the sufferings of workers and environmental devastation caused by Hong Kong investment. The role of consumer for monitoring Hong Kong investment aboard will also be covered.
   
   
8. Preaching gospel to workers
   
   Last but not the least. CIC identifies itself as a Christian mission to workers and a Christian witness in the society. CIC tries to bridge the Church and workers. On the one hand, we listen to the voice of workers and their comments on church. On the other hand, we try to bring Jesus Christ to workers and to our allies, and to encourage, challenge and envision them from our faith. Since 1970s CIC has established a labour church to take up pastoral works for the grassroots. Workers are welcome to the church as one family, but as the same time, they are called and challenged to fight for social justice. During the last two decades, the labour church has expressed a great voice on many social issues from the perspective of their own faith, although it is not a big congregation. The church is also a center for exploring worker theology and contextual missions to workers and the lower class. During the last twenty years, unique liturgy, creed and hymns are printed. Each labour Sunday, CIC shares with Hong Kong churches worker-oriented evangelistic ways and biblical reflections on current labour issues. Now the Church has regular service with a congregation of around 30 members.