ABSTRACT
There appears to be significant support amongst employees for some form of joint consultation or employee representation. Turner et al.’s (1980, 1991) surveys of employees across the Hong Kong economy, both public and private sector, found that in 1985, 31 per cent preferred ‘joint consultation with workplace representatives’, 32 per cent legislation, and 12 per cent trade union negotiation as a means of winning improved working conditions. The figures for their comparable survey in 1976 were 36, 25 and 10 per cent respectively, suggesting a decline in the popularity of legislative methods and a slight increase in the popularity of joint consultation between the two surveys. Turner et al. (1980, 1991) interpreted their findings as evidence of a gap in terms of employee representation at the workplace, and urged the government to consider requiring large and medium-sized firms to set up an elected JCC.
