The Confederation of Canadian Unions stands in solidarity with the working people and students of Hong Kong, as well as the HKCTU (Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions), in their struggle for democracy.

CCU President John Hanrahan has written to the General Secretary of the HKCTU, Brother Lee Cheuk Yan, who has published an open letter of thanks to unions around the world, including the Confederation of Canadian Unions, who have provided support.

Read the letter below:

Thank you very much for your solidarity support to HKCTU and HK working class in fighting for true democracy. It is the 11th day of the occupy movement or some will call it “umbrella movement” since it started on September 28th when the police force used tear gas against the peaceful protesters.

HKCTU called an emergency strike on 29 September, to protest against the Hong Kong Government’s heavy-handed repression of Hong Kong people’s freedom of expression and rights to assembly, and police violence against a peaceful protest, organized by students and citizens. Shorter than 24 hours, 23 unions have joined this call, including Swire Beverages (Hong Kong) Employees General Union, Union Of Hong Kong Dockers, The Professional Teachers’ Unions, and social workers in Hong Kong. Their actions showed that they feared no repression and their determination to fight for democracy till the end.

The international trade unions are also writing to support HKCTU and workers in Hong Kong. By noon, 8 October, International Trade Union Confederation-Asia Pacific (ITUC-AP), International Union of Food workers (IUF), Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), as well as 32 national unions from all over the world have shown their support to the Hong Kong people. HKCTU has also launched a petition campaign, which more than 2,500 signatures from unionists across the world have been collected. HKCTU will continue to mobilize more and more working class in Hong Kong to join the struggle for democracy and it will be a long battle.

The government called off a meeting with student protest leaders on October 9th, the eve of a scheduled dialogue to discuss election reform. Protestors announced rally in ‘Umbrella Square’ after government canceled the talk. We appreciate for your continue support and attention.

1. National People’s Congress must withdraw the ‘fake universal suffrage’ that the candidates for HK Chief Executive need to go through the nominating committee with 1,200 people. Workers have been demanding a genuine democracy since they do not agree with the representation of these 1200 people. We demand the Chinese Government to withdraw its proposal to control Hong Kong’s election and return the rights to genuine universal suffrage to Hong Kong people;

2. We demand to immediately stop repression and guarantee Hong Kong people’s rights to peaceful demonstrations. The authority must bear full responsibility of any crackdown.

Lee Cheuk Yan
General Secretary
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions