FCC statement on HKJA draws union role criticism
Bastillepost · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) has publicly backed the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) after what it described as recent harassment targeting HKJA members. The intervention came as the HKJA’s latest executive committee election reportedly returned five new members, although the results had not yet been publicly announced at the time of the report
Key Points
- The FCC said it was concerned by recent harassment involving HKJA members and described the HKJA as a non-profit body and registered trade union supporting press freedom and the journalism sector in Hong Kong
- In its statement, the FCC cited protections in the Basic Law for press freedom and for residents’ rights to form and join trade unions, urging respect for those core values
- A commentator quoted in the report said the FCC had blurred the distinction between a trade union and a political organization, arguing the HKJA had become politicized in recent years
- The criticism referred to the 2019 unrest, when the HKJA repeatedly condemned frontline police over alleged obstruction of reporting, pepper spray use and the dispersal of journalists during operations
- The same commentary also cited the online outlet Channel C, which was said to have owed six months of wages totaling HK$660,000, and argued the HKJA had not acted like a labour union in that case
Why It Matters
The dispute goes beyond one statement and centers on how far a registered trade union in Hong Kong can engage in advocacy framed around press freedom without being accused of political activity. It also puts renewed attention on whether professional bodies representing journalists are being judged primarily by labour issues, public advocacy, or both