Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union

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The Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union (HKPTU) (Chinese: 香港教育專業人員協會)is a pro-democracy labor union in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It was established in 1973. The present president of the group is Cheung Man Kwong, who has been in this position since 1990. The union claims to unite more than 90% of teachers with a membership of more than 60,000.

It operates discount stores, book shops, optometrists and other services for its members.

[edit] History

The union was founded as a response to the cut in salaries by 15% in 1973, which had triggered a full-scale strike.

The shutdown of the Precious Blood Golden Jubilee School in 1978 was shut down by the Education Department after 900 students and some teachers protested in a two-day sit-in against financial irregularities. 16 of the school's teachers were dismissed. Through the efforts of the HKPTU, all the teachers were re-employed.

During the first indirect elections in 1985 to the Legislative Council, the group's chairman Szeto Wah was elected and in 1988 he was reelected.

In 1987, the HKPTU participated in the organization of a public gathering in Victoria Park in support of the 1988 Direct Election of the Legislative Council, advocating a democratic political system instead of the system in which the legislators where appointed by the governor.

In 1989 the HKPTU took part in organizing the largest concert in Hong Kong to raise fund to support of the students who protested against the Tiananmen massacre in Beijing.

The present chairman Cheung Man Kwong was elected to the Legislative Council in 1992 and 1995.

The HKPTU furthermore fought for higher salaries for kindergarten teachers. Finally in 1994, the Education Department agreed to subsidize the salaries of teachers in all non-profit making kindergartens. At the same time, funding was provided to expand training programs to ensure most kindergarten teachers should be given the chance to receive training to become qualified.