‘HKJA needs more time to respond to union registry’

The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) on Friday said it’s seeking legal advice on a request for information from the Registry of Trade Unions, and that it needs more time to respond.

The registry wrote to the HKJA last month, demanding that it justify its activities and provide additional financial information about its operations, alleging that some of its actions appear to be inconsistent with the Trade Unions Ordinance.

For example, the association was asked to explain how its social media posts during the 2019 anti-extradition protests were relevant to the group’s objectives.

The HKJA had originally said it would respond to the request by the deadline of February 4.

But speaking on a radio programme, its chairman, Ronson Chan, said the group needs more time as it seeks further legal advice on the matter.

He also pointed out that the journalists’ group had been vocal about the anti-extradition bill out of concern for the city’s press freedom, adding that its social media posts had not been taken down for the sake of transparency.

Chan added that the group has not been able to reach the registry so far to request for the deadline to be pushed back, and he believes it’s partly due to work-from-home arrangements implemented by the government.