Yeung Kwong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yeung Kwong
GBM
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Yeung Kwong at a rally in November 1967
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| Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions | |||||||||||||
| In office 1962–1980 |
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| Preceded by | Lee Sang | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Poon Kwong-wai | ||||||||||||
| President of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions | |||||||||||||
| In office 1980–1988 |
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| Preceded by | Chan Yiu-choi | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Lee Chark-tim | ||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||
| Born | 1926 British Hong Kong |
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| Died | 16 May 2015 (aged 88–89) Prince of Wales Hospital, Sha Tin, Hong Kong |
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| Nationality | Chinese (Hong Kong) | ||||||||||||
| Political party | Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions | ||||||||||||
| Occupation | Trade unionist | ||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 楊光 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 杨光 | ||||||||||||
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Yeung Kwong GBM (Chinese: 楊光; 1926 – 16 May 2015) was a Hong Kong trade unionist and labour rights activist. He served as chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) from 1962 to 1980 and as its president from 1980 to 1988. He played a leading role in the 1967 Hong Kong riots against British rule in Hong Kong.
Trade unionist career
Born in 1926, Yeung became a member of the Hong Kong Tramways Workers Union in 1948 and led strikes by Hong Kong Tramway's fare conductors the following year.
He served as chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU), the largest pro-Beijing labour union in Hong Kong, from 1962 to 1980, and then as its president between 1980 and 1988. From 1973 to 1987, he was a local deputy to the National People's Congress.
1967 riots
During the 1967 Hong Kong riots, which was inspired by the Cultural Revolution and escalated from a labour dispute at a plastic-flower factory in San Po Kong, Yeung served as director of the Committee of Hong Kong and Kowloon Compatriots from All Circles for Struggle Against British Hong Kong Persecution. Thousands were injured and 51 died, 15 of whom were killed in bombings planted by the leftists.
Death
In the morning of 16 May 2015, Yeung died at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin after he underwent a heart operation. Acting Chief Executive Carrie Lam sent her condolences to Yeung's family and praised him for his contributions to the labour movement. Chief Executive CY Leung, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung and other senior officials including the Director of Beijing's Liaison Office Zhang Xiaoming attended the funeral on 14 June 2015.
Protesters gathered outside his funeral with banners in the memory of those who died at the hands of the leftists during the 1967 riots. Some brought champagne to celebrate his death, while others brought pineapples (a metaphor and Cantonese slang for bombs and grenades) and cursed him.
