8.
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Miss V. SO said that there were no promotion prospects within the Shorthand/Audio Typist grade itself. Whereas a Typist had opportunities for promotion to Senior Typist and a Personal Secretary to Senior Personal Secretary, there were no Senior Stenographers. The Chairman said that there was no functional need for more than one rank of Stenographer; that was why there had never been Senior SATS, There was also no functional need for Senior Typist in the new structure but as there had been up to 45 posts of Senior Typists for some years it had been agreed to retain that number of posts in the grade as promotion outlets. There was a functional need for Senior Personal Secretaries who would normally work for Heads of Department.
9.
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Miss B. SO said that more than 300 SATs were now on the maximum of the salary scale with no direct promotion prospects in sight, which was bad for morale. The Chairman said that SATs had been aware of their details of post when they were advanced or appointed to the grade. As a consequence of the restructuring their advancement opportunities had been widened by the inclusion of a new grade and their maximum had been considerably increased. He failed to understand how moral could be lower than it had been before the restructuring exercise.
10.
Miss B. SO said that as Personal Secretaries ranks II and I had been combined into a new rank of Personal Secretary with an over- establishment of approximately 121 posts, it seemed likely that the Stenographers might have to wait for approximately 12 years in order to gain advancement to the rank of Personal Secretary. The Chairman explained that resulting from their recent survey O. & M. Division of Finance Branch had found that there was surplus typing and secretarial capacity. They accordingly recommended the deletion of a number of posts. At present there were approximately 61 Personal Secretary posts over- established. However, as the Service continued to expand, the over- establishment situation would gradually disappear. Advancements for SATS to Personal Secretary were expected to pick up again in two years time; in the meantime SATs had possibilities of advancement to 70 newly created posts of Supervisor of Typing Services. He would supply figures to the Shorthand/Audio Typist Unit at the next meeting about wastage rates in the Personal Secretary grade.
11.
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The Chairman went on to say that Senior Typists, Stenographers and Personal Secretaries who met the criteria prescribed in the Details of Post would be eligible to apply for advancement to Supervisor of Typing Services. Posts at this level would be key posts the holders of which would be responsible for the supervision and organization of the work of Stenographers, Senior Typists and Typists; only very good officers from all three ranks would be appointed after competitive interview by selection committees. He expected the majority of the 70 posts to be filled within the next four or so months bearing in mind the work involved in selection and appointment. Mrs. Cheung asked, for an assurance that the 70 posts would be filled almost simultaneously and not gradually. The Chairman said all 70 posts would be filled as soon as possible.
iss B. SO said that as only about one third of SATS would be pooled, there would be less pools than posts of Supervisor of Typing Services. The Chairman said that the word "pool" would include pool situations such as where three or four officers sat in one room and two or three sat in a nearby room. All would be regarded as under the supervision of a Supervisor of Typing Services, Locations within most departments were seldom static for very long and pool situations as distinct from pools concentrated in one room took cognizance of this fact.