RESTRICTED
! FEEL THEREFORE THAT IT IS TOO EARLY TO REFER TO RECOMMENDATION WHICH WE HAVE NOT YET SEEN AND WHICH MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE
TO THIS DISPUTE.
6. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL FEEL ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE
FIRM SUPPORT WHICH YOU HAVE SO FAR PROVIDED, SINCE WE DO NOT
BELIEVE THAT ANY NEW FACTORS HAVE EMERGED WHICH WOULD MAKE IT
DEFENSIBLE FOR US TO CHANGE OUR MINDS AT THIS LATE STAGE.
7. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD REPLY ON THE FOLLOWING
LINES:-
''THERE HAVE BEEN THREE IMPARTIAL ASSESSMENTS OF SECRETARIAL
CLASS PAY SINCE AN EQUAL PAY SCHEME FOR WOMEN IN THE HONG KONG
PUBLIC SERVICE WAS ANNOUNCED IN 1966, ALL THREE CONCLUDED THAT THE CLASS WAS FAIRLY PAID.
A RESTRUCTURING OF THE SECRETARIAL CLASS, OF WHICH THE SHORTHAND AUDIO TYPISTS ARE PART, WAS CARRIED OUT IN 1976.
ABOUT 2,520 MEMBERS OF THE SECRETARIAL CLASS HAVE ACCEPTED
THE TERMS OFFERED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. AS A RESULT OF THIS RESTRUCTURING ONLY 109 SHORTHAND AUDIO TYPISTS (OUT OF A TOTAL OF ABOUT 400) HAVE REFUSED THESE TERMS.
THERE IS THEREFORE NO DISPUTE WITH ABOUT 95 PERCENT OF THE SECRETARIAL CLASS OR WITH 75 PERCENT OF THE SHORTHAND
AUDIO TYPISTS.
IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT DOES NOT
CONSIDER THAT ARBITRATION IS APPROPRIATE.''
ROBERTS
FILES
HK & GD (6)
CLA
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
MR MURRAY
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON
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