GR 1235
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
*...
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK. 430
RECEIVED IN REDIRT NO. SI 13 FEB1973
DESK
INDEX
PA
FM HONG KONG 110400Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 170 OF 11 FEBRUARY 1978
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
Sice
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20
98
FOR STEWART FROM BRIDGE.
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YOUR LETTER OF 26 JANUARY 1978 ABOUT SAT'S. I AM SORRY THAT YOU
FIND YOURSELF SO EMBATTLED ON OUR BEHALF. WE WOULD NOT WISH TO
ADD TO YOUR PROBLEMS AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EFFORTS,
2. 1 UNDERSTAND YOUR DESIRE TO AVOID GIVING ANY OPPORTUNITIES
TO HONG KONG'S CRITICS AND YOUR FEAR THAT CRITICISMS OF OUR
HANDLING OF THIS DISPUTE WILL SPILL OVER INTO OTHER AREAS.
3. YOU HAVE SUGGESTED THAT WE:
(A) GIVE THE BENEFITS OF THE OPTION TO THE MINORITY WHO HAVE NOT
ACCEPTED IT AND THEREFORE REMAIN IN DISPUTE' AND
''IN
"
B) WE GIVE THIS SAME MINORITY SOME OTHER MINOR CONCESSION OR CONCESSIONS AS AN INTERIM SOLUTION'', PENDING ULTIMATE
"
''SETTLEMENT OF THE DISPUTE DY ARBITRATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, EITHER OF THESE SUGGESTIONS WOULD CONSTITUTE A PRECEDENT WITH THE MOST FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS. TILL NOW, NOT ONLY THE OFFICIAL SIDE, BUT UNION LEADERS ALSO HAVE ACCEPTED
AS 'SETTLED'' ANY DISPUTE IN WHICH THE MAJORITY OF THE GRADE HAD ACCEPTED THE GOVERNMENT'S OFFER. IF WE FOLLOW EITHER SUGGESTION, EVEN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE UNION LEADERS WILL IN FUTURE FEEL BOUND TO CONTINUE TO PRESS THEIR CASE, EVEN AFTER A MAJORITY OF THEIR
MEMBERS HAVE SETTLED.
4. IN ADDITION, THE PARTICULAR CONCESSIONS YOU HAVE MENTIONED
AS POSSIBLE STARTERS HAVE THE FOLLOWING SNAGS:
(A) MINIMUM SALARY.
TO WIDEN THE RECRUITMENT FIELD WE NOW CONSIDER CANDIDATES WITH
3 SPECIFIED SCHOOL CERTIFICATE PASSES, THESE ENTRANTS START WITH
A LOWER ENTRY POINT, BUT ANY CANDIDATE WHO MEETS THE ORIGINAL EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT OF 5 SCHOOL CERTIFICATE PASSES RETAINS THE
CONFIDENTIAL
ZORIGINAL HIGHER