CONFIDENTIAL
**ALL THE GRADES (IN THE SECRETARIAL CLASS) EXCEPT THOSE OF
COURT REPORTER ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE EQUAL PAY SCHEME AND AS
A RESULT THE LADIES IN THEM HAVE BEEN PROGRESSIVELY LOSING
OUT IN COMPARISON WITH THEIR SISTERS WHO HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY
CATCHING UP WITH THE MEN IN EQUAL PAY SCALES, THE EFFECT OF
THE SCALES WHICH WE RECOMMEND IS, WE HOPE, TO READJUST THIS
ANOMALY.'!
5. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED AND INTRODUCED THE REVISED SCALES AS RECOMMENDED.
6. IN 1976 A COMMITTEE ON THE SECRETARIAL CLASS WAS CONSTITUTED
TO ADVISE THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE INTER ALIA ON
SECRETARIAL CLASS PAY. THREE WOMEN OFFICERS FROM SECRETARIAL
CLASS GRADES SAT ON THE COMMITTEE.
7. THIS COMMITTEE REFERRED THE QUESTION OF PAY FOR ADVICE TO THE INDEPENDENT PAY INVESTIGATION UNIT, WHICH IS MODELLED ON THE
UNITED KINGDOM CIVIL SERVICE PAY RESEARCH UNIT AND WAS SET UP
AND HEADED BY A UNITED KINGDOM CIVIL SERVANT SECONDED FROM THE
PAY RESEARCH UNIT. LIKE THE UNITED KINGDOM UNIT THE PAY INVEST-
IGATION UNIT ASSESSES PAY BY REFERENCE TO FAIR COMPARISON WITH
PRIVATE SECTOR ANALOGUES AND CIVIL SERVICE EQUIVALENTS.
8. AFTER RECEIVING ADVICE FROM THE P.1.U, THIS COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED SOME CHANGES TO THE PREVIOUS SCALES, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SUBSEQUENTLY ADOPTED.
9. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE SAT'S HAVE A VERY GOOD
INCIDENTAL PROMOTION RATIO OF FIVE SAT'S TO THREE PERSONAL SECRETARIES. AS ALL ENTRY TO THE RANK OF PERSONAL SECRETARY IS BY PROMOTIONS OF SAT S (THOUGH THERE ARE A FEW DIRECT ENTRIES TO THE RANK OF SENIOR PERSONAL SECRETARY) THE AVERAGE AGE AND SERVICE OF SAT S ON PROMOTION HAS BEEN 24 AND 4 DURING THE PAST 12 YEARS, WHEREAS FOR CLERICAL OFFICERS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CORRESPONDING FIGURES ARE 38 AND 15. MRS CHEUNG AND MISS SO HAVE TOLD THEIR MEMBERS THAT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE RESTRUCTURING THERE WILL BE NO PROMOTIONS TO PERSONAL SECRETARY FOR SEVERAL YEARS: IN FACT WE EXPECT TO PROMOTE ABOUT THIRTY SAT S TO PERSONAL SECRETARY BY THE END OF 1978.
2
CONFIDENTIAL
/10.WHILE