83
GR 275
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 100900Z
FM HONG KONG 100357Z NOV
RESTRICTED
TOP COPY
Hick 430/i
RECEIVED IN REGISTAY NO. 51
1 1 NOV 1980
PA
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFH TELEGRAM NUMBER 1475 OF 10 NOVEMBER, 198 INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
82
12.10
YOUR TELNO 999: SOCIAL WORKERS IN VOLUNTARY SECTOR.
STRY
Action Taken
AW12/0
Sec Hire 430%, 0
1981
1. NO UNDERTAKING HAS EVER BEEN GIVEN THAT THE REVIEW OF STAFF STRUCTURES IN VOLUNTARY AGENCIES PROVIDING SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WOULD BE COMPLETED BY 31 OCTOBER: THIS DEADLINE WAS SET UNILATERALLY BY THE HONG KONG SOCIAL WORKERS' GENERAL UNION WHOSE MEMBERSHIP COMPRISE NO MORE THAN TEN PERCENT OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.
2. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS NO DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SOCIAL WORKERS IN VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. THEY ARE EMPLOYED BY THESE DISPARATE AGENCIES, POSSIBLY WITH VARYING CONDITIONS OF SERVICE. MOST OF THESE
AGENCIES PROVIDE SERVICES WHICH ARE SUBVENTED BY THE
GOVERNMENT ON A ''DISCRETIONARY GRANT'' BASIS BUT IT
MERITS REPEATING THAT MANY AGENCIES ARE ALSO ENGAGED IN OTHER ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE NOT SUBYENTED. IN SHORT, THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS THE COST OF SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE CONSIDERED WORTHY OF SUPPORT, AND ACCEPTS IN PRINCIPLE THAT WHERE SUBVENTED WELFARE AGENCIES' STAFF HOLD SIMILAR QUALIFICATIONS AND DO SIMILAR WORK, THEY SHOULD BE PAID SIMILAR SALARY SCALES TO THOSE OF THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE. HOWEVER, IT IS FIRST NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH COMPARABILITIES. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW NOW BEING CARRIED OUT.
3. THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR HAVE RECENTLY REACHED CONSENSUS ON THE FINAL STAGE OF WORK, AND THE VIEWS OF THE AGENCIES AFFECTED ARE BEING SOUGHT BEFORE PROCEEDING ANY FURTHER. ACTION IS
PROCEEDING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
CATER
MINIMAL
HK & GD
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
OLA
RESTRICTED