- 35 ·
-
salary levels and conditions of service are almost entirely their
responsibility.
2.51
Consultation and communication
There are various teachers'
associations in Hong Kong (some registered as trades unions, others as
societies), membership of which is voluntary. Trade unionism is not
strong by western standards but it is relatively strong in the teaching
profession, where an articulate and committed leadership is more
readily found. There are two major unions the Professional Teachers'
Union (PTU) and the Hong Kong Teachers' Association (HKTA), as well as
a number of groups whose membership is confined to the Education
Department. Of the latter, one of the most important (and the largest)
is the Government School Non-graduate Teachers Union (GSNGTU). Elected
representatives of the Education Department unions form the staff
side of the Education Department Consultative Council (EDCC). The
scope of the EDCC comprises all matters which affect the conditions
of service of the Departmental staff covered by the Council,
functions including such matters as consideration of the best means for
utilising the ideas and experience of staff, and securing for staff a
greater share in and responsibility for determining and observing the
conditions under which duties are carried out, the encouragement of the
further education of staff and their training in higher administration
and organisation.
2.52
its
In order to strengthen the existing means of communication
with aided schools (e.g. regionalised administration within the Schools Division and the establishment of district education councils) the
Education Department introduced new procedures in 1979 aimed at
achieving improved communication between the Department and teaching
staffs of aided schools and between school management committees and
their teaching staffs. The main features of these new consultative