2 -
taken to ensure that the difference in the total pay package
between the civil service and the private sector would not
be widened. The Commission is considering what steps it
should recommend to this end.
B. Review of Terms of Reference
3.
Revised Terms of Reference were approved by the
Governor in Council on 20 July to enable the Standing
Commission to take the initiative to review fringe benefits
and advise on changes and improvements.
4.
C. Report No. 8 : Educational Qualification Benchmarks,
Grades with Student Ranks and Long Service Increments
Report No. 9 was submitted to the Deputy to the
Governor on 1 May. It was approved by Executive Council on
1 June and the financial implications were accepted by
Finance Committee on 16 June for implementation on 1 July.
It has aroused discontent among a number of staff groups
and student bodies although no arguments of particular
substance have been advanced. The most vocal protests have
come from Survey Officers and Technical Officers in Government
and Social Work Assistants in the subvented sector, the latter
being supported by heads of various voluntary agencies and
training institutions. Meetings have been held with both
groups. The Survey Officers and Technical officers have now
scaled down their so-called 'go-slow', which in any case
has had little effect on departmental work. Reactions from
other civil service unions and student unions are being
monitored, and meetings have been held with them to explain
the background to the Report.
/De-federalisation
...