CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO
2593
OF 24080OZ AUGUST 90
CONFIDENTIAL
117442 MDLIAN 5493
YOUR TELNO 1551 : POLICE AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
1. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN MEDIA CRITICISM OF THE POLICE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS DECISION TO MAKE REPRESENTATION IN LONDON. THIS IS
NOW REFLECTED MORE GENERALLY IN OUR FEEDBACK REPORTS FROM THE COMMUNITY. ACTING GOVERNOR AND ALLEN LEE HAVE ECHOED THESE SENTIMENTS IN PUBLIC COMMENTS BY SAYING THAT STAFF PROBLEMS CONCERNED WITH STAFF RELATIONS WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE ARE BETTER DEALT WITH IN HONG KONG. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS WE FEEL THAT THE DELEGATION SHOULD BE SEEN AT A LOWER LEVEL I.E. ALAN PAUL RATHER THAN ANDREW BURNS. WE WOULD SEE NO OBJECTION TO LORD CAITHNESS SEEING ALL THE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS INCLUDING THE POLICE DURING HIS VISIT HERE AS THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH THE PRACTICE
ESTABLISHED BY FRANCIS MAUDE.
2. THE POLICE'S MAIN GRIEVANCES ARE OVER PAY, SECURITY OF PENSIONS AND THE NEED TO RESOLVE MATTER OF CONCERN TO HMOCS OFFICERS. YOU MAY WISH TO REFER TO THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION AND THE MINISTER OF STATE EARLIER THIS YEAR WHICH SETS OUT VARIOUS AREAS OF CONCERN TO POLICE AND THE LINE WHICH WE HAVE TAKEN SO FAR.
PAY
3. THE PAY GRIEVANCES DATE BACK TO RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE RENNIE COMMITTEE IN OCTOBER 1988 WHICH RESULTED IN A CHANGE OF RELATIVITY BETWEEN THE DISCIPLINED SERVICES. BEFORE RENNIE, POLICE RANK-AND-FILE ENJOYED A PAY LEAD OF 5 PER CENT TO 10 PER CENT OVER THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN OTHER SERVICES. THIS WAS REDUCED BY RENNIE TO 3 PER CENT TO 7 PER CENT. ALSO BEFORE RENNIE THE OFFICER RANKS WERE PAID THE SAME IN ALL THE DISCIPLINED SERVICES.
RENNIE GAVE RANKS IN CORRECTIONAL SERVICES AND CUSTOMS AND EXCISE A PAY LEAD OF 4 PER CENT TO 8 PER CENT OVER THEIR COUNTERPARTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN POLICE.
4. BECAUSE OF DISCONTENT OVER RENNIE, THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DISCIPLINED SERVICES SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE WAS APPOINTED IN FEBRUARY 1989 TO ADVISE ON PAY AND CONDITIONS OF
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CONFIDENTIAL