THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1976
SEVENTY-SEVEN DEMARCATORS' SALARIES REDUCED
FOR NOT PERFORMING FULL NORMAL DUTIES
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR. ALAN SCOTT, REPLIED TODAY TO QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME DEMARCATORS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION WHO HAVE NOT BEEN PERFORMING THEIR FULL NORMAL DUTIES SINCE JANUARY,
LAST MONTH THEY WERE WARNED THAT THOSE WHO DID NOT RETURN TO NORMAL WORKING WOULD HAVE THEIR SALARIES REDUCED.
IT WAS NOT REASONABLE TO CONTINUE TO PAY STAFF WHO ARE FAILING TO DO A FULL DAY'S WORK, HE SAID, EITHER FROM THE TAXPAYERS' VIEWPOINT OR FROM THE STANDPOINT OF GOOD MANAGEMENT.
EMPLOYEES WHO CURTAIL THEIR NORMAL DUTIES OR CEASE TO WORK CANNOT REASONABLY EXPECT THEIR EMPLOYER TO CONTINUE TO PAY THEM FULL SALARIES IF THEY DO.
THE +GO-SLOW+ ACTION IS IN SUPPORT OF A SALARY CLAIM AND OTHER MINOR ISSUES. THE CASE PUT FORWARD BY THE DEMARCATORS ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN LOOKED AT MOST CAREFULLY AND IN GREAT DETAIL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BY THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND THE COLONIAL SECRETARIAT. IT HAS NOT HOWEVER PROVED JUSTIFIED, BUT DISCUSSIONS ARE CONTINUING ON CERTAIN ASPECTS OF IT.
HOWEVER, 77 OUT OF THE 350 DEMARCATORS IGNORED THE WRITTEN WARNING GIVEN IN LATE MARCH, AND ARE CONTINUING TO DO LESS THAN THEIR FULL NORMAL DUTIES. IT WAS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO CUT THE APRIL SALARIES OF THESE OFFICERS BY 30 PER CENT, UNDER THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE.
THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE ADDED THAT SOME PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS MIGHT STOP SALARIES COMPLETELY IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, AND PERHAPS EVEN TERMINATE THE SERVICES OF EMPLOYEES. THE SECRETARY SAID THAT DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS APPLY TO CAREER STAFF SUCH AS CIVIL SERVANTS, ALTHOUGH PROCEDURES DO EXIST IN THE CIVIL SERVICE TO TAKE SUCH ACTION IF THE SITUATION REQUIRES IT.
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