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WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1977
SALARY INCREASES FOR CIVIL SERVANTS
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THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TODAY APPROVED SALARY INCREASES FOR CIVIL SERVANTS. FOR THOSE ON THE MASTER PAY SCALE OR IN THE DISCIPLINED SERVICES AND FOR MINOR STAFF, THE INCREASE WILL BE ABOUT 7-1/2 PER CENT. FOR DIRECTORATE STAFF THE INCREASE WILL BE ABOUT 7 PER CENT.
THE INCREASES WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM APRIL 1 THIS YEAR. THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST IS $185 MILLION.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY THAT CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES SHOULD FOLLOW THOSE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE INCREASES ARE BASED ON EVIDENCE OF PAY MOVEMENTS IN A SAMPLE OF 68 COMPANIES. A PAY INVESTIGATION UNIT SURVEY SHOWED THAT DURING THE 12 MONTHS, APRIL 1976 TO MARCH 1977, SALARIES INCREASED ON AVERAGE BY 7-1/2 PER CENT. IN THE SAME PERIOD, THE COST OF LIVING INCREASED BY 4-3/4 PER CENT.
THE INCREASE FOR DIRECTORATE OFFICERS IS BASED ON A RECOMMENDATION BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DIRECTORATE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE.
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AS A RESULT OF THESE CHANGES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MINIMUM PAY OF AN UNSKILLED LABOURER GOES UP FROM $840 A MONTH, PLUS $15 COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE (A TOTAL OF $855) TO $905 A MONTH. SALARY OF A SENIOR ENGINEER AT THE TOP OF THE MASTER PAY SCALE WILL INCREASE FROM $8,800 A MONTH TO $9,445 A MONTH. THE MINIMUM SALARY OF A POLICE CONSTABLE GOES UP FROM THE PRESENT $1,230 A MONTH TO $1,330 A MONTH. A STATION SERGEANT ON THE MAXIMUM GOES FROM $2,675 A MONTH TO $2,875 A MONTH.
SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS ARE FREE TO APPLY TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR ASSISTANCE TOWARDS THE COST OF GIVING THEIR STAFF A PAY RISE. THE APPROPRIATE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH THESE ORGANISATIONS.
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