TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1978
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STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
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THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL TODAY (TUESDAY) APPROVED PROVISIONALLY THE TERMS OF REFERENCE AND COMPOSITION OF THE NEW STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, SUBJECT TO THE OUTCOME OF CONSULTATION WITH THE STAFF SIDE.
THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR. MARTIN ROWLANDS, PUT THE PROPOSALS FOR THE NEW STANDING COMMISSION TO THE THREE "MA ÎN STAFF ASSOCIATIONS THIS EVENING. THE VARIOUS POLICE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS WILL BE CONSULTED TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) THROUGH THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE. ALL OTHER HEADS OF DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO BE ASKED TO CONSULT THE GRADE ASSOCIATIONS WITH WHOM THEY HAVE DEALINGS,
IN GENERAL TERMS, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE COMMISSION'S PRIME TASK SHOULD BE TO ADVISE THE GOVERNOR ON THE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE CIVIL SERVICE GRADE AND SALARY STRUCTURE, AND ON WAYS OF CARRYING OUT REGULAR REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL GRADES. THE COMMISSION WOULD OVERSEE SUCH REVIEWS, AND, AFTER DISCUSSION BETWEEN STAFF AND MANAGEMENT, ADVISE THE GOVERNOR ON POINTS AT ISSUE.
IT IS ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD ADVISE THE GOVERNOR ON THE MAIN CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, AND ON PROCEDURES TO ENABLE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS TO REPRESENT THEIR VIEWS TO MANAGEMENT, AND TO THE COMMISSION,
IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE A CHAIRMAN AND ABOUT FOUR TO SIX MEMBERS, ALL PART-TIME. ALL WOULD BE NORMALLY RESIDENT IN HONG KONG, NONE WOULD BE CIVIL SERVANTS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID# +WE ARE ANXIOUS. TO GET THE STANDING COMMISSION WORKING JUST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE+, THE COMMISSION'S STAFF ARE NOW BEING ASSEMBLED AND THE TARGET DATE FOR THE COMMISSION TO START WORK IS FEBRUARY, BUT MUCH WILL DEPEND ON THE SPEED WITH WHICH CONSULTATIONS WITH STAFF ASSOCIATIONS CAN BE COMPLETED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID ANY NEW PAY CLAIMS MADE BY INDIVIDUAL GRADES, TOGETHER WITH EXISTING CLAIMS WHICH HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN PROCESSED TO AN ADVANCED STAGE WOULD BE PUT TO THE COMMISSION IN DUE COURSE. ONE OF THE MAIN AIMS OF ESTABLISHING THE COMMISSION IS TO SUBSTITUTE A SYSTEMATIC, REGULAR REVIEW FOR THE PRESENT AD HOC APPROACH, AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME, THE COMMISSION WILL ANNOUNCE THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR STAFF WISHING TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE
COMMISSION+.
THE SPOKESMAN DESCRIBED THE SETTING UP OF THE COMMISSION AS A MILESTONE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STAFF RELATIONS WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE. FOR THE FIRST TIME A PERMANENT, UNOFFICIAL BODY WILL ENSURE THAT THE SALARY AND STRUCTURE OF INDIVIDUAL GRADES IS REVIEWED REGULARLY AND SYSTEMATICALLY, HE SAID. MOREOVER, WHERE STAFF AND THE OFFICIAL SIDE CANNOT AGREE, THE COMMISSION WILL ADVISE ON PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT THE STAFF CAN REPRESENT THE IR VIEWS TO THE COMMISSION BEFORE IT FORMULATES ITS ADVICE.+
HE SAID IN DUE COURSE AN ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD BE MADE CONCERNING THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION.
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