TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1979
GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS STANDING COMMISSION'S REPORT ON PAY
******
SUBJECT TO THE PROVISION OF THE NECESSARY FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FIRST REPORT ON CIVIL SERVICE PAY+ BY THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE WERE TODAY ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNOR ON THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
IT WAS NOTED THAT OVER 300 REPRESENTATIONS ON THE REPORT HAD BEEN RECEIVED FROM STAFF AND DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT. THE INTERLOCK ING NATURE OF THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS, WHICH MEANT THAT ANY ALTERATION TO A PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION WOULD IN MOST CASES CALL FOR RECONSIDERATION OF MANY OTHER RELATED RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH WOULD INEVITABLY CAUSE MANY HONTHS DELAY, WAS ALSO TAKEN into account.
IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT SUCH A WIDE-RANGING REPORT COULD NOT HOPE TO SATISFY THE ASPIRATIONS OF ALL GRADES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE IN ONE REPORT, BUT AS THE COMMISSION WAS A STANDING ONE THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROUPS WHICH WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMISSION. ACCORDINGLY, THE COUNCIL ADVISED THAT ALL THE REPRESENTATIONS SHOULD BE REFERRED FORTHWITH TO THE COMMISSION.
REPRESENTATIONS THAT THE NEW PAY SCALES SHOULD BE EFFECTIVE FROM APRIL 1, 1979, INSTEAD OF OCTOBER 1, 1979 AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION WERE ALSO CONSIDERED.
IT WAS NOTED THAT THE REVISED PAY SCALES RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION WERE DIFFERENT IN NATURE FROM OVERALL PAY INCREASES BASED ON COST OF LIVING INCREASES OR ON TRENDS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THEREFORE, WHEN THE NEXT OVERALL PAY REVIEW COMES TO BE CONSIDERED, THERE WOULD BE NO INTENTION OF DEDUCTING FROM ANY SUCH ADJUSTMENT THE INCREASES EFFECTIVE FROM OCTOBER 1, 1979.
IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF THE COMMISSION'S REPORT SHOULD BE OCTOBER 1, 1979, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION.
THE PROPOSALS WILL BE PUT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN DECEMBER AND IT IS HOPED TO HAVE PAYMENT MADE BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR.
/2