MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1981
KCR STAFF ASSURED ABOUT FUTURE PROSPECT
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KCR STAFF HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT THEY WILL IN NO WAY BE WORSE OFF UNDER THE NEW KCR CORPORATION.
THEIR REPRESENTATIVES WERE GIVEN THE ASSURANCE AT A MEETING WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THIS AFTERNOON. AT THE MEETING WERE MR D.M. HOWES, CHIEF EXECUTIVE (DESIGNATE) OF THE KCRC- MR WONG U-LAM, GENERAL MANAGER, RAILWAY- MR H.6. ARDLEY, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, AND MR GORDON SIU, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE.
MR HOWES TOLD THE STAFF REPRESENTATIVES THAT HE HAD BEEN SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED BY THE KCRC TRANSITIONAL BOARD, WHICH HELD THE IR FIRST MEETING THIS MORNING, TO TELL THEM THAT THE BOARD HAVE NO INTENTION OF PRESENTING EXISTING KCR STAFF WITH ANY PRE-DETERMINED PACKAGE CONCERNING THE FUTURE TERMS OF THE IR EMPLOYMENT.
+ON THE CONTRARY, IT IS FULLY INTENDED THAT AT EVERY STAGE THERE WILL BE FULL CONSULTATION WITH THE KCR STAFF REPRESENTATIVES AND THAT STAFF REPRESENTATIONS WILL AT ALL TIMES BE FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, HE SAID.
WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF MR HOWES AND MR WONG TO THE TRANSITIONAL BOARD, THERE ARE NOW TWO LONG-SERVING PROFESSIONAL RAILWAY OFFICERS ON THE BOARD WHO CAN SPEAK WITH AUTHORITY IN THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF KCR AND ITS WORKFORCE.
MR HOWES AND MR WONG ALSO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD WHICH HAS BEEN SET UP TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBLE OPTIONS RELATIVE TO THE EXISTING KCR STAFF AS A BASIS OF DISCUSSION.
+ANY OPTION CONSIDERED AND TABLED FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE KCR STAFF REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT THE PRESENT KCR STAFF WILL IN NO WAY BE WORSE OFF THAN THEY ARE AT THE PRESENT TIME, MR HOWES TOLD THE STAFF REPRESENTATIVES.
ONE POSSIBLE OPTION WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED MORE FULLY WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE NEAR FUTURE IS THE OFFER OF ABOLITION OF OFFICE TERMS TOGETHER WITH AN EX-GRATIA PAYMENT FOLLOWED BY RE- EMPLOYMENT BY THE FUTURE KCRC. THESE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE DETERMINED ON THE ADVICE OF AN INDEPENDENT BODY ON WHICH THE STAFF WILL NOMINATE A REPRESENTATIVE. THE OPTION COULD ALSO INCLUDE AN INITIAL PERIOD OF SECONDMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
+WE FULLY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE CONTINUING ANXIETY FELT BY THE WHOLE OF THE KCR STAFF AND, UPON MY RETURN FROM LEAVE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL MEET FORMALLY AND BEGIN DETAILED DISCUSSIONS OF THE ISSUES, MR HOWES SAID.
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