WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1988
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MR BARNES SAID THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE SALARY CONDITION WAS TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF LOCAL EMPLOYEES, WHO WOULD SUFFER A LOSS OF REAL EARNINGS IF CHEAPER SOURCES OF LABOUR WERE READILY AVAILABLE FROM OVERSEAS.
"THE GOVERNMENT THEREFORE ASCERTAINS WHAT THE CURRENT MARKET RATE IS FOR A PARTICULAR JOB, SO THAT IT CAN BE SATISFIED, WHEN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS ARE PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL, THAT THE SALART TO BE PAID IS NOT LESS THAN THE MARKET RATE," HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT INFORMATION ABOUT CURRENT MARKET RATES WAS PROVIDED BY RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WITH EXPERT KNOWLEDGE OF THE TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT CONCERNED.
"IN THE CASE OF DOMESTIC HELPERS, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT BURVEYS THE SALARIES OFFERED TO LOCAL EMPLOYEES, DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION OF CURRENT SALARY LEVELS."
AND INFORMS THR
MR BARNES ADDED THAT IT WAS NOT THE NORMAL PRACTICE TO CONSULT EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS ABOUT THESE MATTERS WHICH WERE PART OF IMMIGRATION ENTRY POLICY.
"THE PURPOSE OF ANNOUNCING PUBLICLY THE CURRENT SÅLARY LEVEL FOR DOMESTIC HELPERS IS TO ASSIST THE LARGE NUMBERS OF EMPLOYERS WHO PRESENT EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TO OBTAIN SPEEDY APPROVAL,' HE SAID.
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MERGER OF SALARY SCALES A LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE
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A COMPLETE MERGER OF TWO EXISTING SALARY SCALES FOR CIVIL SERVANTS SHOULD BE A LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG, BIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD ACCEPTED THE ADVICE OF THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE IN 1980 THAT STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN GRADUALLY TO REDUCE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODEL SCALE 1 AND MASTER PAY SCALE STAFF.
MASTER PAY SCALE HAS EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AS THE MAIN DETERMINANT FOR ENTRY INTO THE GRADES CONCERNED WHEREAS MODEL SCALE 1, WHICH COMPRISES WORKMAN AND ARTISAN GRADES, REQUIRES OPERATIVE SKILL RATHER THAN EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.
SIR DAVID SAID THAT BEFORE 1971, CIVIL SERVICE GRADES WERE REMUNERATED ON 10 MODEL SCALES - FROM SCALES 1 TO 10
ACCORDING ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS AND OCCUPATIONAL GROUPING.
TO
/FOLLOWING THE