XN000022-1976-01-16 — Page 4

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Friday, January 16, 1976

"The Government fully understands and accepts the right of

staff associations to make representations for improved conditions,

but has the duty to ensure that public funds are properly spent, along

with its responsibility as an employer to provide fair remuneration

and benefits for civil servants. There will be occasions when an

association will be dissatisfied, because management feels that it

cannot reasonably give concessions,"

In this particular case, the Secretary for the Civil Service

considers that Air Traffic Controllers are reasonably remunerated

although, as the Director has already said to them, there may be

aspects of their career structure which can be looked into and which

he has invited them to discuss.

A

Work-to-rule is not a very precise term and it may mean one

thing to an employee and another to an employer. In this instance,

the regulations for the work of Air Traffic Controllers are clearly

laid down by the Director in accordance with international standards.

It may therefore be said that working-to-rule is exactly what is

expected of Air Traffic Controllers all the time, and that any delays

which result from this proposed action indicate that they are not

performing their jobs properly and efficiently. If this turns out to

be the case, then it will be necessary to consider whether salaries

are being fully earned and if not, whether some action should be taken.

The Secretary for the Civil Service regards this as a Bad

prospect, because the aim is to keep the public services going and to

keep civil servants reasonably content. He therefore hopes that the

Association will review its stand and rejoin the Director in the

Consultative Council before these matters escalate unnecessarily.

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