XN000022-1976-01-28 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1976

STATEMENT ON WORK-TO-RULE BY TELEPHONE OPERATORS

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE TODAY COMMENTED ON REPORTS ABOUT THE WORK-TO-RULE BY GOVERNMENT TELEPHONE OPERATORS AND THE STATEMENT FROM THE TELEPHONE OPERATORS UNIT OF THE HONG KONG CHINESE CIVIL SERVANTS ASSOCIATION THAT FURTHER ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN IN SUPPORT OF THEIR REQUEST FOR INCREASED PAY.

HE SAID THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS OF THEIR ACTION SO FAR, BUT HE NOTED THAT MANY OPERATORS WORKED AT HOSPITALS AND IF THEY FAILED TO CARRY OUT THEIR PRESCRIBED DUTIES, IT COULD INCONVENIENCE PEOPLE AT TIMES OF REAL NEED.

THE TELEPHONE OPERATORS ARE REQUESTING THAT THEIR SALARY SCALE SHOULD BE THE SAME AS COMMUNICATIONS CONTROLLERS (PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT) AND POLICE COMMUNICATORS. A DETAILED EXAMINATION BY THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH OF THE WORK OF ALL THREE GROUPS HAS CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS REASON FOR MAINTAINING SOMEWHAT HIGHER PAY RATES FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS CONTROLLER AND POLICE COMMUNICATOR, WHOSE WORK INCLUDES, IN ADDITION TO NORMAL TELEPHONE OPERATING, DUTIES SUCH AS:

COMMUNICATIONS CONTROLLER=

POLICE COMMUNICATOR1

CALLING OUT AND DIRECTING REPAIR STAFF TO WATER SUPPLY FAULTS.

REGULAR SHIFT DUTY, TRANSFER WITHIN THE FORCE AT REGULAR INTERVALS, AND LIABILITY TO POLICE DISCIPLINE.

TELEPHONE OPERATORS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE ARE PAID ON A SCALE FROM $815 TO $1,340, WHICH IS CONSIDERED FAIR IN RELATION BOTH TO PRIVATE SECTOR PAY RATES FOR COMPARABLE WORK AND TO COMMUNICATIONS CONTROLLERS AND POLICE COMMUNICATORS, WHO ARE ON A SCALE FROM $875 TO $1,540. TELEPHONE OPERATORS MAY, OF COURSE, APPLY FOR THE OTHER POSTS, AND 16 VACANCIES FOR POLICE COMMUNICATORS WERE RECENTLY ADVERTISED FOR WHICH THEY MAY APPLY. ADVERTISEMENT OF VACANCIES FOR TELEPHONE OPERATORS INVARIABLY ATTRACTS A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR EXAMPLE, OVER 700 PEOPLE APPLIED LAST MONTH IN RESPONSE TO AN ADVERTISEMENT.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE WENT ON TO SAY THAT DISCUSSIONS WERE CONTINUING WITH THE HONG KONG CHINESE CIVIL SERVANTS ASSOCIATION, AND THAT IN PARTICULAR THE TELEPHONE OPERATORS WOULD BE REMINDED EXACTLY WHAT THEIR DUTIES ARE AND IF THEY DO NOT CARRY OUT THESE DUTIES REASONABLY, IT MAY BE NECESSARY, IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, TO CONSIDER REDUCING THEIR PAY AS PROVIDED IN REGULATIONS.

THEIR PRESCRIBED