XN000022-1976-11-11 — Page 15

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1976

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HE STRESSED THAT EMPLOYEES IN A CIVIL SERVICE WERE IN AN UNUSUAL POSITION BECAUSE ITS MANAGEMENT AND ITS STAFF WERE BOTH EMPLOYEES, AND FELT SURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF ENCOURAGING THE GROWTH OF UNIONISM WAS CORRECT AND THAT STAFF ASSOCIATIONS GENERALLY EXERCISE THEIR FUNCTIONS WITH A DUE SENSE OF PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY.

+NEVERTHELESS, SITUATIONS DO OCCUR WHEN MANAGEMENT CANNOT GO ALL THE WAY TO MEET STAFF REQUESTS, AND WE WOULD INDEED BE SUPER-HUMAN IF CONFLICT OR DISAGREEMENT NEVER OCCURRED.

+THESE ARE THE OCCASIONS WHEN ALLEGATIONS OF INSINCERITY CR OF UNREASONABLE DELAY TEND TO ARISE AGAINST „MANAGEMENT BUT IN MY VIEW, SIR, MANAGEMENT IS NOT DOING ITS DUTY IF FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE, IT YIELDS TO SUCH TACTICS,+ HE SAID.

TURNING TO CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION AT THE DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL, MR. SCOTT SAID MORE THAN 30 CONSULTATIVE COUNCILS HAD NOW BEEN FORMED IN 24 DEPARTMENTS.

THOUGH THE COUNCILS WERE SOMETIMES CRITICISED AS PLACES WHERE ONLY MINOR MATTERS AND GRIEVANCES COULD BE AIRED, HE 3TRESSED THAT THEY COULD BE USED EFFECTIVELY BY BOTH STAFF AND MANAGEMENT AND THAT MUCH COULD BE ACHIEVED FROM THE TWO-WAY FLOW OF VIEWS AND IDEAS.

+THEY ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CORRECT FORUM FOR THE DISCUSSION CF THE STRUCTURE OF DEPARTMENTAL GRADES AND THEIR INTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND WHERE APPLICABLE, RELATIONSHIPS TO COMPARABLE OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS,+ HE SAID.

+OFFICERS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH KEEP IN REGULAR TOUCH WITH SENIOR DEPARTMENTAL OFFICERS, TO FOLLOW PROGRESS AND TO ADVISE UPON DISCUSSIONS IN DEPARTMENTAL COUNCILS AS NECESSARY HE ADDED.

REFERRING TO THE ALLOCATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING TO LOWER-INCOME CIVIL SERVANTS, MR. SCOTT SAID IT WAS DECIDED IN 1961 THAT 15 PER CENT OF ACCOMMODATION IN GOVERNMENT LOW-COST HOUSING ESTATES SHOULD BE SET ASIDE ANNUALLY FOR ALLOCATION TO THEM.

WITH THE GREATLY EXPANDED HOUSING PROGRAMME IN 1973, IT WAS DECIDED THAT 1,500 UNITS PER ANNUM OUT OF ALL PUBLIC HOUSING WOULD BE RESERVED FOR THEM BECAUSE A CONTINUATION OF THE 15 PER CENT POLICY WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ALLOCATION OF AS MANY AS 5,000 UNITS PER ANNUM.

HE SAID IN 1975 THERE WERE 1,449 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS WHO RECEIVED ALLOCATIONS.

THIS YEAR'S ALLOCATIONS, HE ADDED HAD NOT YET BEEN FINALISED BUT IT WAS LIKELY THAT THE ALLOCATION OF 1,500 UNITS WOULD BE ALMOST FULLY SUBSCRIBED, AND THAT FE, IF ANY, QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WOULD NOT SUCCEED IN GETTING AN ALLOCATION.

+ DO NOT THEREFORE THINK IT NECESSARY AT THE MOMENT TO CONSIDER AN INCREASE IN THE ALLOCATION FOR CIVIL SERVANTS, ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE CRITERIA APPLIED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC CONTINUE TO BE APPLIED TO CIVIL SERVANTS,+ HE SAID.