XN000022-1978-03-15 — Page 16

LEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1978

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STAFF CONSULTATION ON DEPARTMENTAL ISSUES

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THE EXISTING CONSULTATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEALING WITH SERVICE IDE ISSUES WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE +SEEMS TO BE WELL SUITED TO OUR PRESENT NEED, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE HON. RONALD BRIDGE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR. BRIDGE ADDED THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW LOOKING INTO MORE FORMALISED ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSULTING STAFF ON DEPARTMENTAL ISSUES, AS RECENT EXPERIENCE APPEARS TO SHOW SUCH A NEED.

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+WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO OPEN DISCUSSIONS ON THIS WITH THE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS BY THE EARLY SUMMER, + HE SAID.

MR. BRIDGE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. WONG LAN WHO ASKED THE GOVERNMENT IF ITS CONSULTATIVE PROCEDURES WITH CIVIL SERVANTS ARE ADEQUATE AND WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING PLANNED +IN VIEW OF THE DISSATISFACTION RECENTLY EXPRESSED BY SOME CIVIL SERVANTS WITH THEIR CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND PROMOTION PROSPECTS+.

EXPLAINING THE PROCEDURES MR. ERIDGE SAID: +CONSULTATION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE TAKES PLACE AT TWO LEVELS, DEPENDING ON HETHER OR NOT THE ISSUE IS OF SERVICE-WIDE OR DEPARTMENTAL INTEREST.

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+SERVICE-WIDE ISSUES, SUCH AS THE OVERALL LEVEL OF SALARIES AND LEAVE EARNING RATES, ARE DISCUSSED WITH THE THREE MAIN STAFF ASSOCIATIONS IN THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL.

+THE 1968 AGREEMENT WITH THESE ASSOCIATIONS PROVIDES FOR CONSULTATION WITH THEM BEFORE MAJOR CHANGES ARE MADE AND, IN SOME INSTANCES, FOR DISPUTES TO BE REFERRED TO AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY.+

FOR DEPARTMENTAL ISSUES, MR. BRIDGE SAID, THEY WERE FIRST DISCUSSED BY HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS WITH STAFF REPRESENTATIVES EITHER DIRECTLY OR IN DEPARTMENTAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCILS.

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+ IF THEY CONCERN PAY OR ANY OTHER QUESTION THAT HAS FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH ALSO HAS TO BE INVOLVED,+ HE ADDED.

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