XN000022-1978-07-05 — Page 3

MEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1978

PAY ADJUSTMENT FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE

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THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A PAY ADJUSTMENT FOR 123,000 CIVIL SERVANTS. THE AVERAGE INCREASE IS ABOUT 3 PER CENT, RANGING FROM 10.34 PER CENT FOR APPRENTICES TC 5.11 PER CENT FOR TOP OFFICIALS IN THE DIRECTORATE.

THE ADJUSTMENT ILL EE BACKDATED TO APRIL 1, AND ARREARS WILL BE PAID THIS MONTH (JULY). THE ESTINATED COST FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE IS $224 MILLION ANNUALLY.

A GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT SPOKESMAN SAID APPROVAL FOLLOWED A DETAILED REVIEW OF PAY MOVEMENTS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR THE YEAR ENDING APRIL 1, 1976, CONDUCTED BY THE PAY INVESTIGATION UNIT AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE THREE MAIN STAFF ASSOCIATIONS,

E SAID THE ADJUSTMENT WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF FOLLOWING IN THE SHORT TERM TRENDS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND WERE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE COST OF LIVING.

GIVING EXAMPLES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID STARTING PAY FOR AN APPRENTICE GOES UP FROM 435 PER MONTH TO $480 PER MONTH AT THE MINIMUM, AND FROM $670 PER MONTH TO $735 PER MONTH AT THE MAXIMUM.

POINT 1 ON THE MASTER PAY SCALE GOES UP FROM 755 PER MONTH TO $825 PER MONTH, WHILE POINT 48 GOES UP FROM 09,445 PER MONTH TO $10,100 PER MONTH.

THE MOD 1 PAY SCALE IS INCREASED FROM A HIGH OF 9.39 PER CENT TO A LOW OF 8.5 PER CENT, AT THE MINIMUM SALARIES RISE FROM 1905 PER MONTH TO 3990 PER MONTH AND AT THE MAXIMUM FROM $1,365 PER MONTH TO $1,490 PER MONTH.

DISCIPLINED SERVICES WILL RECEIVE COMPARABLE INCREASES.

SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS ARE FREE TO APPLY TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR ASSISTANCE TOWARDS THE COST OF MAKING SIMILAR ADJUSTMENTS FOR THEIR OWN STAFF. THE APPROPRIATE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS WILL EE IN TOUCH WITH THESE ORGANISATIONS.

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