XN000022-1992-10-01 — Page 19

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1992

SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANTS URGED TO ACT IN CLIENTS' INTEREST

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IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID THE DEPARTMENT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT REPORTS ON SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANT (SWA) BRANCH TAKING INDUSTRIAL ACTION STARTING FROM TODAY (THURSDAY).

URGING THE SWA GRADE TO ACT WITH GOOD SENSE AND PATIENCE, HE REMINDED THEM THAT AS SOCIAL WELFARE WORKERS THEY SHOULD PUT CLIENTS' INTEREST ABOVE PERSONAL BENEFITS.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD NOT OBSERVED GREAT DISRUPTION TO THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS A RESULT OF THE WORK-TO-RULE ACTION.

"WE FEEL THAT THE DEPARTMENT CAN COUNT ON THEIR PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN NOT CARRYING OUT ANY DRASTIC ACTION THAT PUTS OUR CLIENTS' INTEREST AT RISK," HE SAID.

SAID

THEY WOULD REFUSE ΤΟ WHEN THEY JOINED THE

MOST OF THE ITEMS THAT THE GRADE HANDLE FELL WITHIN THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION DEPARTMENT, HE SAID,

"HOWEVER, IT IS DIFFICULT TO INCLUDE EVERY DETAIL OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. ONLY AN OUTLINE COULD BE LISTED, THUS CAUSING THE MISUNDERSTANDING.

"BESIDES, WE NEED TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO CHANGING NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS TO BETTER SERVE THEM, HE SAID.

..

THE DEPARTMENT HAS WRITTEN TO THE SWA BRANCH, REMINDING THEM THAT CERTAIN DUTIES THAT THE BRANCH WOULD REFUSE TO DO WERE IN FACT NORMAL DUTIES.

IT HAS EXPLAINED TO THE BRANCH THAT THE INDUSTRIAL ACTION WAS UNCALLED FOR AND OF NO BENEFIT BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT ACHIEVE ANYTHING NOW EXCEPT TO LOWER THE HIGH REGARD HELD BY THE PUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE GRADE.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN HOLDING MEETINGS WITH THE SWA BRANCH TO RESOLVE THE MATTER. A FURTHER MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK.

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