XN000022-1993-06-22 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 1993

EXCO APPROVES CIVIL SERVICE PAY ADJUSTMENT

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SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS WILL RECEIVE A PAY RISE OF 9.76 PER CENT AND THEIR JUNIOR COUNTERPART'S AN INCREASE OF 10.66 PER CENT, BACKDATED TO APRIL 1 THIS YEAR.

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DECIDED ON THIS LEVEL OF PAY ADJUSTMENT TODAY (TUESDAY) AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE STAFF SIDE OF THE CENTRAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCILS, OVERALL STAFF RESPONSE AND PUBLIC REACTION TO THE PAY OFFER.

MEMBERS ARE FULLY AWARE OF STAFF SENTIMENT ON A RANGR OF ISSUES CONCERNING THEIR PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING AN EFFICIENT AND SATISFIED CIVIL SERVICE.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE WILL MEET WITH THE STAFF SIDE OF THE CENTRAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCILS TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS.

AS REGARDS THE PAY ADJUSTMENT THIS YEAR, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR STUART HARBINSON, SAID THE PAY ADJUSTMENT FOLLOWED THE NET PAY TREND INDICATORS WHICH REFLECTED THE AVERAGE INCREASES IN SALARIES OVER THE PAST YEAR FOR PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYEES.

"CIVIL SERVANTS IN THE LOWER PAY BAND ARE OFFERED SLIGHTLY HIGHER INCREASES THAN THE PAY TREND INDICATORS, 30 AS NOT ΤΟ WIDEN THE GAP BETWEEN THE SALARIES OF LOWER PAID STAFF AND THE SENIOR STAFF," MR HARBINSON SAID.

"THE PAY ADJUSTMENT IS FAIR AND REASONABLE. CIVIL SERVANTS TO ENJOY REAL GROWTH IN THEIR SALARIES,

IT ENABLES ALL

HE ADDED.

RESPONDING TO THE STAFF SIDE'S PAY CLAIMS, MR HARBINSON SAID THE ESTABLISHED POLICY WAS FOR EACH PAY ADJUSTMENT TO BE TREATED AS A SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT EXERCISE DETERMINED ON THE BASIS OF PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES.

"THEREFORE, WE HAVE DIFFICULTY

SUGGESTION THAT WE YEARS, HE STATED.

IN PRINCIPLE WITH THE

SHOULD MAKE UP ANY 'SHORTFALL' FROM PREVIOUS

THE STAFF SIDE OF THE FOUR CIVIL SERVICE CONSULTATIVE COUNCILS HAVE ASKED FOR PAY INCREASES OF 13.28 PER CENT FOR THE UPPER PAY BAND AND 14.18 PER CENT FOR THE MIDDLE AND LOWER PAY BANDS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NET PAY TREND INDICATORS AND THE ACTUAL PAY AWARDS IN 1990 AND 1991.

THE COST OF THE PAY ADJUSTMENT FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE AND SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS IS ESTIMATED TO BE $5.6 BILLION IN 1993/94.

SUBJECT TO THE PROVISION OF FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR HARBINSON SAID CIVIL SERVANTS WOULD RECEIVE THE REVISED SALARIES, DATING BACK TO APRIL 1, AT THE END OF JULY.

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