TNAG-0738-FCO40-942-Progress-reports-of-Civil-Service-Branch--Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 40

representation to formally non

candidates for

election or merely to have submissions tabled for, consideration by the Council.

Any general

Ir

(such the pay of an inter- departmental

al grade or grades) should be discussed in general. Council before any reference to the Tribunal

case of doubt or argument as to an issue's generality Chairman (or his Deputy, again) should rule whether was appropriate to a general or departmental Council Issues" should only be referred to the Tribunal in the event of failure to agree, and the Tribunal should be empowered to refuse to consider a reference on the ground hat inadequate discussion had taken place in the Council.

that futkher attempts to reach agreement should be made.

Departmental issues should be subject to the same provisos.

of ultimate failure to agree at the Departmental level, Departmental Councils should have the choice of reference to the appropriate general council or to the Tribunal. But in case of a reference to it, either side of the relevant general council might object to the issue's consideration, on the ground that it was of insufficient generality or, alternatively, contrary to principles on- which

In

;

•

E

instance Council had itself previously agreed. In which

instance and in case of disagreement, the Tribunal's Chair- man again should rule whether or not it would accept "the disputer directly.

foly

ཏཥ' རC

Grievances

affecting individuals or very small numbers-01 Individuals), should not be discussed in the first instance by D.C.C.'s (or sub-departmental committees, where "consti- tuted), but by a very small panel of the D.C.C.'s members who should decide whether or not there was a 'prima facie! case for reference to arbitration; in which case, again the watter should go to the Chairman of the Tribunal. But he should (also again) have the right either to refuse it

refer it back to the D.C.C. itself, on the ground that it could reasonably have been settled by agreement within t Department

*

A

any case of difficulty or imminent disagreement, the Council concerned should be empowered jointly to ask the Chairman's advice without actually ruling (f.e. to ask him to act as mediator, effectively). Similarly, the Chairman should be empowered to invite, both sides, in any discussion on a specific issue, to meet him before any reference to the Tribunal had been made.