TNAG-0785-FCO40-989-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H-A-Turn-1978 — Page 152

18.

the MPS at the Government's own initiative, or with recommendations

from Heads of Department for grade changes. Only 12 of the cases in

the current log are the result of representations from grade or

departmental associations directly.

In addition to the PIU and the PSD, there is a designated Staff

Relations Officer who reports to one of the two Deputy Secretaries

of the CSB. The specified role of the SRO, who currently works with

one assistant, is to foster DCC's develop effective staff welfare

-facilities, perform the duties of secretary to the SCSC and the Staff

Suggestions Committee, and liase with the staff associations. (18)

One observation which seems merited about the existing CSB establish-

ment is that the numbers of personnel involved, and consequently the

degree of specialisation available to handle staff relations, are

relatively small in comparison with organisations of comparable size

(whether public or private) in the UK, or other comparable public

services.

As was customary in the early stages of British personnel management in

large organisations, there is no differentiation between staff relations

and welfare functions. The lack of specialisation and the small numbers

of staff professionally involved in staff relations restricts the level'

and scope of activity possible in the field. The departments possess

Assistant Secretaries (Personnel) and similar appointments, but these

posts are external to the CS3 establishment.

It is thus difficult for

CSB, which along with Finance Branch is one of the two centralised

departments in the service, to implement its policy and influence staff.

(18) Hong Kong Government, Job Description Sheet, Staff Relations

Officer.