TNAG-0822-FCO40-1029-Policy-on-salaries-for-civil-servants-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 485

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! FEEL THEREFORE THAT IT IS TOO EARLY TO REFER TO RECOMMENDATION WHICH WE HAVE NOT YET SEEN AND WHICH MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE

TO THIS DISPUTE.

6. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL FEEL ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE

FIRM SUPPORT WHICH YOU HAVE SO FAR PROVIDED, SINCE WE DO NOT

BELIEVE THAT ANY NEW FACTORS HAVE EMERGED WHICH WOULD MAKE IT

DEFENSIBLE FOR US TO CHANGE OUR MINDS AT THIS LATE STAGE.

7. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD REPLY ON THE FOLLOWING

LINES:-

''THERE HAVE BEEN THREE IMPARTIAL ASSESSMENTS OF SECRETARIAL

CLASS PAY SINCE AN EQUAL PAY SCHEME FOR WOMEN IN THE HONG KONG

PUBLIC SERVICE WAS ANNOUNCED IN 1966, ALL THREE CONCLUDED THAT THE CLASS WAS FAIRLY PAID.

A RESTRUCTURING OF THE SECRETARIAL CLASS, OF WHICH THE SHORTHAND AUDIO TYPISTS ARE PART, WAS CARRIED OUT IN 1976.

ABOUT 2,520 MEMBERS OF THE SECRETARIAL CLASS HAVE ACCEPTED

THE TERMS OFFERED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. AS A RESULT OF THIS RESTRUCTURING ONLY 109 SHORTHAND AUDIO TYPISTS (OUT OF A TOTAL OF ABOUT 400) HAVE REFUSED THESE TERMS.

THERE IS THEREFORE NO DISPUTE WITH ABOUT 95 PERCENT OF THE SECRETARIAL CLASS OR WITH 75 PERCENT OF THE SHORTHAND

AUDIO TYPISTS.

IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT DOES NOT

CONSIDER THAT ARBITRATION IS APPROPRIATE.''

ROBERTS

FILES

HK & GD (6)

CLA

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

MR MURRAY

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON

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