A further point in our argument is that the government have recently decided
to reduce the number of Personal Secretary posts with a consequent redundancy
of some 12 staff. Although in practice this redundancy has been absorbed
through wastage the fact remains that there are now very many fewer posts
available, so the prospect for promotion has diminished, and at the same time
our scales have been reduced. This means that we are suffering a double
disadvantage in addition to the points mentioned concerning greater
qualificiations needed to come into the grade and the lowering of our financial
status in equal pay terms with the clerical grades. For all these reasons,
the Shorthand-Audio Typists in Hong Kong unanimously decided to "work to rule"
for a period during 1977 and the action taken by them was highly successful.
They feel in a very strong militant frame of mind and have threatened further
industrial action which could rebound considerably against the work of the
Hong Kong Government because the Shorthand-Audio Typists grade does play a
large part in the working of government, and it would be a pity if because of
the arbitrary action of a few senior civil servants, this state of affairs
was allowed to occur. We have always taken the view that we should cooperate
to the full with the government and this is the first occasion when we have
had need to oppose them so strongly.
Because of this we have no doubt
continued
3.
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