TNAG-0823-FCO40-1030-Policy-on-salaries-for-civil-servants-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 11

CODE 18 - 77

RESTRICTED

Referensa

LA/HK/9

HKK 430/1

HACZIVED NA MAMA

2 1 DEC1978

DISK C INDEX

203

Miss Wills HKGD K 242

HONG KONG : CIVIL SERVICE STAFF DISPUTES

98 1. I am pleased that Mr Macleod's letter of 21 November indicates that Mr Rowlands is putting into practice some of the progressive ideas he outlined when he called to see me on 5 October.

2. As you know, Professor Turner is now in Hong Kong and he will be able to advise on the terms of reference and membership of the new standing body which it is proposed to establish to advise the Governor on the class structure and salary scales of the whole Civil Service. I would merely repeat what I said to Mr Rowlands in October, viz

3.

(i) Any trade union or association involved in an issue should have full access to the standing body to present its case;

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

The chairman, who would need to be accepted by the trade unions (and Governor) as impartial, should be a person of some consequence in Hong Kong;

There would be advantages in setting up the standing body on a tripartite basis; ie. the body could consist of or be assisted by trade unionists, persons from the private sector, and independents;

As a corollary to (iii) the Governor might consider appointing a panel from both sides of industry to be drawn upon as necessary in relation to the particular issue referred to the standing body. This would cater for the different kind of cases needing to be resolved.

It is reassuring that Mr Rowlands has so quickly recognised the need to revamp the Departmental Staff Consultative Councils (para. 20 of his LegCo speech). This coincides with my own view - vide para.26 of the report on my visit to Hong Kong in February (copy attached). I think some channel should be established between the Departmental Staff Consultative Councils and the new standing body in order that the necessary degree of co-ordination may be achieved and issues unresolved at departmental level referred for further consideration - I hesitate to use the word 'arbitration' in the light of the caution expressed in para.4 of Mr Macleod's letter.

4. Thank you for letting me see the report by the Industrial Training Board and the average wages sheet for construction workers.

19 December 1978

RESTRICTED

HR G Hurst Overseas Labour Adviser