GF 323
機密
CONFIDENTIAL ##
On 14.12.78, the USD Kowloon Workers General Union (which has a membership of about 2,500 with 25% of its members in ranks below the Overseer grade) wrote to DUS and requested for a pay increase from 18 to 20% for MOD 1 staff to off-set the inflationary effects of the depreciation of the Hong Kong dollar.
14.
DUS replied on 29.12.78 to the effect that the payment of COLA was intended to meet adequately rises in cost of living and that review of the pay scale for MOD 1 staff was the responsibilities of the government not the USD, though the latter would be very willing to forward their claim to government for consideration. Mention was also made that all claims would probably be held over for the newly established Standing Commission to examine.
15.
The Union was not satisfied with DUS' reply and they wrote again on 20.1.79 to press for their pay claim, emphasising that for the first 8 months of 1978, the Consumer Price Index (A) compiled by government had risen by 8%. This is misleading in that they have chosen to compare the highest figure with that of the lowest during that period. The actual rise in CPI(A) for the year 1978 was only 5.9%.
16.
A meeting was held on 20.1.79 between representatives of the Union, USD and Pay Investigation Unit, at which the questions of COLA and the annual pay trend survey were explained in detail. The tasks of the Standing Commission were also explained to the staff representatives, who requested for a government reply to their pay claim before 20.2.79.
17.
A further meeting was held on 19.2.79 with the staff representatives who were handed a written reply, explaining in detail
(a)
the function of COLA and the composition of the Consumer Price Index (A);
(b)
180
(c)
that their pay claim would have to be considered by the Standing Commission; and
the procedure for all staff associations to make representations to the Commission.
Again, the Union was not satisfied with the government's reply and on 26.2.79 it wrote to DUS, reiterating the former claim for an 18 to 20% pay increase and demanding that a reply be given (by the department) before 5.3.79.
Current situation
19.
DUS met officials of the Union on 6.3.79, re-assuring them that their problems would be reviewed by the Standing Commission. The Union wrote to DUS on 7.3.79, requesting for a substantial reply within 14 days to their claims, as follows
(a) an interim allowance to be effective from 1.1.79 retrospectively;
(b)
the award should be made in addition to any subsequent review of the MOD 1 pay scale by the Standing Commission;
(c)
apart from MOD 1 staff, members of the grades from Foreman to Senior Overseer should also be given the interim allowance;
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CONFIDENTIAL
機密
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