TNAG-0916-FCO40-1127-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-servants-in-Hong-K-1979 — Page 253

布政司署

香港下亞

**** OUR REF.: PSU/SC/1

* YOUR Ref.:

畢道

CONFIDENTIAL

GOVERNment seCRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

Akkuoli

N. S

- 5 MAR 1979

DSSK OF C

INDEX

21 Faviary 1979

R.J.T. McLaren, Esq.,

Hong Kong & General Department,

Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London SW1A 2AH,

ENGLAND.

Dear Mr. Meloven,

Standing Salaries Commission

You will have seen the front page report in the South China Morning Post of 16.2.79 "40,000 Civil Servants in strike threat". You probably also saw the report the subsequent day based on our press release and headed "Rowlands replies to Union attack". I attach copies of these reports for convenience.

I think it may be helpful for you to know a bit more about the Hong Kong Civil Servants General Union which is referred to in these press reports and I attach a confidential note on them. The Commission has also been briefed on the Union, in rather less detail. The public statements made by the Union are not helpful but they do not have the wide support which they claim.

More generally, the Commission is now having formal meetings weekly, together with weekly discussion meetings, and it has also set up three working groups. We are therefore hopeful that it will make fairly quick progress on its first priorities, namely reviewing the key principles and practices governing structure and salary, advising on procedures for reviews of individual grades, and advising on consultative procedures. also attach for background information copies of Civil Service Branch Circulars 3/79 and 6/79.

Yours sincerely,

#.

Macherd

( N.W.H. Macleod )

for Secretary for the Civil Service

w/encls.

c.c. Commissioner, London Office

S.C.S.- w/o encl.

CONFIDENTIAL