TNAG-0991-FCO40-1210-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-service-in-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 128

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GRS 750

CONFIDENT AL

NKK 430/1

изо

RALEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 2 2 JUL 1980

DESK JRNICER

PA

to mu 24/7

по

FM HONG KONG SANASAZ JUN 80

TO PRIORTY FCO

REGISTRY

Action Taken

TELEGRAM NUMBER 818 OF 30 JUNE

Av: 24/7

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

INDUSTRIAL ACTION BY HEALTH INSPECTORS.

MYTELNO 782 OF 19 JUNE REFERS.

See 4

2. ON 20 JUNE, THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE MET AND CONSIDERED THE HEALTH INSPECTORS' REPRESENTATIONS. ON 24 JUNE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION SUBMITTED A PROGRESS REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND ADVISED THAT THE ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS AND PAY SCALES FOR THE HEALTH INSPECTORATE

SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.

3. FROM 23 JUNE TO 25 JUNE, THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES ISSUED

WARNING LETTERS TO 316 MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH INSPECTORATE. UP TO. 27 JUNE, OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WARNED, 2 HAD RESUMED DUTY. 4. ON 25 JUNE, OFFICERS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH MET REPRESENT-

ATIVES OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS' ASSOCIATION AGAIN AND CONVEYED THE ADVICE OF THE STANDING COMMISSION TO THE ASSOCIATION.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE ALSO SENT A LETTER TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION OUTLINING THE ADVICE OF THE COMMISSION

AND URGING THE ASSOCIATION TO CALL OFF THE SIT-IN. AT THE MEETING,

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION SAID THAT THE ADVICE OF THE

COMMISSION WAS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND THAT THE ASSOCIATION WOULD BE CALLING AN EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING (EGM) TO CONSIDER THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE'S LETTER AND TO DECIDE ON FUTURE

ACTION. THE ASSOCIATION DECLINED ALL ASSISTANCE GIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO HOLD AN EARLY EGM ON 27 JUNE. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE ASSOCIATION'S INTENTION WAS TO PRLONG THE SIT-IN, TO WEAR OUT THE MANAGEMENT OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND TO GAIN TIME TO WIN SYMPATHETIC SUPPORT FROM OTHER CIVIL SERVICE UNIONS. 5. ON 26 JUNE, THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES AGAIN WROTE TO MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH INSPECTORATE AND URGED THEM TO CALL OFF THE SIT-IN AND TO CONSIDER PREPARING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A NEW SUBMISSION TO THE STANDING COMMISSION. THIS MET WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE HEALTH INSPECTORS.

6. MEANWHILE, PUBLIC REACTION TO THE SIT-IN HAD BEEN MIXED. WHILE

SOME NEWSPAPERS ADVOCATED NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ASSOCIATION TO ARRIVE AT A SETTLEMENT, OTHERS CONDEMNED THE SIT-IN AND SUGGESTED THAT THE AUTHORITIES WERE TOO LENIENT WITH THE HEALTH INSPECTORS. ALL, HOWEVER, DEPLORED INCONVENIENCES WHICH THE SIT-IN HAD CAUSED TO THE PUBLIC.

17. IT HAD

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