TNAG-0991-FCO40-1210-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-service-in-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 279

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JUDGMENT 60

This action is brought by 26 persons employed in

The

the Department of Medical and Health of the Hong Kong Government and who hold the offices of either Senior Dispenser, Dispenser, Probationary Dispenser or Student Dispenser. Some of them have already given many years of service to the Crown. Indeed, the two most senior have each completed a quarter of a century in its employment. Others are much more recently joined. The grade of Dispenser within the Government does not call for any professional qualifications, although a student must receive three years' training within the Department before he may qualify for appointment as Dispenser. Those plaintiffs who are already Dispensers, and at least one of the students, belong to an association known as "The Hong Kong Medical and Health Department Pharmaceutical Staff Association". Association has be pressing for improvement of the Dispensers' lot within Government grado and pay structures. There is also some dispute as to what are or ought to be the proper boundaries of a Dispenser's duties. However it does not seem to have made much headway and in September last year it advised its members to take active industrial action. That was on the 10th September. The action was called off on the 16th of the next month, on the understanding that the Association's complaints would be investigated by the Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service. The Commission issued its report soon after. The recommendations did not satisfy the Association, and on the 9th November it sent a letter to the Secretary for the Civil Service containing detailed criticisms of the report and concluded by referring to. a resolution reached at an extraordinary general meeting of the Association that

"unless Government takes positive and sincere

moves towards restructuring the Dispenser Grade with a view to bringing its pay and grade structure into full parity with the Radiographer Grade and Physiotherapist Grade and gives us a definite answer before the 16th November, 1979, members of the Association will resort to work to rule, go slow or strike".