Court 'unlikely to block progress of pay-cut bill'
A court is unlikely to grant an injunction to stop the Government submitting a Bill to implement the civil service pay cut, a government spin doctor said yesterday.
Information Co-ordinator Stephen Lam Sui-lung was referring to a plan by the disciplined services unions to seek a court injunction to prevent the administration from submitting legislation to ensure the cut.
A reduction ranging from 1.58 to 4.42 per cent for civil service staff was approved by the Executive Council on Wednesday.
'The chance of the court granting an injunction is very slim,' Mr Lam said after Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa consulted the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions on the work of his second term. Both sides discussed the pay cut and the union voiced its fears over the move.
Mr Lam said civil servants should share the burden during the economic downturn.
Stephen Wong Wai-hung, spokesman for the Joint Committee of Disciplined Services Staff Unions/Associations, said they would try to seek an injunction. 'We know our chances of succeeding are small but we will try our best.'
