Housing officers have escalated their plans to disrupt next month's district council elections in protest at the Housing Authority's plan to privatise estate management. A three-day work-to-rule has been planned during which election-related jobs will be rejected. Earlier, a one-day strike had been planned on polling day - November 28. The Alliance of Housing Department Staff Unions said yesterday the move was to show their anger about the Government's refusal to listen to them. Alliance members would only do 'housing-related' jobs from November 26-28, protest organiser Lam Man-cheuk said. 'Monitoring of election advertisements or assemblies, keeping polling stations in order or other election-related jobs will not be done,' Mr Lam said. The alliance represents 9,000 of the 14,500 officers in the department. Mr Lam said plans would be finalised at a rally in Chater Garden on October 31. About 6,000 protesters are expected to attend. A Civil Service Bureau spokesman urged the staff to resolve disputes through discussions with the authority. The spokesman said the right to stage strikes was protected by the Basic Law, but the Government could act if the strike posed serious disruption to people's daily lives. The authority voted last May to hive off management of its 165 rental estates. Up to 9,000 civil servants could lose their jobs. Despite opposition, Tung Chee-hwa backed the plan in his Policy Address. He said the Government would 'concentrate on the scheme for private sector involvement in estate management work'. The authority is expected to come up with a privatisation timetable in December.
