appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Colleen Lee

Martin Wong

NGOs dissatisfied with lump-sum grant system demand a government review
Nearly 3,000 social workers went on 24-hour strike  yesterday to demand higher salaries and a government review of the controversial lump-sum grant system for non-governmental organisations.
The workers, all wearing black  T-shirts, swarmed into the Social Welfare Department headquarters in Wan Chai at about 10.45 yesterday morning.
When a government official failed to appear to accept their petition, the workers refused to leave and were involved in a five-hour standoff with police.
The mood became tense after director of social welfare Stephen Fisher finally accepted a petition from a group of about 12 protesters at 11am but immediately returned to the offices and refused to accept another letter from another group of workers.
'Come down, come down,' workers chanted loudly as police barred them from entering the headquarters' first-floor podium.
When social workers tried to reach the podium, police called in extra manpower, and warned the strikers that  their action might breach the law.
At 4.15pm, deputy Social Welfare Director Fung Pak-yan accepted their petition. The social workers then marched to the central government headquarters in Central and continued their protest until 7pm.
'Workers tried to stay calm, though there was a slight scuffle,' Social Workers' General Union president Peter Cheung Kwok-che said. 'The whole action was still a peaceful one.'
Mr Cheung apologised to the public over the strike, as many of the city's welfare services were affected. The union said at least three centres providing services for the elderly and young people had to close.
Hong Kong Council of Social Service chief executive Christine Fang Meng-sang said NGO management had started discussing the pay issue with the government in June when  it announced pay rises for civil servants.
'We face huge problems in retaining staff and recruiting new blood because the pay difference is huge,' she said. Salaries for government social workers begin at HK$22,000 - HK$5,000 more those for NGO employees, she said.
Ms Fang added that 90 per cent of the NGOs' services depended on government subsidy.
Before the introduction of the lump-sum grant system in December 2000, the government covered all spending by welfare groups. Under the grant system, NGOs can decide staff deployment and wages but say government subsidies fall short of their needs.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung called on the workers to show restraint and display professionalism.
Mr Fisher said  the government 'is willing to enhance the tripartite working relationship with the NGO management and staff members. We hope the sector can keep calm and continue to work for the best interest of the underprivileged.'
Mr Fisher added that the Lump Sum Grant Steering Committee, which scrutinises the subvention system, would hold a special meeting on December 17 to discuss the workers' proposals on setting up independent committees to review the lump-sum grant system and pay rates.
Peter Cheung said: 'We will wait for the result of the meeting before deciding our next move.'



Social workers strike for higher salaries