OpinionRecord pay rise for civil servants can’t be justified as unemployment soars and the public suffers
- Civil servants are in guaranteed employment while hundreds of thousands have lost jobs or income during the pandemic
- The proposed pay rise, even if based on a tried-and-tested formula, was never going to be well received by a community struggling to get back on its feet
I will let you in on a little secret. More than 50 years ago, in the UK, I was a fully paid up member of the British Labour Party. And nearly 40 years ago, here in Hong Kong, I was vice-president of a civil service staff association which negotiated with the government on pay and related issues. I guess you could say I am by instinct something of a union man.
Every year there is survey of pay trends in the private sector, and the outcome forms the basis for setting the civil service pay adjustment for the coming year.
This year, the Pay Trend Survey Committee, after reviewing returns from 111 companies, concluded that wages had risen by 2.04 per cent for those in the lower band (earning below HK$24,070 per month), 4.55 per cent for those in the middle band (HK$24,070-HK$73.775) and 7.26 per cent for those in the upper band (HK$73,776-HK$150,915). These findings will be submitted to the Executive Council soon, together with staff reactions and government proposals.
Reaction to the figures has been along fairly predictable lines. Civil servants generally want the numbers to be adopted and are looking forward to a substantial pay rise. Mindful of morale, civil service chief Patrick Nip Tak-kuen has been making supportive noises.
Private sector employers, on the other hand, are aghast at the implications for businesses. The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce has spoken out unusually strongly, saying the numbers are out of touch with reality and do not reflect the current economic situation. The stage is set for a confrontation.