Hong Kong protests: union leader behind civil servant rally against extradition bill demands answers over his demotion at government department
- Michael Ngan, of Union for New Civil Servants, urges Labour Department to explain whether role change was politically motivated
- Civil Service Bureau says departments follow guidelines when employees take on new positions on an acting basis
He described his demotion this week as unusual and called on the government to explain the move and allay public concern over whether it was politically motivated.
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Hong Kong’s civil servants, medical personnel rally against government handling of extradition bill crisis
In October, the labour officer took up a more senior post on an acting basis that saw his salary increase from about HK$30,000 to HK$50,000 (US$6,450) per month.
But the Labour Department on Wednesday told Ngan and seven colleagues on the same grade that they would return to their original positions with less pay from next month.
In a statement on Facebook on Thursday, Ngan said he doubted the department’s official account that the changes were based on “operational need”.
“If that was operational need, colleagues, in general, would have known about this when they started the [more senior post],” he said, adding those affected had not completed their first work appraisal.
Ngan urged Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, who took the helm of the Civil Service Bureau on April 22, to give a full and clear account of the decisions for the move.