Hong Kong civil servants may get record 7.26 per cent pay bump under improved economic situation
- The 7.26 per cent increase would be for senior government workers, while junior civil servants could receive pay rises starting at 2.04 per cent
- Civil Service Bureau spokesman says final decision hinges on other factors, including cost of living and state of city’s coffers
Salaries of Hong Kong’s civil servants may be raised by up to a record 7.26 per cent in an improving economic environment after they were frozen over the past two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest pay trend survey, made public on Wednesday, has recommended salary increases starting at 2.04 per cent for the government’s 180,000-strong workforce. If approved, the suggested increase of 7.26 per cent for senior civil servants could beat the record set in 2011 to become the most generous pay rise since Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
While some unionists and lawmakers said the increases would be helpful in boosting staff morale, the leader of a civil service association and a human resources consultant urged authorities to only approve a more moderate increase, as the city’s economic situation remained uncertain.
The proposed increase is based on data collected from 111 private companies. In the past year for this sector, junior-, medium- and senior-ranking employees’ salaries had risen by 3.2, 5.58 and 8.3 per cent respectively.
Discounting annual civil service pay increments for seniority, employees in the lower, middle and upper salary bands could get increases of 2.04 per cent, 4.55 per cent and 7.26 per cent respectively.