1. Civil Service Pay

* The PFC SS objects to the appointment of Watson Wyatt as the Consultant for the purpose of Phase II of the Civil Service Pay Level Survey (PLS).

* The PFC SS is very concerned that the results of the PLS may be applied to the Disciplined Services through an unfair and inequitable application of "internal relativities".

* The PFC SS, in conjunction with other disciplined services staff council / union, has repeatedly urged for a full review of pay for the disciplined services to be conducted by the Standing Committee on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service (SCDS) immediately and independently of the PLS conducted by Watson Wyatt.

2. Medical and Dental Benefits for Civil Servants

* The PFC SS notes CSB's proposals on changes to arrangements for reimbursement / direct payment of medical expenses. They consider that the direct payment scope should be widened in the long run.

* The PFC SS considers that free medical care should be provided to retired as well as serving civil servants irrespective of their terms of employment. Special arrangements should be made to cater for the post-retirement medical needs of all civil servants (including those employed under CSPF Scheme) involved in cases of all injuries on duty, work related illnesses, occupational disease or strain.

3. Review of Civil Service Allowances

* The PFC SS considers that "allowances" are "conditions of service", not "fringe benefits" for civil servants. Any change to contractually based allowances, is something the Administration cannot apply unilaterally.

* The conduct of the Review has departed from the established adjustment mechanism.

* The capped rates of the OEA fixed at the 1997 level has left civil servants in a far less favourable position which is a clear breach of Article 100 of the Basic Law. The Administration should continue to maintain the existing adjustment mechanism.

In response, Ms Yue commented:

* She was willing to meet the PFC SS to further discuss these issues.

* It was a fact that Police were Civil Servants and that she needed to have the Pay Level Survey and its application by internal relativity to all civil servants as a baseline in mid 2007, before taking any results forward for policy consideration.

* She appreciated the uniqueness of disciplined services and agreed to conduct the Grade Structure Review for disciplined services at the conclusion of the Pay Level Survey in June 2007. In response to the PFC SS's comments on no pay rise for at least two years, SCS said that she did not know the outcome of the survey yet but there would be no further reduction below the 1997 level.

* She indicated the cuts in allowances would go ahead and she asked for PFC SS's understanding in order to gain public acceptance of the civil service.

* CSB was liaising with the Hospital Authority with a view to establishing an electronic platform to keep records of all serving and retired civil servants and their family members eligible for medical and dental benefits. With the establishment of the electronic platform, all serving and retired civil servants and their families would no longer need G.F. 181 in seeking medical and dental services; and the Administration could then widen the direct payment in the long run.

* SCS undertook to look into the medical benefits for officers employed under the Civil Service Provident Fund Scheme after their retirement. It is hoped that the findings could be promulgated by end of 2006. It could take 12 months to two years for anything to come out of the studies and government's policy considerations at a time officers are facing increasing financial burden. PFC SS remains concerned about the methodology of these studies and the time it is taking to complete them.

This article is contributed by the Police Force Council Staff Side.