Decision on 2022-23 civil service pay adjustment
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In arriving at this decision, the CE-in-Council has thoroughly considered the staff side's response to the pay offers and other relevant factors under the established annual civil service pay adjustment mechanism, including the state of Hong Kong's economy; the Government's fiscal position; changes in the cost of living; the net pay trend indicators; and civil service morale.
A CSB spokesman said, "In addition to civil servants, civil service pay adjustment will have a bearing on non-civil service contract staff, as well as the subventions received by subvented organisations and the pay of their staff. Any adjustment will have implications on government expenditure. In view of the uncertainties in the economic outlook of Hong Kong and that the Government is expected to run a fiscal deficit this financial year, as a responsible government, we need to be prudent in handling civil service pay adjustment. The Government affirms the efforts of civil service colleagues over the past year. In particular, during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, over 140 000 government employees have participated in anti-epidemic work by undertaking high risk duties at the frontline and providing backend support to the anti-epidemic effort, while at the same time strived their best to maintain public services for members of the public. Hence, after balancing all relevant factors, the CE-in-Council decided to increase the pay at the same rate of 2.5 per cent across the board."
"The Government fully understand colleagues' concern towards the civil service pay adjustment exercise this year, and therefore decided to handle the work in relation to the adjustment as soon as possible and significantly compressed the work timetable. After briefing the Panel on Public Service of the Legislative Council (LegCo) at its meeting on July 13, the Government will strive to submit the pay adjustment proposal to the LegCo Finance Committee for consideration by the end of the current legislative session with a view to effecting the adjusted pay together with the back pay to civil servants in August," the spokesman added.
The CSB has informed the staff side representatives of the four central consultative councils and representatives of the four major service-wide staff unions of the pay adjustment decision this year. In light of suggestions raised by staff side representatives during the pay adjustment exercise this year, the CSB will invite the Pay Trend Survey Committee to review the survey methodology in accordance with established mechanism before the commissioning of the next survey, and to consult the staff side in the process. The Government highly values co-operation with the civil service, and will objectively reflect contributions of the civil service in different areas to the wider community such that members of the public can fairly and impartially assess the performance of the civil service.
Ends/Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Issued at HKT 20:12
Issued at HKT 20:12
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