Hong Kong civil servants in line for pay rises of up to 5.47% if survey findings endorsed, despite calls for salary cuts as deficit balloons
- Findings of pay trend survey suggest increments of 4.01% for high-ranking civil servants, 4.32% for middle-level ones and 5.47% for junior staff
- Executive Council will look at several factor before it decides on the final pay adjustments, civil service chief says
Hong Kong civil servants could receive salary increases of up to 5.47 per cent this year if authorities endorse the tentative findings of a pay trend survey, despite calls for cuts amid a ballooning government deficit.
The survey findings, based on pay trends at 113 private companies covering 134,376 employees over the past year, suggested increments of 4.01 per cent for high-ranking civil servants, 4.32 per cent for middle-level ones and 5.47 per cent for junior workers.
The figures are substantially higher than the ones last year, which recommended 2.87 per cent for high-earners, 4.65 per cent for mid-ranking staff and 4.5 per cent for low-paid civil servants.
“The pay trend survey is not Exco’s only consideration,” he said. “Other factors include the state of the economy, changes in the cost of living, the fiscal position of the government and the wishes of the staff side, as well as civil service morale.
“Exco will balance all these factors and make a final decision on civil servants’ pay adjustments this year.”
