FTU lawmakers: HKPost & gov to help affected workers' job transition

In its cost-cutting efforts, Hongkong Post employees who have completed their probation will only have their contracts renewed for two years. After sparking discontent among staff, Hongkong Post has proposed to help affected employees' career transitions through exemptions and lowered thresholds when they apply for other government clerical jobs.

To cut cost amid financial losses, Hongkong Post earlier decided that more than 200 employees -- originally slated to complete their probation last month and officially become civil servants -- will be rehired under two-year non-civil-servant contracts instead.

Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said they are studying the possibility to transfer affected employees to other government positions.

After a meeting this morning between the bureau and Federation of Trade Unions lawmakers Lam Wai-kong and Bill Tang, the legislators revealed affected workers can apply for the civil service roles of clerical assistant and assistant clerical officer while being exempt from the first round of screening.

Also eased are application requirements. Postal staff seeking a career transition only have to pass Chinese, English and Mathematics in their public exams without the need to pass five subjects. If the score is tied with other candidates, post staff will be given priority.

These workers can also apply to transfer to other departments, and after a one-year probation, they can become civil servants.

Lawmaker Bill Tang says the Civil Service Bureau has "unclog the pathways" for these affected post staff members with no need to wait out their three-year probation period all over again when they join a new department.

Tang believes that's likely a positive response to the demands of these postal workers.

According to the Civil Service Bureau, the starting salaries for postmen and Postal Officers are set at 18,000 and 19,000 dollars respectively. They entail a difference of nearly 3,000 dollars compared with entry-level wages for clerical assistants and assistant clerical officers. But assistant clerical officers can be promoted to reach a maximum monthly salary of over 60,000 dollars.

Over the phone interview, the Hong Kong Union of Post Office Employees say the government's proposal could mark the first step, giving more options to affected postal colleagues -- who just wish to secure a stable, long-term job.