New survey reveals exciting pay trends for 2024
A spokesman for the Civil Service Bureau said that the bureau received the tentative results of the 2024 Pay Trend Survey from the secretariat of the Pay Trend Survey Committee (PTSC) today (May 16).
"The Chief Executive-in-Council will comprehensively and fully consider all relevant factors under the established annual civil service pay adjustment mechanism in determining the annual civil service pay adjustment. These factors include the state of Hong Kong's economy, changes in the cost of living, the Government's fiscal position, the 'net pay trend indicators' (PTIs) (see attachment) calculated from the results of the Pay Trend Survey (PTS), the pay claims of the staff side and civil service morale," the spokesman said.
The PTS was conducted by the Pay Survey and Research Unit of the Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service in strict adherence to the methodology endorsed by the PTSC. The tentative results, presented in the form of "gross PTIs", show the rates of pay adjustment in the private sector in three salary bands for the period from April 2, 2023, to April 1, 2024. The PTSC will meet next week to decide whether to validate the "gross PTIs".
Former registered contractor convicted for carrying out building works in a dangerous manner
The Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (October 31) ruled that a former registered general building contractor and its sub-contractor had contravened the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123) (BO) and imposed each with a fine of $8,000. The Buildings Department (BD) will seek legal advice on whether to appeal against the amount of the fines imposed.
The case involved a fatal incident at a construction site at Tung Yuen Street, Yau Tong in December 2022. A worker was hit by a collapsed steel section when carrying out removal works of a temporary lateral support at the construction site, and died subsequently. An investigation by the BD found that precautionary measures had not been adequately provided by the contractor and its sub-contractor during the dismantling of the temporary lateral support. The BD initiated prosecutions against the contractor and its sub-contractor under section 40(2B)(a) of the BO in December last year.
The subject contractor (i.e. Aggressive Construction Engineering Limited) was removed from the Register of General Building Contractors on November 16 last year.
Pursuant to section 40(2B)(a) of the BO, any person directly concerned with the relevant building works, who carries out or authorises or permits such works to be carried out, in such manner that it causes injury to any person or damage to any property, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of $1,000,000 and to imprisonment for three years.