HONG KONG: Customs officers yesterday demanded their salaries be raised to bring them closer into line with salaries paid to police officers. The customs agents argued that their jobs are similar in nature to police work.

"Jobs including anti-narcotics work, anti-smuggling and protecting intellectual property rights are almost the same. But if the job natures are similar, why do we have such a large pay discrepancy?" said Danny Suen, vice president of Staff Association for Customs and Excise Service Senior Officers.

The maximum pay point of a junior customs officer is HK$19,745, HK$3,380 less than that of a police constable. A chief customs officer, who has earned HK$29,365, is even HK$7,900 less than a station sergeant.

"The staff side requests similar working condition for similar jobs," Suen added.

Chan Ming, vice chairman of Hong Kong Customs Officers Union, said Rennie Committee, a former government advisory body, actually suggested the tasks of police and customs are similar.

"However, the government neglects the pay condition of disciplinary forces over these years (during which it didn't take the committee's advice)," he added.

Yet he revealed that the Standing Committee on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service has promised to narrow the discrepancy by raising salaries or giving allowances.

In addition, Customs urged the administration to implement the recommendations of the grade structure review report and requested to back-date the pay scale change to April 1 this year.

Association of Customs & Excise Service Officers chairman Bernard Lee Kwan-kit said the officers would take the welfare of the community as the top consideration before taking any action.

Suen hopes to reach a consensus with the administration so the staff unions will not take any further action at the moment.

A spokesperson for the Customs and Excise Department supported staff to make reasonable appeal through the existing mechanism.

Every disciplinary force has its unique job nature and the opinions of the Customs officers have been revealed to the Civil Service Bureau (CSB), the spokesperson added.

Hong Kong Correctional Services (CSD) expressed its displeasure over long working hours for its members.

The Customs and Correction officers followed police and immigration employees, in rising to make their final appeal before the grade structure review in the fall.

The CSD demanded the government reduce the officers' working hours to 40 hours from the current 49 hours.

Correctional Services Officers' Association chairman Chan Ba-tak pointed out that CSD officers take a long time to commute to the remote prisons or reception centers. Their health condition is also affected by the long working hours, which deprive them of time to rest and eat.

The association planned to invite the other three staff unions to discuss their working condition at the end of August.

The CSB said it was fully aware of the staff sides' concerns and would continue to communicate with them through the existing channels under the established mechanism.

(HK Edition 08/05/2009 page1)