Unions representing various ranks of Hong Kong’s 180,000 government workers have demanded a face-to-face meeting with the city’s new leader to vent their anger over an “insulting” 2.5 per cent pay rise endorsed by his cabinet on Tuesday.

The unionists hope to be able to convince Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who only took office last Friday, to overturn the offer of an across-the-board rise of 2.5 per cent, which was a far cry from the up to 7.26 per cent increases previously recommended by a panel based on a survey of private sector pay trends.

The call was made after talks between representatives of four government staff consultative councils and Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan on Wednesday failed to iron out differences.

Lam Chun-hung, staff-side chairman of the Model Scale 1 Staff Consultative Council, which represents mainly frontline workers or low earners, said after the meeting: “The offer is flatly unfair. Even ministers can have pay adjustments to catch up with inflation. Why can we not? We hope to be able to present our case directly to John Lee.”

“Food prices and transport fares have increased over the years. If our pay rise cannot catch up with inflation, it is in effect a pay cut. Frontline staff will be the hardest hit,” added Lam.

Lam Chi-wai of the Police Force Council said his group supported Lam’s demands and also that they were “extremely dissatisfied” with the offer, and questioned how the 2.5 per cent was derived.

Lam Chi-wai (centre) says police are ‘extremely dissatisfied’ with the pay offer.

Lee Fong-chung of the Senior Civil Service Council also expressed disappointment and regret over the government offer and urged it to have a rethink.

Wilson Lai Wai-sang of the Disciplined Services Consultative Council also shared similar views.

In response to Post inquiries, the Civil Service Bureau said it had met the four central staff consultative councils to listen to their views and the “chief executive-in-council will consider the response from the staff side in accordance with the established mechanism and make a decision on the 2022-23 civil service pay adjustment”.

Chief Executive John Lee.

Earlier on Wednesday, Fung Chuen-chung, chairman of the Hong Kong Civil Servants General Union, called the 2.5 per cent pay rise “insulting”.

“The pay rise level is insulting. It is an unfair decision,” Fung said in a radio interview.

“It is a political decision. If the government stands firm at the end of the day, staff could turn away from the government. I am worried it could affect the operation of the new government and cause a divide in society.”

Fung demanded a pay rise of at least 4.55 per cent.

Leung Chau-ting, chief executive of the Hong Kong Federation of Civil Service Unions, also said it was a test as to whether the government really valued its civil servants.

The controversy erupted on Tuesday after the Executive Council endorsed an across the board pay rise of 2.5 per cent for the city’s 180,000 civil servants this year.

This compared sharply with the earlier recommendations by the government-appointed Pay Trend Survey Committee which said junior civil servants should get 2.04 per cent rise, 4.55 per cent for middle-ranking officers and 7.26 per cent for senior staff.

Defending the government decision, Yeung said in a radio interview on Wednesday that the 2.5 per cent offer was made after taking into account factors including the economy, cost of living, the government’s fiscal position, staff morale, pay trends in the private market and views from workers.

She dismissed suggestions political considerations were involved, and said she believed the row would not affect government operations.

Yeung added the government would listen to views from staff and make a final decision. Once approved by the Legislative Council, the salary adjustment would be backdated to April 1.

Meanwhile, rail giant the MTR Corporation on Wednesday announced pay rises of between 1.6 per cent and 5 per cent, with most staff getting at least 3.3 per cent, effective from this month. Workers will also be offered a bonus equivalent to one to two months’ pay, depending on their performance.