Government Proposes 2% Pay Rise for Civil Servants to Maintain Financial Stability
政府擬調升公務員薪資 2% 以維持財政穩定
Introduction
The Chief Executive-in-Council has proposed a 2% pay increase for 170,000 civil servants, which will be applied retroactively from April 1.
行政會議建議為 17 萬名公務員調薪 2%，並將追溯至 4 月 1 日起生效。
Main Body
The proposed increase will cost approximately HK$6 billion. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung emphasized that this decision is based on the need for fiscal prudence. She explained that the government must keep reserves for future projects and manage the risks caused by global political instability. Lawmaker Nixie Lam supported this view, asserting that the measure is a balanced way to protect public finances while recognizing the hard work of civil servants.
此次擬議的加薪將耗資約 60 億港元。公務員事務局局長楊尚君強調，此決定是基於財政審慎的需要。她解釋，政府必須保留儲備以應對未來的計畫，並管理全球政治不穩定所帶來的風險。立法會議員林泳儀支持此觀點，認為此舉是在保護公共財政與認可公務員辛勤工作之間取得平衡的方式。
However, this proposal is lower than what many groups expected. The Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management predicted a 3.5% increase, while some unions asked for at least 4%. Roy Ying from the institute pointed out that while junior staff may not be heavily affected, senior staff in statutory bodies might leave for the private sector because their salaries are no longer competitive.
然而，這項建議低於許多團體的預期。香港人力資源管理協會預測將調升 3.5%，而部分工會則要求至少調升 4%。該協會的殷銳指出，雖然基層員工可能不會受到嚴重影響，但法定機構的高級職員可能會因為薪資不再具競爭力而轉向私部門發展。
Furthermore, the Chief Executive announced a new performance appraisal system starting October 1. Under this system, the bottom 5% to 10% of employees will face a salary freeze. Chief Executive John Lee described this as a system of rewards and punishments to encourage higher productivity. To help with this change, the Civil Service Bureau has given department heads some flexibility in how they apply these appraisals.
此外，行政長官宣布將於 10 月 1 日起實施新的績效考核制度。在該制度下，表現最末 5% 至 10% 的員工將面臨凍薪。行政長官李家強將其描述為一種賞罰制度，以鼓勵提高生產力。為了協助此項變革，公務員局已賦予部門主管在執行考核時一定的靈活性。
Conclusion
The proposal will now be discussed with union representatives and must be approved by the Legislative Council's Finance Committee.
該建議現在將與工會代表討論，且必須經立法會財務委員會通過。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The 'Precision Shift': Moving from Simple to Professional
At the A2 level, you likely use words like 'say', 'think', or 'do'. To reach B2, you need Reporting Verbs—words that tell us how something was said and why. This article is a goldmine for this transition.
🔍 The Upgrade Path
Look at how the text replaces simple verbs with 'Power Verbs':
-
Instead of said Emphasized
- A2: "She said the government needs money."
- B2: "She emphasized that this decision is based on the need for fiscal prudence."
- The Difference: 'Emphasized' shows that the point is important; it's not just a statement, it's a priority.
-
Instead of said Asserting
- A2: "Nixie Lam said it is a balanced way."
- B2: "...asserting that the measure is a balanced way..."
- The Difference: 'Asserting' sounds confident and strong. It is used when someone is stating a fact or a belief firmly.
-
Instead of said Pointed out
- A2: "Roy Ying said senior staff might leave."
- B2: "Roy Ying pointed out that... senior staff... might leave."
- The Difference: 'Pointed out' is used to draw attention to a specific detail or a problem that others might have missed.
💡 Pro-Tip: The 'B2 Logic' Map
When you want to move toward B2 fluency, stop using 'say' and choose your verb based on the speaker's intention:
| If the speaker is... | Use this B2 Verb | Example from Text |
|---|---|---|
| Highlighting a key point | Emphasize | Emphasized the need for prudence |
| Being firm/confident | Assert | Asserting that the measure is balanced |
| Showing a specific fact | Point out | Pointed out that staff might leave |
🛠️ Vocabulary Bridge
To support these verbs, the article uses "Professional Collocations." Instead of saying 'careful with money', the B2 writer uses 'fiscal prudence'. Instead of 'not as good as others', they use 'no longer competitive'. Combining a strong reporting verb with a professional phrase is the fastest way to sound like a B2 speaker.