Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang has pledged to seriously consider bringing in a minimum wage level in the public sector.

"The government has said it will implement minimum wages in subvented agencies, public bodies, and aided schools within this year," unionist legislator Wong Kwok-hing said after a consultation meeting with Tsang yesterday.

In an effort to honour his election pledges, the chief executive has also agreed to meet with more than 500 trade union representatives at the end of the year.

Tsang yesterday continued his consultation sessions for his debut policy address. At the first meeting, he met the three labour constituency lawmakers and the six staff side members of the Labour Advisory Committee.

The legislators asked the government to consider giving social security allowances to the unemployed.

"It is our view that good industrial relations will help promote social harmony -- one of the themes of his policy address," Wong added.

"The chief executive said he would seriously consider our opinions and honour pledges he made during the election campaign.

"He asked us to provide him more information on minimum wages and promised to meet with union representatives at the end the year."

When asked about the atmosphere of the meeting, Wong described it as good, saying that Tsang showed great willingness to listen to their opinions.

At the meeting, Felix Cheung, chairman of Hong Kong Civil Servants General Union, proposed that civil servants should be granted the power of collective bargaining.

He also asked Tsang to reaffirm civil servants' entitlement to free medical services. Tsang's reply was that the government would act in line with employment contracts.

Leung Chau-ting, chairman of Hong Kong Federation of Civil Service Unions, asked the government to closely monitor the outsourcing exercises to avoid a squeeze of wages.

Separately, Tsang met the chairmen and vice-chairmen of the 18 District Councils.

After the meeting, Wai Kwok-hung, chairman of Shatin District Council, said they asked for, among other things, greater resources for the district councils.

They also hoped the policy bureau heads would visit the local districts more frequently and listen more to the people's views, since they do not need to attend the Executive Council meetings regularly.

On constitutional reform, all district councillors should become ex-officio members of the Election Committee that chooses the chief executive, and more Legislative Council seats should be made open to district councillors, they proposed.

(China Daily HK Edition August 30, 2005)