The city's firefighters have rejected a proposal by the Fire Services Department to cut working hours for the force from 54 to 51 hours per week.

Members of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department Staff General Association voted on the question on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Lee Tak-kei, chairman of the association, said representatives of staff cast proxy votes, after an insufficient number of staff members turned up for a general assembly. "There were 122 representatives attending, among which 119 votes are valid. Sixty-seven voted against the 51-hour proposal put forward by the department, while 49 voted to accept the offer."

Lee said the resolution should require a vote of two-thirds of the membership; however, the number supporting the proposal did not reach the level, so the proposal failed.

The department reduces manpower when shortening working hours, which would increase the danger and work load for those who answer an alarm, Lee explained.

He added, the staff association will meet with the department on September 13, and plans a three-day sit-in at the government headquarters. He emphasized that the industrial action would not affect fire services.

It would not rule out escalating their action if they do not see any timetable about 48-hour week when discussing with the department.

The attendant representatives take 58 percent of the total representatives, and there are 211 representatives of the members.

The association will continue to press its demand that the department cut working hours to 48 hours per week, giving firefighters parity of working hours with other disciplined services. Lee cited results of a survey among firefighters in May, 2010, indicating over 80 percent of respondents support the 48-hour week.

The 48-hour working week has been the subject of a 20 year campaign by the staff association.

The department put forward the 51-hour proposal early in August. The department said management had held active discussions with the staff unions, prior to formulating the proposal.

Modifications were made to the initial proposal after union members rejected it. The proposal then was adjusted to address concerns of staff unions.

Off-duty staff staged a sit-in outside government headquarters at Tamar on August 20.

The department released result of a survey on August 30, claiming that a majority of firefighters supported 51-hour week proposal. The staff union refuted that finding, saying the questionnaires were put to civilian staff and trainees as well as working firefighters.

A spokesman from the Fire Services Department said the union lacks the authority to reject the proposal on behalf of union members. He said the staff association has distorted the picture revealing a willingness among union members to support the plan. The spokesman added, he hopes the union will think again before proceeding with the three-day sit-in.

The Fire Services Department spokesman also denied a charge by the association that civilian personnel were polled in a department questionnaire about support for the reduced work week.

He added, the new proposal is expected to be put to the test by the year end, after consultation with policy bureaus, as soon as possible. After that he said, the department will form a working group to look into the feasibility of further reducing working hours to 48.

fanfeifei@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 09/06/2012 page1)