RTHK staff attended an awards ceremony on Monday dressed in black to protest the delayed promotion of Chan Man-kuen, the acting Assistant Director of Television and Corporate Businesses.
Chan has been in her position for more than a year and but has failed to qualify for promotion twice, remaining unable to take a permanent role in her position. According to local media, Chan failed her evaluation because she failed to “promote synergy.”
RTHK’s Director of Broadcast Leung Ka-wing told the RTHK Programme Staff Union last week that management followed procedure in making the decision and asked the staff not to worry. However, the union remained unsatisfied with his response, protesting with signs which said that Leung has not helped reduce any anxieties. Other signs said “if there are no standards, worries will definitely rise.”
Some staff members went onstage to receive their awards dressed in black and holding the signs.
An RTHK staff member told Apple Daily that Leung lauded Chan during the ceremony, saying he admired her hard work. He also said that she was a good leader. However, he did not mention the delayed promotion.
The union said it is currently arranging to meet with Leung, who said that “face to face communication” was more effective in a reply to the union’s queries on Friday. Union spokesperson Wong Nga-man told Apple Daily that the union has already requested for management to arrange a staff meeting within the week to clarify the situation.
Gregory So Kam-leung, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, said when asked about Chan’s situation: “there is a system and procedure related to the promotion of civil servants. This procedure and system is fair. I am not in the position to comment on individual cases.”
RTHK is under the oversight of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau.
