2008年4月20日 星期日

十一年悶局,還未夠嗎?

(本文有中英文版,For the English Version of the letter, please click  the link "Letters to Engineers (English Version)" located at the top banner)


給工程師的十二封信【之一】


各位工程師朋友:



記得數月前,一位在1997年畢業的工程師告訴我,他有一天下班,踏上火車返回新界住所時,已近深夜。手機響起,母親在另一邊半帶責備地問他為甚麼近一個月沒有回家吃飯; 疲憊不堪的他,只敷衍了幾句便把電話掛斷。那一夜,他無法入睡,自責為甚麼工作了十一年,卻仍然負擔不起一個市區小單位,好讓兩口子能住得靠近老家一點……


我們過去十一年是怎樣過的?工作往往朝七晚九、前景不穩、待遇比其他專業偏低、晉升機會日微、割喉式競爭、行業改革談了多年卻一事無成、專業意見經常被外行的上層領導打壓……。這十年如一日的悶局已經變成困局,不少年輕工程師乾脆離職轉行,寧願做保險和財經;整個專業出現斷層的風險日增。


我們工程師為何落得如此?難道這是當一個工程師的宿命嗎?


當然,時代變遷,每一個行業在社會上的角色也隨之起落,不足為奇。然而,過去十年理應是我們工程師最好的時代 全球化競爭促成知識型經濟,市民希望增加改善環境的建設,與內地融合加大了基建需求 ─ 我們卻偏偏得到最差的待遇。


上星期,在香港工程師學會的活動中又碰到這位無暇探訪父母的工程師。那天我就灣仔繞道工程提出了一些排除障礙的發展方案,剛巧他有份參與這項工程,大家便熱烈地談起來。我看到他眼中仍然有火,我看到其他一起討論的工程師眼中仍然有火,那些本來就屬於我們工程師的火。


我相信所有工程師當天選修工程系時,必定和我三十年前入大學時的想法一樣,滿腔熱誠,樂於以工程師作為終身的志業 ─ 為的不僅是待遇,更是一份獻身專業的尊嚴。


我相信,十一年悶局的罪魁禍首,不是因為時運不濟,也不是工程師個人不夠努力。那麽,困局的根源在那裏?是人事?是體制?還是揮之不去的舊思維?


路,要走下去,而且還應該越走越寬。正如現任英國土木工程師學會會長Ir David Orr 在就職演說上指出,他眼中對工程師的願景是「處於社會核心,因才幹獲得社會大眾喝彩」。


在香港,我們理應可成就更多。


黎廣德  工程師


2008419



畢業時與太太合照, 對未來充滿憧憬



樂以工程師為志業 



82年於沙田污水處理廠當駐地盤助理工程師


 


10 則留言:

  1. Albert & Rosanna 幅相無價寶啊!

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  2. 始終香港有您 ... (a song for u) 

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  3. 其實這種情況不僅發生在土本工程, 就連IT相關的電子, 電腦工程一樣如是....
    [版主回覆04/26/2008 15:49:00]Geiger, You are absolutely right. These are challenges for engineers from all disciplines. That's why we have to work together. You can help make change possible by spreading the news to those you know. Can you also let me have examples of similar incidents in your discipline? Albert

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  4. 忍受了幾年由一至日也無遐共家人進餐的日子, 現在改善多了。
     
    [版主回覆04/28/2008 00:52:00]I am glad that your working conditions have improved. Do you think we should carry out certain reforms in the industry, such as bidding conditions, so that engineers' conditions will not deteriorate rapidly again when we come to the next economic downturn?

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  5. 6) In many government projects, salaries are fixed for different grades of consultants' site staff, but the salary that the staffs are receiving is less than 60% of what the government actually paid to the consulting firms.
    7) Membership fees of overseas professional bodies are too high, but we have no confident to give up our overseas membership leaving HKIE as the sole membership. I don't think I can afford those fees once my salary is being reduced again.
    8) Design & Build projects shall be encouraged in the coming projects such that the contractors gain more experience in such kind of contract. Saving resources originally bring benefits to both the contractors and clients, but I can't see how benefit it will be if the contractors are still lack of experience and consider it as a high risk contract once our economy turndowns again.
    9) China market has more potential than HK market. But we gain no advantage due to salary difference. Our management skill and professional acknowledgement are already highly recognized in Macau 's projects. It's time to explore more opportunities in China .
    10) Engineers gain no more esteem in our society now because of media's reporting on accident rate, pollution, low salary, no prospect, etc. There is no channel for us to promote ourselves.

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  6. 1) Government should restrict engineering firms setting up office in Mainland. Vacancies should be given to local engineers first. But how to ensure the firms still survive during economic turndown depends on government's policy (point 2 below). 
    2) Currently, we have more construction projects, but engineers available now is much less than required. Why to encourage so many projects at a time, but insufficient projects during economic turndown? Of course we all know it's the fact in all countries besides HK, it's hard to control the private developers; but the government should at least control their own projects.
    3) The contractors of course have great interests in reducing cost / time & enhancing safe construction by adopting advanced technology, innovative construction and efficient use of resources already promoted by the professional institutions & universities. But the governmental departments failed to encourage our cooperation with those professional institutions / universities. We are reluctant to take a risk if the government still put no effort on that.
    4) Bidding process should be reviewed and strictly imposed such that quality can be regarded as the highest priority instead of lowest tender price. No engineer would prefer working in an engineering firm producing low quality of work and lack of safety awareness. I don't want to be discharged by a high quality construction firm just because it loses bids to those lowest price tenderers.
    5) Now we are happy with MPF, but MPF will impose much burden to us again in the next economic cycle!
    [版主回覆05/06/2008 02:04:00]Dear 靈異經歷者:
    Since I sent out the last two letters, some engineers echoed my views and they suggested that we should get together for a chat. I think it's a good idea for like-minded engineers who care about the profession to know each other and exchange views.
    May I personally invite you to join me and a few friends to have a cup of coffee next Tuesday May 13 between 7:30p.m.-9:00p.m. Our chosen venue is:
    名稱  I Cup Cafe
    地區  銅鑼灣
    地址  富明街2號寶富大廈3樓L室
    電話  93299574
    This will be a casual and small gathering among friends with no preset agenda. Please let me know if you can join by this weekend so that we may reserve seats. Look forward to seeing you next Tuesday.
    Cheers, Albert

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  7. 突然想起一句說話 -- "揹得起條鐵,揹唔起頭家"!!!
    到底工程界係唔係一個Dead End?? 由全世界的角度去睇絕對唔係!!
    但,在我的家(香港)的角度去睇 -- 絕對有"死水一潭"的感覺。
    我,只係一名小小RSS -- 但,站在最前線,每日都可以見盡"你愚我詐"的事情,各種不合理的事,各種分化的事, ....
    main-con詐sub-con,老細詐員工 -- 用盡所有手法只係為賺大錢 -- 層層詐之下,全行員工都要吃苦,愈低層要乞吃愈多的苦。
    年青人寧離職轉行 -- 大家都要開飯養家,需然工程界依然可以堤供三餐温飽,但相對之下,要用上身心健康去換 -- 年青人係機會主義者,去更好的界別,去得到更多合比例的薪金,去得到更多時間休息,走了也絕不回頭望。
    朝八夜六、一至六 -- 唔包飯鐘,一個星期坐低五十四個鐘,OT冇保水,食自己 -- 因為我地最底工時的保護,上上層只求快靚正,一切便要由員工、由上而下去免費地付出,以求工程達標,老細賺大錢。
    工程師的火 -- 做任何一個職位都要有火,但己失控的工作時間,內心的火只想回家休息,見一見家人朋友,總好過留在環境極差的工地或工地寫字樓 -- 只有忍著一切去完成工作,理想夢想,一切都係空談,只好面對現實地去工作、去養家。
    一份獻身專業的尊嚴 -- 工程界大部份人都係比較數叻,但往往做事絕小有斤斤計較 (除左 Materials 及 dimensions)。久而久之,乜都要硬食,包括失去尊嚴 -- 全個工程界,行政立法兩會冇人會為工程界員工出聲。工程界要有人死先至有所改變,除非突然大部份工程界人員因工作量及工時過長而死,唔係的話,只有繼續硬食。
    處於社會核心,因才幹獲得社會大眾喝彩 -- 處於社會核心,就係要為左社會做到死。因才幹而更加需要為左社會,放棄一切做到死 -- 香港大部份人因"曾特首"唱行五天工作週而得到更加時間休息及陪家人朋友,但工程界依然需要六天工作!! 全因心中一團火? 全因處於社會核心? 全因有才幹?
    我們工程師為何落得如此? -- 如果要改,一定要由上而下一齊改 -- 一個界別的分化,沒有上下一心,只有死路一條!
    難道這是當一個工程師的宿命嗎? -- 自古有話,修橋保路冇屍骸 ... -- 如果工程師界不能上下一心,工程師也只有同工人一樣,認命吧!
     

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  8. 突然想起一句說話 -- "揹得起條鐵,揹唔起頭家"!!!
    到底工程界係唔係一個Dead End?? 由全世界的角度去睇絕對唔係!!
    但,在我的家(香港)的角度去睇 -- 絕對有"死水一潭"的感覺。
    我,只係一名小小RSS -- 但,站在最前線,每日都可以見盡"你愚我詐"的事情,各種不合理的事,各種分化的事, ....
    main-con詐sub-con,老細詐員工 -- 用盡所有手法只係為賺大錢 -- 層層詐之下,全行員工都要吃苦,愈低層要乞吃愈多的苦。
    年青人寧離職轉行 -- 大家都要開飯養家,需然工程界依然可以堤供三餐温飽,但相對之下,要用上身心健康去換 -- 年青人係機會主義者,去更好的界別,去得到更多合比例的薪金,去得到更多時間休息,走了也絕不回頭望。
    朝八夜六、一至六 -- 唔包飯鐘,一個星期坐低五十四個鐘,OT冇保水,食自己 -- 因為我地最底工時的保護,上上層只求快靚正,一切便要由員工、由上而下去免費地付出,以求工程達標,老細賺大錢。
    工程師的火 -- 做任何一個職位都要有火,但己失控的工作時間,內心的火只想回家休息,見一見家人朋友,總好過留在環境極差的工地或工地寫字樓 -- 只有忍著一切去完成工作,理想夢想,一切都係空談,只好面對現實地去工作、去養家。
    一份獻身專業的尊嚴 -- 工程界大部份人都係比較數叻,但往往做事絕小有斤斤計較 (除左 Materials 及 dimensions)。久而久之,乜都要硬食,包括失去尊嚴 -- 全個工程界,行政立法兩會冇人會為工程界員工出聲。工程界要有人死先至有所改變,除非突然大部份工程界人員因工作量及工時過長而死,唔係的話,只有繼續硬食。
    處於社會核心,因才幹獲得社會大眾喝彩 -- 處於社會核心,就係要為左社會做到死。因才幹而更加需要為左社會,放棄一切做到死 -- 香港大部份人因"曾特首"唱行五天工作週而得到更加時間休息及陪家人朋友,但工程界依然需要六天工作!! 全因心中一團火? 全因處於社會核心? 全因有才幹?
    我們工程師為何落得如此? -- 如果要改,一定要由上而下一齊改 -- 一個界別的分化,沒有上下一心,只有死路一條!
    難道這是當一個工程師的宿命嗎? -- 自古有話,修橋保路冇屍骸 ... -- 如果工程師界不能上下一心,工程師也只有同工人一樣,認命吧!
     
    [版主回覆05/06/2008 02:03:00]Dear SnowmanHg
    Since I sent out the last two letters, some engineers echoed my views and they suggested that we should get together for a chat. I think it's a good idea for like-minded engineers who care about the profession to know each other and exchange views.
    May I personally invite you to join me and a few friends to have a cup of coffee next Tuesday May 13 between 7:30p.m.-9:00p.m. Our chosen venue is:
    名稱  I Cup Cafe
    地區  銅鑼灣
    地址  富明街2號寶富大廈3樓L室
    電話  93299574
    This will be a casual and small gathering among friends with no preset agenda. Please let me know if you can join by this weekend so that we may reserve seats. Look forward to seeing you next Tuesday.
    Cheers, Albert

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  9. 想哭?憤怒? 無助 ……
    http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/rabbitheehee/article?mid=5095
     

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  10. hi Albert, i just ran into your blog - it's so true - Engineer had a hard time to make it to the top. I saw it after I graduate in 86 HKU. Since then, I have taken many risk - move to different city, change jobs, start a company successfully. To get reward, one has to take certain risks - otherwise - as one of my old chairman said, " if someone know how easy it is to become a wall street analysist, the line would be from NY to TX (~ HK to Bejing). In the end, Engineer can make an impact to society and make a good living. Best Regards, CC

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