Friday, November 30, 2012

The sacrifice of the four PRC bus drivers



Many responses but Nicholas Chin post attracted 35 likes. I agree with him.

  • Nicholas Chin I really don't understand how people can criticise what these Chinese nationals did. Do you realise that one day it could be you receiving the short end of the stick? What will you do when despite your hard work, the company only wants to exploit you, the goverment tells you 'tough luck' and quitting is not an option?
    13 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 35

As long as the job market is very tight employers are afraid to treat workers badly. Since we opened our labour markets we created a situation where the job could remain tight but also employers perversely could treat their employees badly and get away with it. Therefore laws that give management the advantage, de-fang the unions who go on pretending they have so much influence do not work. Well the Chinese started striking first because they couldn't take it any more. If not for them locals will eventually do the same when their work conditions become more severe.

The four might have broken our laws but the Chinese will see our law as unjust. Legal but unjust. Bear this in mind.

I think we have many unjust laws which most of  us have learned to live around to the point we no longer become conscious of them because they are so ingrained. Time will tell that this is a very bad idea. The sooner we rethink and adjust the better. Basically Singapore tried to pour new wine into old wine skins and it burst.

I must add this too. SMRT  is a horribly run company. Because of their incompetence, the whole nation reputation suffered. I am amazed their LG Desmond Kuek chief failed to grasp the gravity of the situation and rushed back from overseas leave and show leadership. I think the board and its chairman do not even know how to select the right person to run the company. They look so bad against SBS and I think the entire board have to be replaced.

6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. There is no need for Desmond Kuek to rush back. In our meritocratic system, he can get another GLC or TLC high paying job should he have to leave SMRT. His predecessor had no problem landing another job quickly.
    Hsien Yang left Singtel and F&N took him in after Temasek bought up many F&N shares. Time to start collecting merits by upgrading your common genes with superior DNA implantations.

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  3. All the GLC are crap and poorly run, its only because of their monopoly supported by liberal government handouts that they are able to post huge profits. The senior management collect huge payout and usually never held accountable. The Union is no better, all the top people are drawing huge salaries when the bottom ones are paid peanuts.

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  4. Not all working Singaporeans are employed in jobs deemed to be essential service.

    It is important for all of us to understand what so-called rights we had signed away when we entered into an employment contract with employers.

    On the issue of the poor living conditions of SMRT bus operators from China, my personal view is based on media reports, SMRT need a very serious wake up call. Government must also wake up and start to understand why it is important to put the right people in key positions.

    The unhappiness of SMRT bus operators from China had been festering to the point that about 200 foreign workers had decided to take action themselves.

    There must be tough questions asked of the management of SMRT and honest follow through action to ascertain how much rot had set it.

    Government must come clean on this issue. I look forward to understand why it took so long before an illegal strike was officially declared; the dynamics of trying to paper over a "burning issue"; the players involved and how Singapore and Singaporeans can put all these right and punish all those who are responsible.

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  5. The sacrifice of four prc bus drive is shown here. Useful post

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