Bus Strike

[morenangpinay]

there's a reason why singapore is still high in the ranking for human rights discrimination/trafficking.

[Callput]

Dont all of you guys feel that this looks like a perfect storm? I mean culmination of a lot of things that would have otherwise been abnormal here?

1)Costs going up due to inflation and hence companies retrenching people
2)Manpower tightening by MoM
3)Now we are having labour strikes, something completely unheard of and this could really trigger for many more such events.

I feel this is beginning of something really big and evil going to happen. Or is it just me?

[morenangpinay]

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/your-view---in ... 34493.html

here comes the Over reaction
"Having large pockets of residents of a particular culture, race or nationality can also be risky. I fear that a “time bomb”

[zzm9980]

[quote="morenangpinay"]http://sg.news.yahoo.com/your-view---introduce-ethnic-quota-for-private-condos--081334493.html

here comes the Over reaction
"Having large pockets of residents of a particular culture, race or nationality can also be risky. I fear that a “time bomb”

[zzm9980]

Arrests made:
http://www.singapolitics.sg/news/four-s ... gal-strike

The irony continues to grow:

The Chinese embassy here said in a statement that it is concerned about the arrests. The consulate has expressed this to the Singapore authorities and has asked that arrangements be made for embassy officers to visit the four. It also hopes that the legal rights of those arrested will be protected, that the matter be resolved in an appropriate manner, and that all parties remain calm.

[Sergei82]

Funny, since i don't see condo dwellers turning into rioters

If such quotas are introduced, you will definitely see.

[v4jr4]

Funny, since i don't see condo dwellers turning into rioters

If such quotas are introduced, you will definitely see.

Maybe they "exercise" with PR holders that own HDB. CMIIW, if they can't extend, the HDB will be "gone".

[JR8]

The irony continues to grow:

Can I suggest 'The Lands of Charm and Cruelty' by Stan Sesser as a little educative, thought-provoking, and at times hilarious Xmas reading?

A book with a chapter each on c.8 SE Asian countries. IIRC the SG gahmen sued, or tried to sue the author for suggesting that it oppresses freedom of expression.

That to me is 'post-ironic'.

http://www.amazon.com/Lands-Charm-Cruel ... 0679742395


p.s. Trivia time. If you've been to Laos you will have seen their concrete 'Arc de Triomphe' in Vientienne. That was built using cement taken from the Americans, that was intended to build runways able to handle B52s (for bombing the VC)

[zzm9980]

The irony continues to grow:

Can I suggest 'The Lands of Charm and Cruelty' by Stan Sesser as a little educative, thought-provoking, and at times hilarious Xmas reading?

A book with a chapter each on c.8 SE Asian countries. IIRC the SG gahmen sued, or tried to sue the author for suggesting that it oppresses freedom of expression.

That to me is 'post-ironic'.

http://www.amazon.com/Lands-Charm-Cruel ... 0679742395


p.s. Trivia time. If you've been to Laos you will have seen their concrete 'Arc de Triomphe' in Vientienne. That was built using cement taken from the Americans, that was intended to build runways able to handle B52s (for bombing the VC)

Added to my Wish List. If it was Kindle, it would be downloading already :/

[Akimbo]

Several thing about this whole affair stink and all the pong is coming from SMRT and not the "striking workers"

1) SMRT commented early on that the reason PRC were paid less was because of the costs of recruitment and levies.

This is illegal from the start as MOM states it is illegal to recoup the costs of levies and accommodation from WP holders. Secondly, the whole premise is incorrect as the salary and the costs of employment are two different things, Costs of hiring people is not a wage item.

Accommodations were small, overcrowded and the amount that they were allocating cost wise, besides illegal, were much higher than the going rate.

2) The strikers did not follow the proper protocol to call a strike.

Technically, this is true, but as they were never invited to join the union, they would not have know anything about this. Additionally, they did follow protocol but were put off by their supervisors whom they had previously approached for help. The supervisors refused to escalate it up the chain of command.

3) What SMRT was doing was discriminating based on Nationality (Race) and this was reflected when the wage increases were given out. The same could have been said on the bonuses that they did not receive. Yet all did the same work, but were excluded because of their nationality.

While in the end, what was done by the strikers was wrong, the fact that they could not get any satisfaction or even an audience with the senior members of SMRT pushed them to that end.

I hope, in the end, SMRT gets one hell of a hefty fine and reprimand, but as it's government linked, we know that won't happen, although the fines meted out to the MRT operators does hold hope.

I also hope the workers are not sent home, but only given a reprimand as they were pushed into it by SMRT's unfair practices.

As the union did not bother to try to get them joined up on arrival, they should be forgiven for not knowing the proper protocol.

Is it possible to have this kind of comment with SMS's sources posted in the newspaper or something? Definitely should rock the boat...and it would seriously be fun to see the stupid comments that would try to bring the statement down like in Yah*o!SG news articles...

1) The facts with photos about the SMRT accomodations with statements
2) SMRT Supervisors statements and perhaps even a video of them rejecting their plea to escalate. Or if the Supervisors actually listened, their bosses rejecting their plea.
3) Okay, I don't have any comments on what to do with this...

If everyone (and I mean Singaporeans, cause they're the ones who hold the power over the democratic government (supposedly)) realizes this sort of irony, they should do something about the unfairness, right? Or am is it like trying to beat a dead horse as they will probably mention "FTs just take our jobs away, why should we care?"

[nakatago]

Several thing about this whole affair stink and all the pong is coming from SMRT and not the "striking workers"

1) SMRT commented early on that the reason PRC were paid less was because of the costs of recruitment and levies.

This is illegal from the start as MOM states it is illegal to recoup the costs of levies and accommodation from WP holders. Secondly, the whole premise is incorrect as the salary and the costs of employment are two different things, Costs of hiring people is not a wage item.

Accommodations were small, overcrowded and the amount that they were allocating cost wise, besides illegal, were much higher than the going rate.

2) The strikers did not follow the proper protocol to call a strike.

Technically, this is true, but as they were never invited to join the union, they would not have know anything about this. Additionally, they did follow protocol but were put off by their supervisors whom they had previously approached for help. The supervisors refused to escalate it up the chain of command.

3) What SMRT was doing was discriminating based on Nationality (Race) and this was reflected when the wage increases were given out. The same could have been said on the bonuses that they did not receive. Yet all did the same work, but were excluded because of their nationality.

While in the end, what was done by the strikers was wrong, the fact that they could not get any satisfaction or even an audience with the senior members of SMRT pushed them to that end.

I hope, in the end, SMRT gets one hell of a hefty fine and reprimand, but as it's government linked, we know that won't happen, although the fines meted out to the MRT operators does hold hope.

I also hope the workers are not sent home, but only given a reprimand as they were pushed into it by SMRT's unfair practices.

As the union did not bother to try to get them joined up on arrival, they should be forgiven for not knowing the proper protocol.

Is it possible to have this kind of comment with SMS's sources posted in the newspaper or something? Definitely should rock the boat...and it would seriously be fun to see the stupid comments that would try to bring the statement down like in Yah*o!SG news articles...

1) The facts with photos about the SMRT accomodations with statements
2) SMRT Supervisors statements and perhaps even a video of them rejecting their plea to escalate. Or if the Supervisors actually listened, their bosses rejecting their plea.
3) Okay, I don't have any comments on what to do with this...

If everyone (and I mean Singaporeans, cause they're the ones who hold the power over the democratic government (supposedly)) realizes this sort of irony, they should do something about the unfairness, right? Or am is it like trying to beat a dead horse as they will probably mention "FTs just take our jobs away, why should we care?"

Don't worry; we get enough shout-outs with the local blogosphere, news sites and even gahmen offices. They're known to lurk around so if it's said here, they're likely to see it. (Hi, Jimmy Tan!)

[offshoreoildude]

I have been disheartened to see that Singaporeans did not get behind the striking workers. To strike is a fundamental democratic right - the 'withdrawal of labour' is a right we take for granted as free people. Singaporeans long ago lost that right and need to learn it again, and if that has to be from a bunch of PRC bus drivers, so be it.

I did find irony in PRC citizens 'teaching' Singaporeans concepts of a free society.

Online comments on the whole affair range from Singaporeans actually agreeing with the strikers (Since it is anti-government) to Singaporeans disagreeing with he strikers (Since that is anti-foreigner), but very few having a strong opinion on what the workers actually did unless they felt their SMRT bus was delayed that day. I suspect thought at least some are pondering what happened. I wonder if this could be the spark that slowly starts the [Adjective for the country we're in]_[Season after new year] I don't dare actually type that phrase from my own IP

The real problem is the local union scene. They were decimated and co-opted by the PAP. They're just cronies now with the employers - fat cat union guys living on the hog. Phuck them.

[Akimbo]

Don't worry; we get enough shout-outs with the local blogosphere, news sites and even gahmen offices. They're known to lurk around so if it's said here, they're likely to see it. (Hi, Jimmy Tan!)

Jimmy Tan...is that the guy who posts somewhat tongue-in-cheek articles which pokes the ironic situations in Singapore in Y!SG articles?

[v4jr4]

Arrests made:
http://www.singapolitics.sg/news/four-s ... gal-strike

The irony continues to grow:

The Chinese embassy here said in a statement that it is concerned about the arrests. The consulate has expressed this to the Singapore authorities and has asked that arrangements be made for embassy officers to visit the four. It also hopes that the legal rights of those arrested will be protected, that the matter be resolved in an appropriate manner, and that all parties remain calm.

Going to Reuters too:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/ ... 1J20121128

[morenangpinay]

now lets all tie that up with the emotional ranking news, the yale-singapore news, and the we dun wan FT issue.