Shocking ! Those retrenched workers are majority Local Singaporeans!

[Qinhuang]

People in the streets, in the coffeeshops, in the pubs, beer corners, at the void decks, etc, are gossiping that those retrenched people are local singaporeans.

MOM should publish the true figure of retrenchment and how many are locals !

Whether the gossip now hitting everywhere in singapore holds water or not is another matter, the PAP dogs must clarify the number of locals retrenched.

Job competition is deadly fierce in singapore now due to massive Ft workers who will take up any cheap salary rather than returning home.

We understand PAP loves these FT workers but the local people have overpriced HDB flats to keep up the loan installments.

Most employers prefer FT workers especially the local men have to serve NS reservists is an eyesore. Moreover Ft workers are very much cheaper to employ.

Please help to spread the words around your estates if local people are retrenched in order to replace with cheaper Ft workers, local singaporeans have to vote PAP out next Elections. There is no another way except dethroning the Lee Empire to save singaporean singapore.
Look at the PAP MPs, what are they doing at the parliament ?????

We cannot hold bloody protest nor any demonstration, Hong Lim park will not make any impact, so we have only one avenue---spread the words around .......

 

[mscitw]

we have vermins like charles and josephine talking down to peasants, calling them lesser mortals or worse, what do you expect from the regime?

they gleefully encourage merchants to ax local peasants and replace them with cheaper foreign talents to keep the biz running.

 

[ahleebabasingaporethief]

This is Serious! Very Serious!

Yes...Spread the Word...take time to explain to the 66.6%. They are thicker up there so more time is needed to convince them.

 

[sinren67]

I hate to say this - Sgreans deserve it, since they vote for PAP and they should accept the fact that they have no final say, after the Polling Day.

 

[icecum]

That why for the past two elections i don't vote PAP,i am very open i always Vote Worker party and i hope Most of the SBF bro when come to the next Elections we can vote anyone but please don't vote PAP liao.....

 

[angie II]

take time to explain to the 66.6%[/quote]

33.3% Pro PAP : You siao ah?.. I worked in gahmen sector leh!

33.3% Pro PAP : Cannot lah! My parents are civil servants leh!

 

[myfoot123]

That why for the past two elections i don't vote PAP,i am very open i always Vote Worker party and i hope Most of the SBF bro when come to the next Elections we can vote anyone but please don't vote PAP liao.....

I will vote for any opposition party that comes to my town, even if he is an FT.

 

[Conan the Barbarian]

Haha, even if unemployment reaches 7% and all these vote for Opposition,
PAP will still win 60% of the cast votes.

 

[Leongsam]

People in the streets, in the coffeeshops, in the pubs, beer corners, at the void decks, etc, are gossiping that those retrenched people are local singaporeans.

Employers don't retrench staff based on nationality. The retrenchment list is drawn up based upon performance and value for money.

It's a sad fact that most Sinkies simply aren't worth what they are paid. Employers know it and so do the sinkie peasants on the hit list.

Kicking up a fuss on line isn't going to fix the root cause of why overpriced, under performing sinkies are being discarded. Sinkies have to learn to work harder and smarter and offer their services for less money. To put it bluntly, sinkies need to compete with FT head on and WIN.

The days of cushy, high paying jobs are gone. Get over it and move on.

 

[SneeringTree]

Employers don't retrench staff based on nationality. The retrenchment list is drawn up based upon performance and value for money.

It's a sad fact that most Sinkies simply aren't worth what they are paid. Employers know it and so do the sinkie peasants on the hit list.

I am familiar with the case of bus drivers. China recruited bus drivers earn only a fraction of what local bus drivers (SGD 900 vs. SGD1600). The former were recruited after even the Malaysians felt that the wages have been depressed too much by the bus companies.

To me, the China born drivers are not even worth the money. The consumers certainly do not feel they are competent (and that's partly because these drivers never get enough time to acclimatize to Singapore- being on 2 year contracts only).

Of course, the bus companies love cheap labour and boosting their profits. But the government rightly should not have allowed this to happen. Unfortunately, the government (indirectly) own the bus companies.

So this is not really about value for money or performance. It's about squeezing Sinkies dry.

 

[Leongsam]

To me, the China born drivers are not even worth the money. The consumers certainly do not feel they are competent (and that's partly because these drivers never get enough time to acclimatize to Singapore- being on 2 year contracts only).

It all depends upon who defines "Competency". From what I gather, the problem with PRC bus drivers is that they can't communicate with a portion of the population. However, they do know how to drive from point A to point B and therefore satisfy the requirements of the job.

If they can do it $900, Sinkies should offer to do it for $850 and beat the foreign competition.

 

[SneeringTree]

It all depends upon who defines "Competency". From what I gather, the problem with PRC bus drivers is that they can't communicate with a portion of the population. However, they do know how to drive from point A to point B and therefore satisfy the requirements of the job.

If they can do it $900, Sinkies should offer to do it for $850 and beat the foreign competition.

I actually don't think SGD 850 is enough for Sinkies to survive in SIngapore or enough for him/her to save up for old age. But no matter, I heard the PRCs are complaining about their SGD 900 wage as too low. So soon we will be employing Vietnamese drivers and then Indonesians and then probably Laotians.

 

[Leongsam]

I actually don't think SGD 850 is enough for Sinkies to survive in SIngapore or enough for him/her to save up for old age.

In a market economy, wages are determined by demand and supply. No employer is going to pay salaries based upon the principle of "enough to save up for old age". The management of renumerations would be an absolute nightmare. Imagine each employee arguing his case for what is "enough" and what isn't.

Singapore is an insignificant little Island with no natural resources and a rather unproductive population. It's economy has to be open. It can't afford to operate the way Western democracies do where competition can be shut out of the labour market.

Countries such as Australia and many European countries have natural resources and/or large multinational companies that bring in the much needed export earnings to support high wages. Singapore has nothing.

Singaporeans need to realise that they need to become FT themselves. The commodities boom in WA has made millionaires out of many drivers who were willing to work long hours in the mining industry. There was nothing to stop sinkies with experience in driving heavy vehicles from working in Australia during the boom period of 2003 to 2008. The country was begging foreigners to fill the voids created by the boom.

Those who took the plunge could well be well on the road to retirement. They can most certainly afford to ride out the current recession.

 

[SneeringTree]

Singaporeans need to realise that they need to become FT themselves. The commodities boom in WA has made millionaires out of many drivers who were willing to work long hours in the mining industry. There was nothing to stop sinkies with experience in driving heavy vehicles from working in Australia during the boom period of 2003 to 2008. The country was begging foreigners to fill the voids created by the boom.

Those who took the plunge could well be well on the road to retirement. They can most certainly afford to ride out the current recession.

I actually don't disagree with this. But I also think that the government of Singapore is definitely giving short shrift to citizens with their "enrich themselves" economic policies.

The first thing Sinkies should do is to venture overseas to work or even migrate. The second thing they can do is to vote out those whose policies cause them hardship. Failing to do either or both of these things suggest to me that Sinkies just liked to be fucked till they bleed in their asses.

 

[halsey02]

In a market economy, wages are determined by demand and supply. No employer is going to pay salaries based upon the principle of "enough to save up for old age". The management of renumerations would be an absolute nightmare. Imagine each employee arguing his case for what is "enough" and what isn't.

Singapore is an insignificant little Island with no natural resources and a rather unproductive population. It's economy has to be open. It can't afford to operate the way Western democracies do where competition can be shut out of the labour market.

Countries such as Australia and many European countries have natural resources and/or large multinational companies that bring in the much needed export earnings to support high wages. Singapore has nothing.

Singaporeans need to realise that they need to become FT themselves. The commodities boom in WA has made millionaires out of many drivers who were willing to work long hours in the mining industry. There was nothing to stop sinkies with experience in driving heavy vehicles from working in Australia during the boom period of 2003 to 2008. The country was begging foreigners to fill the voids created by the boom.

Those who took the plunge could well be well on the road to retirement. They can most certainly afford to ride out the current recession.

You obviously are talking from an economist point of view, and from what you have stated is not wrong; textbook theory & observation.

Have you worked in Singapore before? from the early 1970's to the present?. We have a very productive labour force, and can really boast to be the best in Asia after Japan. This is the truth. It is the government policies that had made SINGAPORE WORKERS un-employable. I have worked with Singaporeans, who are efficient, qualified & dependable; but the cost of employing them, direct & indirect had placed these people out of the work force.

The PRC drivers, who doesn't know they are trained and competent, can survice at S$900 a month, covert this to today's rate (Feb 04, 09), translater to RMB(CNY) of 4,077. A princely sum for the PRC driver, even after deducting living expenses here in Singapore. ( no CPF deduction, employers these day , can not deduct fees from their salaries, read MOM directive July 2008).

A Singapore driver getting S$850, deducting 20%CPF takes home, $680.00 (RMB3,080), you sugges that this driver go o China & be a FT?

That is not the end of it all:
Let us place a few assumptions:

1. Food at ordinary coffeeshops or foodcourts at the Singapore heartland, Lunch, Breakfast & dinner (eating the cheapest possible food):
S$8.70 per day = S$226 per month ( basing on 26 working days).
2. Transportation : say one needing LRT/shuttle bus, S$4 per day = $104 per month ( basing on 26 working days).
3. Utilities & Water per month, family of 4, in a typical 4 room flat ( very thrity family): S$180 per month.
4. TV Licence, amortized by 12 months : S$9.17 a month
5. Conservancy Fees : around S$60 per month.

This is assuming that one person is paying the bills, per month for a family of 4, the above, does not include (a)groceries, (b)food for the rest, (c)medical, and (d)others.

From the above:
Take home pay, after CPF S$680.00
less
(1)S$226
(2)S$104
(3)S$180
(4)S$9.17
(5)S$60.00

balance S$100.83 (RMB 457), I think the Chinaman would not want to work anymore...and would have gone to, Ministry of Manpower to protest!!

The proof is in the pudding, on paper it looks nice...

The PRC driver, have no other commitment, while the 'sons of the earth' besides having to work hard for a wage, have to feed himself/herself, raise a family & feed an extremely expensive government.

So, Lim Sway Sway...CPF of ???, I forgot something, this does not include deduction for an expensive 'pigeon-hole' in the sky, if this workers does not have enough CPF monies to pay...a 25 or 30 year lona...will come to around S$400 to S$500 per month.

Lower their wages to compete with the FT workers? including the Malaysians...you kidding!. The Singapore worker is not on even ground, for their own goverment does not even gurantee a SINGAPOREAN FIRST, employment!?.

 

[Pek Kim Lui]

Like it or not, problem is systematic. Root cause our so called "affordable" housing. The days of "home ownership" is nothing more than a sham.

 

[SneeringTree]

Like it or not, problem is systematic. Root cause our so called "affordable" housing. The days of "home ownership" is nothing more than a sham.

Sorry to be pedantic, but I think you mean "systemic"??

 

[SneeringTree]

Like it or not, problem is systematic. Root cause our so called "affordable" housing. The days of "home ownership" is nothing more than a sham.

AGREED! HDB housing is expensive, even the rental market for housing has been inflated because of failed housing policies of PAP.

 

[Leongsam]

Have you worked in Singapore before? from the early 1970's to the present?. We have a very productive labour force, and can really boast to be the best in Asia after Japan. This is the truth. It is the government policies that had made SINGAPORE WORKERS un-employable.

I was one of those productive workers back in 1976. I was paid USD300 pm for doing a job that earned my counterpart in the USA USD3200 per month!

The multinational that I was working for did the obvious a year later. They retrenched the guy in the US and gave his responsibilities to myself and my team in Singapore.

8 years later, these responsibilities were transferred to Thailand and it was the turn of the sinkies to be retrenched. The Thais had advanced to the point that they could handle the tasks at hand.

Nothing is permanent in this world. Everything is transient. There is no point whining about how unfair life is and how fucked up a govt is. It's not going to change anything.

In my case, I had moved on long before retrenchment came my way. I refused to hang around to become a victim of circumstance. Life is what you make of it and opportunities are always abundant. Grab them while you can and stay one step ahead. Sit back and wait for things to happen and you'll end up down and out.

 

[Pek Kim Lui]

Sorry to be pedantic, but I think you mean "systemic"??

Opps my mistake. Thanks for pointing it out.