Breaking News! 200 SMRT bus drivers went on strike!

[oppoibchief]

I have already said it clearly.

If you are smart enough, you will be helping Singapore drivers by agreeing with the PRC drivers' demand of equal pay instead of trying to fan senseless anti-foreigner sentiments here. It may sound counter-intuitive but that's how economic forces work. Companies like SMRT are so aggressive to recruit PRC drivers because they know they can short changed them, giving them lower wages etc. If the conditions are made such that they will have to pay more for PRC drivers in total (with levy), will they want to employ more PRC drivers? This is elementary logic.

Stop enhancing mindless anti-foreigner thinking but in the end, compromise Singaporeans' interests!

Goh Meng Seng

Lau Goh, you jiat pa buay?

 

[Charlie99]

The Toronto Transit Commission's bus drivers are paid a starting wage of about C$26 an hour, and say 40 hours a week x 50 weeks = Cdn $52,000 a year

I knew a friend who was a TTC bus driver, and retired at age 55. He seems to have a good enjoyable life, going on vacation for 2 to 3 months a year. His son is a TTC subway operator, who can retire at age 55 as well, with a full pension. His son in law is a mobile supervisor or manager, earning at least Cdn $100,000 a year, which is a good sum.

 

[GoldenDragon]

Lau Goh, you jiat pa buay?

I think he makaned liao. Now, pang sai in this forum.

 

[scroobal]

Will do, after that wallop roti prata at the mama shop at Cuppage. Fish curry of course.

well, beware of guard dogs when u climb the fence...come back in one piece.

 

[Tension68]

when I read the report on the Shin Min paper, I was smiling leh.

gud la.. get so many foreigners.. got numbers they sure start things when not happy

i smile cos i hope this is not the only thing to happen.. i wish to see more.

y i say dat? simple.. when other foreigners c wad so some bus drivers can do hor, u think they wun try something? n best is, some Sg ppl wake up and ask, "if i wan to strike.. y must i apply? if reject then i cant strike liao, rite? isn't strike a form of free speech?" but.. dis is only my view la.

PRC wages shud increase.. foreigners shud ask for equal treatment.. y treat them less?

it's cos of CHEAP tat makes them coveted labour to the giam siap employers.

now.. i hope.. pinoy start something.. wakaka.. ps ps.. im bad.. but there's been nothing happening for so long.. some news like dis hor. got my attention.

 

[Bigfuck]

when I read the report on the Shin Min paper, I was smiling leh.

gud la.. get so many foreigners.. got numbers they sure start things when not happy

ibad..

Eh, Uncle here has copyright hor. I already say some 6 mths ago. The ratios show as well as the income disparity and the workload disparity. It is systemic failure. ISD and shit MHA cannot stop it. Fu manchus can whip the moon's reflection in the water but it does not change the moon.
. Popcorn time lor. There is not enough money to give out to the cocksuckers to to do the job. You can silence the people here, but can you silence the avalanche?

 

[makapaaa]

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[TD="class: content_subtitle, align: left"]Monday, Nov 26, 2012
AFP [/TD]

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[TD="class: bodytext_10pt, colspan: 3"]<!-- byline display here --><!-- CONTENT : start -->SINGAPORE - More than 100 mainland Chinese bus drivers in Singapore refused to work on Monday.
The drivers, disgruntled over their pay from state-linked transport firm SMRT, refused to board a shuttle that was going to ferry them from their dormitory to a nearby depot.
After talks with SMRT management with police on standby, the protesting drivers said they would report for work on Tuesday.
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SMRT is 54 per cent owned by state investment firm Temasek Holdings.
Singapore has been hiring bus drivers from China and Malaysia because of a chronic shortage of manpower.
One of the Chinese drivers, who declined to be named, told reporters the dispute arose because they felt aggrieved over a disparity in pay between Chinese and Malaysian bus drivers.
Drivers from China earn a basic salary of S$1,075, while those from Malaysia earn S$1,375, the driver said.
The dispute was also about the lack of bonuses for Chinese bus drivers, he added.
RELATED STORIES

• SMRT's bus drivers say they are unhappy with salary and living conditions
• SMRT bus drivers refuse to go to work
• Chinese bus drivers in Singapore refuse to go to work
• No-show SMRT drivers to return to work Tuesday
• SMRT statement on mainland Chinese bus drivers' protest
• NTWU says it can't act for SMRT's bus workers from China

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The Ministry of Manpower issued a stern warning to the 102 drivers who took part in the stoppage, saying it "takes the workers' actions very seriously" and was closely monitoring the situation.
In a statement, the National Transport Workers' Union urged the Chinese drivers - who are not union members - to return to work immediately.
No major disruptions were reported during the work stoppage, which took place during Singapore's year-end school holidays, when demand for public transport is lower.
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[TD="colspan: 5"]Chinese bus drivers refused to work
Click on thumbnails to view. (Photos: Shin Min Daily News) [/TD]
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[makapaaa]

 

[scroobal]

Consider this. It already hard to convince 3 people to join a strikeet alone 102. These PRC drivers were not losing their job, downgraded or losing a benefit. They however did drop in terms of remuneration compared to the Malaysian drivers. Yet went on strike. Usually in these circumstances there will be a few that will start working on the rest.

It will be interesting to see how this evolved. The last time something similar occurred involved Filipino maids and some Singaporeans. And we know what it led to.

 

[Bigfuck]

Consider this. It already hard to convince 3 people to join a strikeet alone 102. These PRC drivers were not losing their job, downgraded or losing a benefit. They however did drop in terms of remuneration compared to the Malaysian drivers. Yet went on strike. Usually in these circumstances there will be a few that will start working on the rest.

It will be interesting to see how this evolved. The last time something similar occurred involved Filipino maids and some Singaporeans. And we know what it led to.

Conspiracy theories. PLA instigated? A Chinese SOE in China trying to fry Singapore SOE in China?

 

[WHITEWOLF]

These mainland Chinese are one of a kind. Even the Hongkies dun know what to do with them.

 

[Leongsam]

Definition of "Strike"

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/strike

a. A cessation of work by employees in support of demands made on their employer, as for higher pay or improved conditions.
b. A temporary stoppage of normal activity undertaken as a protest.


With this in mind, please provide a single word that describes "refusal to go to work over the issue of working conditions and renumeration"?

http://www.straitstimes.com/breakin...rivers-refuse-go-work-over-pay-issue-20121126

About 200 SMRT bus drivers refused to go to work early Monday morning and instead assembled at their dormitory in Woodlands.
The drivers, who are Chinese nationals, were unhappy about the recent pay increase that Malaysian drivers had received, reported Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News.

The 154th's refusal to use the word "strike" should be an even bigger story than the strike itself.

 

[Bigfuck]

Definition of "Strike"

The 154th's refusal to use the word "strike" should be an even bigger story than the strike itself.

Forgive the editors and Leeporters of 154. Fail logic, English and whatever.

http://repolitlebijou.blogspot.sg/
Above is an interesting read.

http://news.sina.com.cn/w/2012-11-26/160925665703.shtml

Watch the hate comments in China. Hope no wild fire spread.

 

[RandomNexus]

All the while, the PRCs' salaries are always at a disparity, but it is made up by the OT pay. SMRT screwed up big time here, by increasing the monthly pay by $50 yet increase the workweek to 6 days. Is there not a law of minimum 40 hour working week?

There is a change of contract no doubt. This result in their strike action.

There are underlying tensions festering between foreign workers and locals here due to difference in culture and income disparity. You need just this trigger to create this problem.

All in all, there are 3 considerations for the authorities:
1. Giving in to demands, creating a precedent, and encouraging future such actions of other groups.

2. "No' at all to these demands, with a view to sacking the uncooperative workers. The cons of such an action may drive up media publicity, and Singapore-China relations may be affected if the Chinese authorities are forced to act.

3. The likelihood is No 1 but not giving in to all their demands. A compromise is the best solution. Any group of gathered folks, once emboldened, will ask for more demands. It looks like besides asking for rescinding the extra work day, the PRCs are now asking for same wage structure as Malaysian and other foreign drivers. This is an upgrade of their demands. Well before you know it, they will ask for same salaries as Singaporeans. There is no end to demands once they realise their strength in groups.

Secondly they are beginning to complain about living conditions. Over the years, the living conditions of foreign workers are improving but how far does one to go to upgrade until it affects the company cost structure and make it not viable?

The last thing you want, is to see other groups of foreigners rising up in action to challenge the low-wage structure, affecting the investor climate here. To have a dependency on foreign workers, and it being used as a chip against us, is not what we want.

SMRT management, and all employers need to be enlightened how they enforce their contracts, and treat the foreign workers with decency, otherwise, they can result in more problems. It is not as if this problem has been unknown, as months ago, it already surfaces when there is a change in the workday week to 6 days after I reckon SMRT realise the need for more buses running, yet do not want to employ more workers, hence imposes a greater burden on existing workforce.

 

[aurvandil]

You should ask the question of why the PRC drivers did it in spite of the fact that they knew they would most likely be deported. For 25 years, the PAP treated the FT policy like it was a bottomless gold pit. Policy was made on the assumption that this goldmine would last forever. Those doing intel will id tthe strike leaders but fail to pinpoint the root problem for what has been driving alll these incidents with foreign workers.

Consider this. It already hard to convince 3 people to join a strikeet alone 102. These PRC drivers were not losing their job, downgraded or losing a benefit. They however did drop in terms of remuneration compared to the Malaysian drivers. Yet went on strike. Usually in these circumstances there will be a few that will start working on the rest.

It will be interesting to see how this evolved. The last time something similar occurred involved Filipino maids and some Singaporeans. And we know what it led to.

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng says this is nothing compared to the Hock Lee bus riots incidents in 1955. who can recount that piece of history?

 

[Conqueror]

Nope

The 154th's refusal to use the word "strike" should be an even bigger story than the strike itself.

Maybe, the 154th's refusal to print anything worthy will be a greater story.

 

[eatshitndie]

I knew a friend who was a TTC bus driver, and retired at age 55. He seems to have a good enjoyable life, going on vacation for 2 to 3 months a year. His son is a TTC subway operator, who can retire at age 55 as well, with a full pension. His son in law is a mobile supervisor or manager, earning at least Cdn $100,000 a year, which is a good sum.

sf muni transit and bus drivers make usd120k per year plus pension and benefits. they have run over several pedestrians and cyclists this year. and they retire before 60 with full pensions.

 

[sirus]

Bus or Driver?

Think Bus No. 64 is involve.

 

[1sickpuppy II]

Back in the late 80s SMRT train drivers did go on a strike too but it was all hush up then. Back then most of the train drivers were sinkies. The next day all were told to go to CID for coffee and later all the indian chieves who instigated the strike were sacked.