Clash over low-wage workers

[Char_Azn]

A WAR of words between Mr Low Thia Khiang and People's Action Party MPs erupted yesterday when the Workers' Party chief attacked the Government, saying its policies have done little to lift the lot of low-wage workers over the years.

Blaming especially its foreign worker policy, he suggested that the levy for hiring them be scrapped and employers be allowed to employ fewer of these workers.

In his 20-minute speech, the Hougang MP lashed out at the strategy of maximising growth in the past decade, pointing out that it has caused salaries of low-income workers to stagnate and, in turn, widened the income gap.

'When the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) has to be revised upward and the qualifying monthly income limit increased to $1,700 to ensure low-wage earners are not left behind in our foreigner-dependent economy, doesn't that raise an alarm in the Government about the meagre salary our low-wage workers are getting?' he said. 'The growth strategy... for the past 10 years has definitely not made these Singaporean workers feel any sense of progress with the nation.'

He placed the responsibility for helping the low-income achieve higher wages on the Government's shoulders. 'It is easy to blame our local workforce for low productivity but who opened the gates to allow foreign workers to flood the labour market in the first place?' he said.

'Easy access to cheap foreign labour offers little incentive for companies to up their productivity... The Government has to assume some responsibility for the low productivity in the last decade.'

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_497244.html

 

[Whats4]

thats all?

 

[Char_Azn]

thats all?

The last statement is "Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times."

I don't subscribe to them. Maybe someone with a subscription can post the full article.