SMRT told the drivers, “You can resign and go to SBS.”

[Cruxx]

You know what market forces are or not? Demand and supply. If a wage is too low, people won't work at that wage. The fact that people work at that wage means the wage is not too low.

The fact that people are complaining means that wages are not too high either. Let's be clear now. They aren't getting 15k/month doing a part-time job. When it comes to excesses and distortion of market forces, bus drivers in Singapore aren't the first to come to mind. You think everyone should be as satisfied with mediocrity as you, contented with wages that are not low enough to disincentivise work but not high enough to keep up with the rising costs of living? And you call this a first world country?

 

[Spock]

Nonsense. The fact is that there is a quota. To get X foreigners you need Y Singaporeans.

The devil is in the details. PRs also considered SGreans. Admin staff, backroom staff, non-driver staff all considered as company staff. Once the government relinquishes the role of gatekeeper and allow companies to hire foreigners at their discretion, there will be 1001 ways to beat the rule, not to mention difficulties in enforcing the rule.

 

[Fook Seng]

Nonsense. The fact is that there is a quota. To get X foreigners you need Y Singaporeans.

Open your eyes. You believe in market forces at work? What do the results tell you? A million dollar HDB flat. MRT breaking down due to heavy usage. TFR at its lowest in history and almost the lowest, anywhere in the world. Why? Why is Singapore so unique with such problems?

 

[ionzu]

there will be 1001 ways to beat the rule, not to mention difficulties in enforcing the rule.

spot on! not to mention willful blindness on the part of the enforcing ministry.

 

[cass888]

The truth is that mediocre people should be satisfied with mediocre wages.

If a first world country is robbing the productive to pay the mediocre, we can take your sarcasm as a compliment.

You think everyone should be as satisfied with mediocrity as you, contented with wages that are not low enough to disincentivise work but not high enough to keep up with the rising costs of living? And you call this a first world country?

 

[ionzu]

The truth is that mediocre people should be satisfied with mediocre wages.

then the mediocre performance of our government can hardly justify the total wages of our cabinet.

obviously its one rule for the elite, and one rule for the rest.

 

[cass888]

Their performance is not mediocre. It only appears mediocre to the mediocre who can't stand market forces.

then the mediocre performance of our government can hardly justify the total wages of our cabinet.

obviously its one rule for the elite, and one rule for the rest.

 

[cass888]

If they really strike, I hope TIBS fires all of them. And if SBS dares to hire them, then SBS CEO ought to be sacked.

According to the drivers, they planned to organize a strike in 2006 over another impasse. However, a last minute deal was made and the strike was called off.

 

[Fook Seng]

If they really strike, I hope TIBS fires all of them. And if SBS dares to hire them, then SBS CEO ought to be sacked.

Sounds very commie to me. Not free market.

 

[cass888]

You know what is commie or not? Siow.

The drivers are behaving like commies.

Sounds very commie to me. Not free market.

 

[Spock]

The truth is that mediocre people should be satisfied with mediocre wages.

If a first world country is robbing the productive to pay the mediocre, we can take your sarcasm as a compliment.

You are confusing the issue here. These people are providing an essential service. You claim they are mediocre because the skills required for providing that service are found in abundance outside of SG. The problem with this argument is that the borders within countries are not fully open, that is why it is unfair to the resident population. SG is among the very few countries espousing open borders, even HK has been extremely careful with that. This means that the country's citizens have to compete with the rest of the world without much help from their government or other countries. If that is the case, why do they need to pay the SG government and politicians? They can simply pay the government a token sum for performing administrative work, just like back in the colonial days. The best thing is, there is no need to do NS as well.

 

[cass888]

You are the one confusing the issue here.

Because they are not the only ones in the country.

Clerks and other administrators have upgraded from O Level to A Level to even diplomas and degrees. Production operators no longer Primary 6 - they are either NTC or diploma holders. Engineers no longer diploma holders they are degree holders. Drivers, sweepers remain just that - uneducated. As Singapore gets more and more educated, the majority have a right not to be held to ransom by those without valuable skills.

If it is a split between the aristocracy and the rest of society, a revolution is justified. What we have now is a big middle class which, together with the upper class, form 80-90% of the population. Should the 80-90% be held to ransom by the 10-20%?

Our leaders deserve their pay just for the courage in saying a big, loud, NO. And kudos to the 60% who have enough in their head to ignore the bleeding heart liberal bullshit.

You are confusing the issue here. These people are providing an essential service. You claim they are mediocre because the skills required for providing that service are found in abundance outside of SG. The problem with this argument is that the borders within countries are not fully open, that is why it is unfair to the resident population. SG is among the very few countries espousing open borders, even HK has been extremely careful with that. This means that the country's citizens have to compete with the rest of the world without much help from their government or other countries. If that is the case, why do they need to pay the SG government and politicians? They can simply pay the government a token sum for performing administrative work, just like back in the colonial days. The best thing is, there is no need to do NS as well.

 

[Fook Seng]

You know what is commie or not? Siow.

The drivers are behaving like commies.

You know? You are commie?

 

[cass888]

You know? You are commie?

Capitalist = people get what they can command in market
Commie = people demand more than what they can command in market.

 

[greedy and cunning]

You are the one confusing the issue here.

Because they are not the only ones in the country.

Clerks and other administrators have upgraded from O Level to A Level to even diplomas and degrees. Production operators no longer Primary 6 - they are either NTC or diploma holders. Engineers no longer diploma holders they are degree holders. Drivers, sweepers remain just that - uneducated. As Singapore gets more and more educated, the majority have a right not to be held to ransom by those without valuable skills.

If it is a split between the aristocracy and the rest of society, a revolution is justified. What we have now is a big middle class which, together with the upper class, form 80-90% of the population. Should the 80-90% be held to ransom by the 10-20%?

Our leaders deserve their pay just for the couragrroneouslye in saying a big, loud, NO. And kudos to the 60% who have enough in their head to ignore the bleeding heart liberal bullshit.

your ideology is similar to that of hitler who believed german is the only pure race and others races are to be externimated.

you erroneously painted a beautiful picture of 80%-90% are the middle and upper class.
if this is so how come 80% of sinkies are living in hdb flats ?

you missed the crucial point in this demand for high wages for the low income.
the lower income group exists in all countries.
in countries with good government and good people , the salary gap between the lower and higher income group
is not a great difference.
the problem here is the gap is very great and coupled with the ever increasing cost of living this group of Citizens are finding it impossible to cope. what they are demanding is a fair salary to enable them to live a simple life.
and what you are advocating is the government should ignore this ,simply bring in more workers from other
countries to solve the problem of increasing wage.
they are citizens just like you. they have to serve ns , etc etc.
because of selfish people like you this group are being sidelined and marginalized.

 

[erection2010]

smrt sucks pap sucks.

 

[cass888]

And who says all those living in HDB flats are not middle class? If people are willing to bid $1 million for HDB flats (those are citizens and PRs) you really think they're not middle class? Don't bring the PPP argument in - I am sure if you count the number of Big Macs their disposable income can buy, they are definitely middle class.

you erroneously painted a beautiful picture of 80%-90% are the middle and upper class.
if this is so how come 80% of sinkies are living in hdb flats ?

 

[cass888]

That is your judgement. A government that takes the easy way out of giving freebies is not a good government. A government that is populist and robs the rich to give the unproductive high wages is not a good government. Garbage collectors earning the same as doctors and accountants is clearly market interference.

in countries with good government and good people , the salary gap between the lower and higher income group
is not a great difference.
the problem here is the gap is very great and coupled with the ever increasing cost of living this group of Citizens are finding it impossible to cope. what they are demanding is a fair salary to enable them to live a simple life.
and what you are advocating is the government should ignore this ,simply bring in more workers from other
countries to solve the problem of increasing wage.
they are citizens just like you. they have to serve ns , etc etc.
because of selfish people like you this group are being sidelined and marginalized.

 

[winnipegjets]

This is a developed country, for goodness sake. So bus drivers should be making at least $20/hr and nearing $35/hr at the end of their career!

 

[cass888]

If being a developed country means having businesses being forced to pay $35/hr for something worth $8/hr then we will take being called an undeveloped country as a compliment.

This is a developed country, for goodness sake. So bus drivers should be making at least $20/hr and nearing $35/hr at the end of their career!