ST Editorial - Expect fares to go up if you want to improve drivers' salaries

[Spock]

nothing is fair when it comes to labor wage/benefits/work-rules disputes between management and unions. where i am, it happens twice a year like clockwork due to 2 unions taking turns to turn the screw on "collective bargaining". we, management, have learned a few tricks over the years dealing with union thugs and extortionists. we train all executive directors, directors, managers and management staff in the things union workers do. every management employee has secondary and emergency responsibilities, and their extra skills and knowledge are being updated, tested and qualified every year. and they are pre-assigned roles, jobs, sites on the contingency plan (plan b). once unions go on strike, plan b is activated, and the collective bargaining position of unions takes a nosedive the moment they see "replacement workers" arriving at sites to keep the business running. of course, this can't last forever, and there is a high price in shipping and putting thousands of management staff all over the country in hotels and giving them rental cars to reach sites, plus removing them from their original roles which are more long term impacting. but at least the immediate emergency is addressed, operations continue to run, customers do not face disruption, and the unions lose all their bargaining power.

Isn't that why the unions form alliances? What if SBS workers also strike in sympathy of their counterparts? What if MRT train drivers also strike? Just drive a truck to block the entrances and exits of the bus interchanges and cause some damage to the vehicle purposely so that it can't be driven off. By the time the truck is towed away, precious time and profit would have been lost. My point is that there are always ways to counter as long as the laws are not as restrictive as those in SG.

 

[eatshitndie]

My point is that there are always ways to counter as long as the laws are not as restrictive as those in SG.

there's no need to enact or retain decades old draconian laws to punish workers for "illegal" strikes. however, arrests and prosecution must be enforced to ensure strking workers don't get out of line and break other laws. for example, some in the picket lines broke into vehicles, intimidated and caused hurt to replacement workers, vandalised facilities, sabotaged equipment. businesses will come out with innovative ways to counter strikes. for some critical services that affect the whole country, the gov has to step in. example, reagan called in air force controllers to replace civilian air traffic controllers who went on strike.

 

[eatshitndie]

I was working in an upstream tier two subcontractor to Honda in Ontario a couple of years back when the CAW (Canadian auto-workers union) oapproached the Honda workers (non-union) to form a union. Whilst this was going on, Honda management in Japan got the news about it and a few of the Japanese top dogs flew to the plant to see the situation. They spoke to the workers and told them, "If you guys proceed to form a union, we'll shut the factory and move the plant to Mexico." No union was ever formed.

Cheers!

toyota and gm created a joint venture and built the "neumi" auto plant in fremont. at that time, gm needed to learn from toyota all about just-in-time manufacturing as they were getting their butts kicked by toyota. for toyota, it was a foray into local manufacturing in cal to gain favorable market leverage. but because gm was heavily infiltrated by union members, and they soon dominated the fremont plant, toyota regretted but remained patient and a silent partner thru' more than a couple of decades in the jv. japs don't abandon you unless they have little to no choice. when the recession hit and gm went under before it became government motors, toyota seized the opportunity to jettison the fremont unit. they closed shop and let go all. the plant is now operating under the name of "tesla". very few union employees as the tesla plant is fully automated.

 

[Spock]

there's no need to enact or retain decades old draconian laws to punish workers for "illegal" strikes. however, arrests and prosecution must be enforced to ensure strking workers don't get out of line and break other laws. for example, some in the picket lines broke into vehicles, intimidated and caused hurt to replacement workers, vandalised facilities, sabotaged equipment. businesses will come out with innovative ways to counter strikes. for some critical services that affect the whole country, the gov has to step in. example, reagan called in air force controllers to replace civilian air traffic controllers who went on strike.

As you have elucidated, my view is that giving workers too much power is a lesser evil than giving businesses too much power. Unless, of course, your view is that exploitation should be left to the free market and left unchecked.

 

[eatshitndie]

As you have elucidated, my view is that giving workers too much power is a lesser evil than giving businesses too much power. Unless, of course, your view is that exploitation should be left to the free market and left unchecked.

i'm a believer of free market principles. sg, however, is more of an orgyopoly - new term for incestuous economic relationship between gov and gov-sanctioned big business. they will never tolerate a deficit, which in one extreme will turn surpluses into obscene profits. it's ok to eliminate deficits and maintain a healthy surplus for any gov, but profiteering should be left to private enterprise which is not gov-linked. once it's gov-linked or state-owned, it's no longer following free market principles.

 

[hairylee]

Reduce the number of fat cats and MIWs directors on board.
Cut their bonuses.

 

[Spock]

i'm a believer of free market principles. sg, however, is more of an orgyopoly - new term for incestuous economic relationship between gov and gov-sanctioned big business. they will never tolerate a deficit, which in one extreme will turn surpluses into obscene profits. it's ok to eliminate deficits and maintain a healthy surplus for any gov, but profiteering should be left to private enterprise which is not gov-linked. once it's gov-linked or state-owned, it's no longer following free market principles.

I do not agree with a 100% free market. This is because power is never evenly distributed, hence a free market is not an achievable ideal. Witness the history of slavery, it is free market at gun-point. Thus, I never believe the bull-shit about free markets, it is just a matter of who wields the most power calls the shots.

 

[Kinana]

We are talking about reasonable wages, if we are paying high salaries, we expect competency & productivity, if the china men were to have their salaries to be raised, productivity must be raised too. This is also expected of those in management, all those are responsible must be given a pay & bonuses & perks cut in line with the sacking of those who started the strike.

Same la, how much productive you raise every year yourself?
Every increment to you matched with increase in productivity?

That means the rest who were involved & not removed up to top management must have at least a one time salary cut for DECEMBER...

Cutting their pay no use. They don't earn that much to make a diff. Most salaries goes to the ground staff.

Then it is justified to raise bus fares to benefit one and all, top management all the way to the bottom & to the commuters as well..then, all will be happy!

Lets raise fares 5% every year to match rising cost and inflation faced by SMRT first ok?

 

[eatshitndie]

I do not agree with a 100% free market. This is because power is never evenly distributed, hence a free market is not an achievable ideal. Witness the history of slavery, it is free market at gun-point. Thus, I never believe the bull-shit about free markets, it is just a matter of who wields the most power calls the shots.

obviously, you don't understand principles of a free market economy. an economy based on slavery or the barrel of a gun is not a free market economy.

 

[Mdm Tang]

To the point. I love succinct posts like this!

To the many Directors of SMRT, ESP those who holds multiple Directorships in other companies .....you are the cause/root of SMRT problems. You are too expensive to maintain and you don't contribute actively to the public good.

Now, hopefully, we can see how this episode further highlights the idiotic executive compensation packages after those breakdown debacles. IMHO, there should be NO executive bonuses payout for 2012.

Sirs ,


A) How Many S$ Millions does it costs

SMRT to maintain its Board of Directors

and its Group of Senior Management , all Perks and Bonous included ? :(


Answer : My rough Guesstimate : at least S$20 million ( min )

 

[Mdm Tang]

Its editorial on Saturday said:

If wages are improved to attract Singaporeans, a knock-on effect on fares will be inevitable. Commuters will have to be prepared to pay more to ensure that workers, Singaporean and foreigner are decently rewarded.

can the knock on effect be on the board and

senior mgt compensation ?


are they in public service or pte service ???

 

[Timbuktu]

Increase salary? Should just send them back to where they came from.

 

[Bigfuck]

Sirs ,


A) How Many S$ Millions does it costs

SMRT to maintain its Board of Directors

and its Group of Senior Management , all Perks and Bonous included ? :(


Answer : My rough Guesstimate : at least S$20 million ( min )

Much more. You forgot their overseas travelling expenses and the expensive parties.

 

[knightriderz]

I fully agree. In Auckland, a short trip to town and back by bus costs more than $10! That's because the damned drivers are being paid way beyond what they're worth and same goes for the mechanics, the clerks, the cleaners and the rest of the riff raff that work for the company.

That's what happens when minimum wages are mandated by law. Costs go up for everyone you end up back at square one.

Will not affect u since u move around on a seatless bike boss!!! Lol

 

[KopiO]

Yes sir, me too. I dont mind increasing bus fares to pay the drivers decent. How much can we save by cutting top management salaries? Dont be naive

Increasing bus fares will increase profits. This will only serve to improve the bottom line. Management will then pay themselves higher bonuse for supposedly better performance.

How would this improve the drivers' welfare? Try cutting the bonuses of the management by 50% and see how much of these can be redistributed to the bottom feeders and you'll be surprised. As calculated by a forummer here, a driver will need to work 45 years to earn a year's bonus of the EVP......

Better still, get rid of some of the obvious non-contributing deadwood Directors.

 

[GoldenDragon]

Increasing bus fares will increase profits. This will only serve to improve the bottom line. Management will then pay themselves higher bonuse for supposedly better performance.

How would this improve the drivers' welfare? Try cutting the bonuses of the management by 50% and see how much of these can be redistributed to the bottom feeders and you'll be surprised. As calculated by a forummer here, a driver will need to work 45 years to earn a year's bonus of the EVP......

Better still, get rid of some of the obvious non-contributing deadwood Directors.

To entice more S'poreans into this profession, why not peg the monthly salary of bus drivers to say approx 66% of an average taxi driver. Latter has no medical benefits, no leave etc. Bus drivers are covered with these and bonuses as well so I think two thirds is fair.

 

[SeeingRED]

i really dun give a shit they increase the fare. it the boh lui ppl that keep voting in the miw, then they deserved the increase. let see who wise up first, the 60.1% or ....

I agree.

If FT population falls by 10% in the next 3 months, the pressure on transport system will be lessened immediately.
Quite possible that SMRT will not need to hire replacement bus drivers.

Root cause of problem = swelling number of FTs

 

[Spock]

obviously, you don't understand principles of a free market economy. an economy based on slavery or the barrel of a gun is not a free market economy.

Show me a free market economy anywhere in the world then.