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[h=2]PM Lee, I want to tell you about the disparity of Singaporean vs non-Singaporean pilots[/h]
May 31st, 2012 |
Author: Contributions
Dear PM Lee,
Over the past one year I have written numerous letters to you but this one that I am going to write is the one that weighs very heavily on my heart, and I do believe on the hearts of many of my Singaporean colleagues who have dutifully completed National Service and are still serving Reservist. I am a pilot with Singapore airlines since 1999 and am right now a seven year Senior First Officer who flies the A380 super Jumbo. During my time with the Airline I have experienced many ups and downs but what has forced me to write to you is to highlight the disparity for a Singaporean as compared to a Non-Singaporean.
I am sure you are aware that a Singaporean can only join the airline at the age of 26 while a non-Singaporean can join at an early age of 19. Now here is the crux of the problem. Due to this, there is a huge inequality in the way our career paths and pay structure differ. Please bear with me and let me explain. It takes a newly qualified pilot an average of 8 to 10 years to be selected for command training, and on successful completion achieve the rank of Captain. During this period, a Singaporean first officer dedicates 1 month of each year to serving our country as an active reservist whereas a non-Singaporean is not liable to this. Even more so, when a non-Singaporean chooses to become a citizen, he enjoys all benefits of being one without having served NS at all. Whereas, for a Singaporean we lose out a total of 1 year’s worth of flying by the time we are selected for Command training. The selection requirement: minimum 1000 sectors and 8 years of flying (in an ideal climate). It can be seen mathematically that both in terms of flying and sectors I and my Singaporean comrades are already behind.
In a recently concluded agreement with regards to the payment of yearly service increments, it was decided that service increment will be paid taking into account that everyone will enjoy the ceiling of our pay structure for a period of 5 years before retirement. Now take retirement age being fixed at 62 for all. In my case and many other Singaporeans, I will become captain at the age of 40. Add 17.5 years to 40 and this become 57.5 years old and as such I enjoy the ceiling pay for 5 years up to 62. Consequently, a non-Singaporean who joins at the age of 19, makes Captain by the age of 32. Add 17.5 years to this and it becomes 49.5 years old. As such he gets to enjoy his ceiling for 12.5 years and this proves the disparity.
Recently there was an article in the Singapore Straits Times stating how non-Singaporeans given positions of importance have actively gone out and recruited their own kind for their companies and in time even given them positions of importance. In Singapore Airlines, 95% of Flight Operations Management and 80% of Flight Operations Training Department is made up of Non-Singaporeans or those who chose to become citizens. Take a look at the number of Singaporeans as compared to non-Singaporeans within our pilot community and the obvious will stand out. There are less Singaporeans in a Singapore-based company.
I have long been an admirer of Minister Mentor’s view of the future and he in my opinion has been rarely proven wrong. I do not deny that foreign talent is a necessity for selective industries but to find 2000 pilots within a population of 5 million is definitely achievable. I am not asking for all these people to be replaced. What I am asking for is to level the playing field for Singaporeans. These are your people. We may be a minority, which may seem like a small number but take into account all the children and grand children we have and this now grows exponentially. Please do something for us and our future.
Can you imagine being told by flight operation management, that since no one is leaving there will be no pay adjustments? At this juncture please let me bring to your attention last Friday’s (09032012) front page article which says: VOLUNTARY NO PAY LEAVE (VNPL) FOR SENIOR FIRST OFFICERS, FIRST OFFICERS, SECOND OFFICERS AND CADET PILOTS. Has no one decided to question Singapore Airlines with regard to this? In 2008 during the financial crisis, we had exactly such an exercise where only pilots had to take CNPL (compulsory no pay leave on top of an MVC cut and VNPL) to prevent any retrenchment. We were then assured that such a situation will not occur and the numbers will be well managed. To our disappointment, this has recurred; I now fear that CNPL is not far away. This is causing much anxiety and instability to our lives.
There are other outfits e.g. SCOOT, SILKAIR and TIGER AIRWAYS within our organization which provide ample opportunities for these excess pilots to be redirected and continued doing what we are trained for. Why was this avenue not considered? Moreover SCOOT went on to hire non Singaporean pilots.
Why did our government condone this? Do they really want us Singaporeans to leave since we are the unhappy and more likely affected ones? Ask yourself how all this has been possible and the answer will stare you in the face in a manner of reflection. No one cared. Especially you and all the ministers who were so in tuned with trying to make Singapore a force to reckon with in every way that the importance of the LOYAL resource, your people, was undermined. There are a lot more other smaller issues in your eyes but for us it means the world which I am not going to go into. My request Sir is to meet you and my promise to you is to have a group of true blue Singaporeans present to share with you what we have gone through. We need to know that you will be there for us. I am contactable at 94766085 or 65851517 or you could even mail me. I sincerely thank you for your time and effort in helping us.
.
Yours Sincerely,
Sham Kumar Singh
.
Dear PM Lee,
Over the past one year I have written numerous letters to you but this one that I am going to write is the one that weighs very heavily on my heart, and I do believe on the hearts of many of my Singaporean colleagues who have dutifully completed National Service and are still serving Reservist. I am a pilot with Singapore airlines since 1999 and am right now a seven year Senior First Officer who flies the A380 super Jumbo. During my time with the Airline I have experienced many ups and downs but what has forced me to write to you is to highlight the disparity for a Singaporean as compared to a Non-Singaporean.
I am sure you are aware that a Singaporean can only join the airline at the age of 26 while a non-Singaporean can join at an early age of 19. Now here is the crux of the problem. Due to this, there is a huge inequality in the way our career paths and pay structure differ. Please bear with me and let me explain. It takes a newly qualified pilot an average of 8 to 10 years to be selected for command training, and on successful completion achieve the rank of Captain. During this period, a Singaporean first officer dedicates 1 month of each year to serving our country as an active reservist whereas a non-Singaporean is not liable to this. Even more so, when a non-Singaporean chooses to become a citizen, he enjoys all benefits of being one without having served NS at all. Whereas, for a Singaporean we lose out a total of 1 year’s worth of flying by the time we are selected for Command training. The selection requirement: minimum 1000 sectors and 8 years of flying (in an ideal climate). It can be seen mathematically that both in terms of flying and sectors I and my Singaporean comrades are already behind.
In a recently concluded agreement with regards to the payment of yearly service increments, it was decided that service increment will be paid taking into account that everyone will enjoy the ceiling of our pay structure for a period of 5 years before retirement. Now take retirement age being fixed at 62 for all. In my case and many other Singaporeans, I will become captain at the age of 40. Add 17.5 years to 40 and this become 57.5 years old and as such I enjoy the ceiling pay for 5 years up to 62. Consequently, a non-Singaporean who joins at the age of 19, makes Captain by the age of 32. Add 17.5 years to this and it becomes 49.5 years old. As such he gets to enjoy his ceiling for 12.5 years and this proves the disparity.
Recently there was an article in the Singapore Straits Times stating how non-Singaporeans given positions of importance have actively gone out and recruited their own kind for their companies and in time even given them positions of importance. In Singapore Airlines, 95% of Flight Operations Management and 80% of Flight Operations Training Department is made up of Non-Singaporeans or those who chose to become citizens. Take a look at the number of Singaporeans as compared to non-Singaporeans within our pilot community and the obvious will stand out. There are less Singaporeans in a Singapore-based company.
I have long been an admirer of Minister Mentor’s view of the future and he in my opinion has been rarely proven wrong. I do not deny that foreign talent is a necessity for selective industries but to find 2000 pilots within a population of 5 million is definitely achievable. I am not asking for all these people to be replaced. What I am asking for is to level the playing field for Singaporeans. These are your people. We may be a minority, which may seem like a small number but take into account all the children and grand children we have and this now grows exponentially. Please do something for us and our future.
Can you imagine being told by flight operation management, that since no one is leaving there will be no pay adjustments? At this juncture please let me bring to your attention last Friday’s (09032012) front page article which says: VOLUNTARY NO PAY LEAVE (VNPL) FOR SENIOR FIRST OFFICERS, FIRST OFFICERS, SECOND OFFICERS AND CADET PILOTS. Has no one decided to question Singapore Airlines with regard to this? In 2008 during the financial crisis, we had exactly such an exercise where only pilots had to take CNPL (compulsory no pay leave on top of an MVC cut and VNPL) to prevent any retrenchment. We were then assured that such a situation will not occur and the numbers will be well managed. To our disappointment, this has recurred; I now fear that CNPL is not far away. This is causing much anxiety and instability to our lives.
There are other outfits e.g. SCOOT, SILKAIR and TIGER AIRWAYS within our organization which provide ample opportunities for these excess pilots to be redirected and continued doing what we are trained for. Why was this avenue not considered? Moreover SCOOT went on to hire non Singaporean pilots.
Why did our government condone this? Do they really want us Singaporeans to leave since we are the unhappy and more likely affected ones? Ask yourself how all this has been possible and the answer will stare you in the face in a manner of reflection. No one cared. Especially you and all the ministers who were so in tuned with trying to make Singapore a force to reckon with in every way that the importance of the LOYAL resource, your people, was undermined. There are a lot more other smaller issues in your eyes but for us it means the world which I am not going to go into. My request Sir is to meet you and my promise to you is to have a group of true blue Singaporeans present to share with you what we have gone through. We need to know that you will be there for us. I am contactable at 94766085 or 65851517 or you could even mail me. I sincerely thank you for your time and effort in helping us.
.
Yours Sincerely,
Sham Kumar Singh
.
