Why we need a minimum wage policy in SG

[makapaaa]

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Coffee Shop Talk - Why we need a minimum wage policy in SG</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>

Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">TanLarkSye <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">3:38 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 7) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>15811.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Why we need a minimum wage policy in Singapore
Free competition in the labour market, without safeguards, will continue to push down wages. With outsourcing of many types of work, the wages of the contract workers have now fallen below the subsidence level. Many family now needs two or three jobs to earn enough to survive.
Many countries solve this problem by introducing a “minimum wage”. I suggest that the minimum wage in Singapore should be SGD 10 an hour. If this wage is applied to cleaners, shop attendants and other low income jobs, there will be sufficient Singaporeans who are keen to accept these jobs - rather than remain unemployed.
We should continue to control the number of foreign workers who are allowed to take these jobs. The employer should be required to provide acceptable standard of accommodation and medical benefits to these worker. This will increase the cost of these foreign workers, and reduce the attraction of their “lower cost”, as compared to local workers. The foreign worker’s levy can continue to be levied.
If we need foreign workers to increase the pool of manpower, let us welcome them as long term immigrants. If they bring their family here, they will have to face the same high cost of living and cannot depress the wages fo local workers. This will be the subject of a separate discussion.
A minimum wage policy may mean that the customers have to pay more for these services. But, the increase may not be as large as feared. The wages of the workers is only one component of total cost. The other components are rental, profit and management salaries. I expect that, in a competitive market, these other components will fall to more reasonable levels, before the charges to the customers are raised.
Some people argued that higher wages will fo force businesses to locate to other countires. This argument does not hold water for the domestic service sector, which will be an important source of employment for the local people.
Anyway, we do not need many businesses in Singapore to create employment for foriegn and local workers who earn below the minimum wage. The large number of foriegn workers working in Singpaore at the depressed wages will create social problems that are not fully realised at this time.
I like to ask for support for a minimum wage policy in Singapore. This is social justice and fairness. It is for the long term good of our society.
Minimum wage should be $8 per hour
Someone told me that $10 an hour may be too high. He suggested that a minimum wage of $8 per hour may be more acceptable for a start. This gives $1,280 a month for 8 hours X $8 X 20 days = $1280. I agree.
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[kansas]

$10 -> $1600
$8 -> $1280

Given the high standard of living, $1600 a month is neither too high nor too little

 

[mockingbird]

After the mass retrenchment exercise next year, it will be a good time for the govt to re-examine this issue and perhaps, consider implementing a minimum wage when the economy starts to recover.

 

[suteerak1099]

After the mass retrenchment exercise next year, it will be a good time for the govt to re-examine this issue and perhaps, consider implementing a minimum wage when the economy starts to recover.

its impossible to weight jobscopes, responsibility & KPI against wages, the only thing quantifiable is by educational qualification... i wont be surprised if the tables look like it was structured for workforce in a 3rd world country....

• < PSLE: SGD8'000~9'999 p.a.
• PSLE: SGD10'000~11'999 p.a.
• N'level(T): SGD12'000~13'999 p.a.
• N'level(A): SGD14'000~15'999 p.a.
• O'level: SGD16'000~17'999 p.a.
• NTC-1: SGD13'000~14'999 p.a.
• NTC-2: SGD18'000~19'999 p.a.
• A'level: SGD20'000~21'999 p.a.
• Diploma: SGD22'000~23'999 p.a.
• BA(pass): SGD24'000~25'999 p.a.
• BA(merit): SGD26'000~27'999 p.a.
• BA(2nd hnr): SGD28'000~29'999 p.a.
• BA(1st hnr): SGD30'000~31'999 p.a.
• MA: SGD32'000~33'999 p.a.
• PHD: SGD34'000~35'999 p.a.

increment: recommended 3~5% x yrs of service (employer discretion)
AWS: 13th mth compensation (employer discretion)
bonus: not mandatory (employer discretion)
medical benefits: not mandatory (employer discretion)

employee CPF contribution: 20%
employer CPF contribution: 14.5%

working days/wk: 6working days, 1 rest day (employer discretion)
public holiday: mandatory 7days (employer discretion)
annual leave: minimum 7days (employer discretion)

 

[yellow_people]

Singaporeans pay their maids slave wages and have the gall to talk about minimum wage. Are you willing to pay your maids $1,600 per month?

Or is minimum wage exclusively for selfish and inconsiderate Singaporeans???

 

[chupacabra]

Singaporeans pay their maids slave wages and have the gall to talk about minimum wage. Are you willing to pay your maids $1,600 per month?

Or is minimum wage exclusively for selfish and inconsiderate Singaporeans???

Well if there is a minimum wage, do you think that the foreign maid industry will exist here at all?

Which other cuntry in the first world got slave labour taking care of their children?

 

[kansas]

Singaporeans pay their maids slave wages and have the gall to talk about minimum wage. Are you willing to pay your maids $1,600 per month?

You have a very strong point. The min wage works for sinkies but I don't know how many will be able to afford $1600 a month for maids.

 

[myfoot123]

After the mass retrenchment exercise next year, it will be a good time for the govt to re-examine this issue and perhaps, consider implementing a minimum wage when the economy starts to recover.

If opposition are voted in, you can be certain this idea will be taken and legislated. As for PAP, I have yet to find where their heart is located...

 

[chupacabra]

You have a very strong point. The min wage works for sinkies but I don't know how many will be able to afford $1600 a month for maids.

Sinkees are always easily frightened. The pappies are aware that all they have to do is ask the very same question and 66% will shit in their pants.

Minimum wage will alternately create an alternative to the cheap slave labor maids .

The low wage maids is another aparatus of pappy bastards to hold sinkee by the balls. Just like CPF and HDB.

 

[chupacabra]

Sinkees keep on forgetting why we pay pappies millions of dollars.

Till this day their only modus operandi is millions of dollars for them, peanuts for sinkees.

Scare tactics is the order of the day when it comes to solving problems.

 

[yellow_people]

Well if there is a minimum wage, do you think that the foreign maid industry will exist here at all?

The problem is that the foreign maids along with the cheap manual laborers are already here. So which partner in the dual income family is going to quit to look after the kids and do the other household chores? Provided they have the luxury of quitting as companies will simply fold and relocate elsewhere.

Which other cuntry in the first world got slave labour taking care of their children?

Where was this soul searching when we were busy exploiting cheap labor during the good times? Most Sinkees happily went along with the suggestion and for good measure had their maids doing acrobatics outside the window ledge if not outright beating the crap out of them.

This selfish lot of Singaporeans truly deserve the govt they get.

 

[yellow_people]

Sinkees are always easily frightened. The pappies are aware that all they have to do is ask the very same question and 66% will shit in their pants.

Let's cut the crap shall we? The Singaporean is politically naive. If you are somehow alluding to the fact that all is won if the 66% of voters simply voted for the opposition instead; i have news for you.

You can hold elections every day of the week and PAP would still win overwhelmingly. Even if they lost the popular vote, they would still win by stuffing the ballot boxes. The outcome will still be the same.

You need to overthrow this govt unfortunately. You can't vote them out as they have absolute control.

 

[singveld]

You have a very strong point. The min wage works for sinkies but I don't know how many will be able to afford $1600 a month for maids.

not to mention, all construction workers, maids, cleaners, all odd jobs, macdonald will have to pay this 1600 minimum wages.

you think the boss of these companies will allow that.

min wage should start very low and increase over time

 

[yellow_people]

not to mention, all construction workers, maids, cleaners, all odd jobs, macdonald will have to pay this 1600 minimum wages.

you think the boss of these companies will allow that.

min wage should start very low and increase over time

If minimum wage becomes mandatory by law, that plate of chicken rice at the local coffee shop might cost $12 and that bottle of tiger beer will be $14. Sinkees will once again KPKB.

 

[singveld]

If minimum wage becomes mandatory by law, that plate of chicken rice at the local coffee shop might cost $12 and that bottle of tiger beer will be $14. Sinkees will once again KPKB.

yes. better set the mini wage very low and nudge it up later.

 

[chupacabra]

Everything have its humble beginning. You got to start somewhere.

 

[chupacabra]

not to mention, all construction workers, maids, cleaners, all odd jobs, macdonald will have to pay this 1600 minimum wages.

you think the boss of these companies will allow that.

min wage should start very low and increase over time

Funny thing is the savings of all these jobs you have mentioned are not pass on to you. I wonder why?

Why are we not getting cheap housing with these cheap labour?

 

[VIBGYOR]

Many countries solve this problem by introducing a “minimum wage”. I suggest that the minimum wage in Singapore should be SGD 10 an hour.

S$10 is too low, You have to pay at least S$5/- for a meal at food courts nowadays...with drinks included.

S$15 should be the lowest standard for a country with per capital income of US$48,900 (2007 est.)..add S$5 for transportation...

so who will pay the rent and public utilities???

http://siakhenn.tripod.com/capita.html

 

[chupacabra]

The problem is that the foreign maids along with the cheap manual laborers are already here. So which partner in the dual income family is going to quit to look after the kids and do the other household chores? Provided they have the luxury of quitting as companies will simply fold and relocate elsewhere.

The entire western world is able to get by without a maid.



Where was this soul searching when we were busy exploiting cheap labor during the good times? Most Sinkees happily went along with the suggestion and for good measure had their maids doing acrobatics outside the window ledge if not outright beating the crap out of them.

This selfish lot of Singaporeans truly deserve the govt they get.

The entire western world is able to get by without a maid.
Hello, I know you anti a certain race. Who are the ones that opened the floodgates? Whats the figure of maid abuse in SG?

 

[VIBGYOR]

The entire western world is able to get by without a maid.
Hello, I know you anti a certain race. Who are the ones that opened the floodgates? Whats the figure of maid abuse in SG?

the maid phenomena in SGP is really SHOCKING!!...

every family is packaged with a maid...