SMRT Bus Driver Refused to Work

[jon]

Interesting news...

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/200-smrt-bus-drivers-refuse-go-work-over-pay-issue-20121126

[Tanzy]

Communist union power!

Pyongyang will hire all of you.

[Cklasse]

Sack all of them and pack them home to China !

Singapore is too small and fragile to accommodate any strike.

These Chinese like to strike over everything...they should stay at Mao's time. It's good for them.

[keltanky]

hai, should tell them, not happy go back prc lor.

they will also say, company want me to work, so must be fair lor, but they dunno that their levy is higher than others lor...

they will not want to be sent back due to need to cover for that agent fee (normally amount to $8k to $13k) which they paid just to come over to work in sgp.

and to be able to work in sgp, is very grand to them, once they complete the contract , go back and command higher pay increase in prc as they had gone overseas to work especially to sgp lor.

[Gullwings]

Actually this is kinda good what. They make noise, get the message (of high costs of living, low wages, etc etc) across to the government. And in the end only they get punished, while we MIGHT get to enjoy the benefits if the government make some changes. LOL

[Ah Bui]

Regardless of the anger toward those Chinese workers.... sometimes I oso pity these guys... paid so much to the AGENTS to come here... got themselves sold like livestocks... then couldn't get paid like promised.... slog like mad for the OWNERS... Guess someone geot frustrated and instigated mutiny.... the rest just followed... but frankly the BUS COMPANIES are oso assholes... these poor chaps work like 12 hr shifts... and got penalisd if their routes are late... and one off days per week... and took home less than $1k per month...

[jon]

I think this PRC drivers are quite pitiful leh.... they posted this the night before their strike in one of the popular prc website:

Translation (provided by http://repolitlebijou.blogspot.sg):

SMRT has a total of about 400 Bus Drivers coming from China which is about 1/3 of their total staff strength for Bus Drivers.

For many years, excluding the 13th month bonus which you are only entitled to after working for a min. of 12 months, China Staff salary have been a lot lower than staff from other countries. The last increment of $50 SGD was still considered reasonable but at the same time, the company also increased the workload of the bus drivers by multiple fold. Everyday, the buses have to be inspected in perfect condition and it seems that instead of a pay increment, they are using the extra $50 as an excuse to increase workload that is worth a lot more than the $50 SGD. This is exactly like the behaviour of a boss for a small store and not of a big company/organization.

Although, there is an increment of Salary beginning from Nov 23rd to make up for the extension of official working days from 5 to 6 working days but however, the China staffs are once again excluded from this increment and this extension is “forced” on them with no advance notification or additional information provided. Why are only China Staffs excluded from this increment? The earlier promises that were made to the China Staffs have been forgotten and we are now only seen as Staff from China but not a part of SMRT. Even if SMRT have forgotten the promises made but there is still the contract we signed, why is this extension of an additional working day enforced mid-way into our contract? We are also a part of SMRT staff who are servicing the Singapore public every day.

Furthermore, we are all grouped into a room with 10 over people and are not living together with people who are working the same morning/night working shifts, hence we are always not able to have a good rest with people always going in and out of the room. Without proper rest, this will not only affect our health but also public safety.

You have high expectations of us with ‘0′ accidents and to be the provider of excellent service but with such living conditions and salary, such expectations are only a fairy tale and not realistic at all!

[nightfly]

Sometimes it is good to pause and put ourselves in the other guy's shoes.

It's not easy being at the bottom of the food chain.

[SLKtigress]

Sometimes it is good to pause and put ourselves in the other guy's shoes.

It's not easy being at the bottom of the food chain.

That's kinda true... a call to compassion perhaps... I can't imagine how tough it must be living like that. I think they've made a valid point too about the pay increment but increased workload, as well as being disqualified from the other pay revisions.

It's one thing to be thankful for having a job here in sg, but on the other hand i think doesn't mean they have to take their perceived prejudiced treatment lying down. A strike may not be the best way of changing things or solving problems, but I suppose they're desperate and the attention it draws leaves the company with no choice but to look into the matter...

hmm.. what would be a win-win solution if its possible?

[jon]

I saw from another article saying that this prc drivers are paid a basic of $1075 per month....

I think with that kind of working hours and responsibilities, this amt is kind of low leh....

Seems like they are taken for a ride...

[solar]

very kelong reporting.. over 100 refuse to work? isn't that a strike?

they even had to activate ang chia standby on the ground

[blackmercs]

Low?? Singaporean cleaner salary is $700 per month. So study hard and be street smart my pantry lady say one.

[jon]

Low?? Singaporean cleaner salary is $700 per month. So study hard and be street smart my pantry lady say one.

last time i work part time as cashier, my boss pay me 900 leh... that was so many many moon ago.

But your pantry chabo is definitely right about study hard!

[SLKtigress]

Low?? Singaporean cleaner salary is $700 per month. So study hard and be street smart my pantry lady say one.

My ahma used to work as a cleaning lady too... true that pay is very low.

but ahma bor bian lei, no money to go to school last time...

[jon]

very kelong reporting.. over 100 refuse to work? isn't that a strike?

they even had to activate ang chia standby on the ground

Bro, strike is a very sensitive words in singapore leh.... and also very serious one... so cannot anyhow report.

Chapter 67 of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act clearly states the following:

No Workman employed in any essential service shall go on strike

(a) Unless at least 14 days before striking he has given to his employer notice of intention to strike as provided by this section;

(b ) before the date of striking specified in the notice of intention to strike; or

(c )during the pendency of any proceedings

Chapter 67 of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act also clearly states the penalty for any person who commit an offence under this act as follow:

Any workman who commences, continues or otherwise act in furtherance of a strike which is illegal under this Part shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.

The act also provides penalty for any person who instigate a strike as follow:

Any person who —

(a) instigates or incites others to take part in, or otherwise acts in furtherance of, a strike or lock-out which is illegal under this Part; or

(b ) instigates or incites others to withhold their labour or services knowing or having reason to believe that the probable consequences of that action will be to endanger human life or the efficient operation of any public health service or cause serious bodily injury or expose valuable property whether real or personal to destruction or serious damage, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

[Tanzy]

North Korea, land of plenty and home of the free, wants you!

In North Korea, buses are state owned. Your employer is the Dear Leader and Supreme Commander who promises you a proper paying job or will shoot your family.

[SLKtigress]

hmm... he actually looks quite cute when he smiles.

[Tanzy]

hmm... he actually looks quite cute when he smiles.

Which one?

General Ri Yong Ho or Marshall Choe Ryong Hae?

Anyway Ri Yong Ho died of a mysterious and tragic horse accident after this photo was taken, because plane accidents are too expensive.

[Ah Bui]

No wonder Tanzy got rounder... this picture still can see neck... guess he has taken over the dead general's share of the cakes....

[SLKtigress]

Which one?

General Ri Yong Ho or Marshall Choe Ryong Hae?

Anyway Ri Yong Ho died of a mysterious and tragic horse accident after this photo was taken, because plane accidents are too expensive.

the man himself... Kim Jung Un... so chubs. I would go on a date with him!

and feed him loads of cake.

[Tanzy]

Nobody goes on strike in North Korea. What's wrong with these bus drivers.

[SLKtigress]

LOL

[solar]

Bro, strike is a very sensitive words in singapore leh.... and also very serious one... so cannot anyhow report.

Chapter 67 of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act clearly states the following:

No Workman employed in any essential service shall go on strike

(a) Unless at least 14 days before striking he has given to his employer notice of intention to strike as provided by this section;

(b ) before the date of striking specified in the notice of intention to strike; or

(c )during the pendency of any proceedings

...

thanks bro for the info..

looking at the definition of strike = when workers refuse to continue working...

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/strike_10

going at this definition, these guys already violated Chapter 67 then, for not giving advance notice?

maybe gahmen media tries to downplay by playing with words.. probably damaging for sg's reputation should this be reported worldwide as 'strike in sg'