[Poll]Hammer Gang say locals face disadvantage, Lightning Gang say No FT you mati

[Apollo]

Workers' Party says Singapore workers disadvantaged

Posted: 01 May 2008 0659 hrs

 

SINGAPORE: The Singapore economic model, one in which Singaporeans are dependent on foreigners for their jobs, has eroded the societal standing of the Singapore worker, suggested the Workers' Party (WP) in its May Day message on Wednesday.

 

The WP cited an anecdote from Mr Lim Boon Heng, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, at the recent Singapore Tripartism Forum, of a woman concerned about a "sweet, young beer girl from China" undercutting her wages at the coffee shop.

 

According to The Straits Times, Mr Lim had said the young girl drew more customers, in turn helping the Singaporean to keep her job.

 

"According to Mr Lim's logic, is he conceding the People's Action Party has created an economic model whereby Singaporeans must now be dependent on the foreign workers to retain our jobs?" asked the WP statement, which cited how 60 percent of the 234,900 jobs created last year went to foreigners.

 

The party also questioned if the "rosy picture" of the record job growth had masked some disadvantages.

 

"Could it be that more Singaporeans are holding contractual part-time work positions, whereas foreigners might be benefiting from the full-time positions created?" asked the WP.

 

The job figures required "more detailed analysis to understand the actual employment status" of Singaporeans and their employment terms, such as medical benefits and annual leave.

 

The WP ended its message with a call for more help measures from the government, in the context of rising food prices, "on top of the initiatives (such as the U Stretch food voucher programme) by the National Trades Union Congress".

 

While the party did not suggest food subsidies "across the board", it repeated its call to reduce the Goods and Services Tax to 5 percent and to keep it at that rate for "at least a year".

 

It also suggested the government reduce fuel taxes.

 

 

- TODAY/so

May 1, 2008

S'poreans may lose jobs without foreign workers: PM

SINGAPOREANS should look at the contributions of foreign workers objectively - they are not here to steal their jobs, but to help enlarge the economic pie for the country.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, speaking in Mandarin at the May Day Rally on Thursday morning, sought to explain why foreign workers can help strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness.

 

He noted that some Singaporeans think that foreign workers are the problem because they are under-cutting the wages of locals.

 

As an example, he mentioned recent reports in newspaper about coffee-shops hiring foreign workers, which became a talking point.

 

An older Singaporean woman has lamented to Minister Lim Boon Heng (Prime Minister's Office) that these young, pretty foreigners were taking jobs away from locals.

 

'Boon Heng replied, half joking, that maybe this was how the drinks stores attracted more customers; with more business, locals will be able to keep their jobs, and so the PRC young lady was indirectly helping the Singaporean woman,' PM Lee told the rally.

 

Some people disagreed with Boon Heng's answer. Mr Lee himself also thinks it may not be a good thing to have more pretty beer ladies who encourage people to drink more.

 

But he said the former labour chief had a serious point.

 

The PM gave three reasons:

First, foreign workers are hardworking and willing to work long hours. By hiring them, coffee shops can open late, or even 24 hours, round the clock.

Second and more importantly, with the help of foreign workers, airport, seaport, factories, offices, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets can offer better service and business hours: 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, they can run their operations, service their customers, and so strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness.

 

Third, many SMEs do not make good profits, especially the neighbourhood shops. If they can hire some foreign workers in addition to the locals, they can reduce their business costs; otherwise, they may have to go out of business. Thier Singaporean employees will then lose their jobs.

 

PM Lee said the Government is controlling the inflow of foreign workers, by setting limits on the proportion of foreign workers they can hire and imposing a levy. This gives Singaporean workers the edge in competing for jobs.

 

'Overall, our policies are creating many job opportunities for Singaporeans,' he added.

 

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2...ry_232960.html

[So_nice]

one protest without offering a real solution while the other refused to admit the picture painted isnt tat rosy. yawnz.

[Throttle2]

The word "Talent" is too loosely used.

 

Just like the word "Banker"

 

[Guyver]

In the past ... when I go for hair cut .... most, if not all, are M'sians.

 

But the last I went .... ALL chinese from China.

[Tanlee]

the MIW work in a sector where salary is in millions and come with pension scheme. furthermore, FT are not competing with the Lee for his job, of course, he can say those things...

 

in his ivory tower, he see the world difference from us... maybe he is having too much of the "mee siam mai ham"

[Porker]

Don't listen to Ah Heng deh... but then again you don't listen then later he cry in public how

[Ldawn88]

P*P always 'right'. if they say FT are good for singapore, then must be good. cos they cannot be scrutinised one lah. sigapore boleh!

 

 

Workers' Party says Singapore workers disadvantaged

Posted: 01 May 2008 0659 hrs

 

SINGAPORE: The Singapore economic model, one in which Singaporeans are dependent on foreigners for their jobs, has eroded the societal standing of the Singapore worker, suggested the Workers' Party (WP) in its May Day message on Wednesday.

 

The WP cited an anecdote from Mr Lim Boon Heng, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, at the recent Singapore Tripartism Forum, of a woman concerned about a "sweet, young beer girl from China" undercutting her wages at the coffee shop.

 

According to The Straits Times, Mr Lim had said the young girl drew more customers, in turn helping the Singaporean to keep her job.

 

"According to Mr Lim's logic, is he conceding the People's Action Party has created an economic model whereby Singaporeans must now be dependent on the foreign workers to retain our jobs?" asked the WP statement, which cited how 60 percent of the 234,900 jobs created last year went to foreigners.

 

The party also questioned if the "rosy picture" of the record job growth had masked some disadvantages.

 

"Could it be that more Singaporeans are holding contractual part-time work positions, whereas foreigners might be benefiting from the full-time positions created?" asked the WP.

 

The job figures required "more detailed analysis to understand the actual employment status" of Singaporeans and their employment terms, such as medical benefits and annual leave.

 

The WP ended its message with a call for more help measures from the government, in the context of rising food prices, "on top of the initiatives (such as the U Stretch food voucher programme) by the National Trades Union Congress".

 

While the party did not suggest food subsidies "across the board", it repeated its call to reduce the Goods and Services Tax to 5 percent and to keep it at that rate for "at least a year".

 

It also suggested the government reduce fuel taxes.

 

 

- TODAY/so

May 1, 2008

S'poreans may lose jobs without foreign workers: PM

SINGAPOREANS should look at the contributions of foreign workers objectively - they are not here to steal their jobs, but to help enlarge the economic pie for the country.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, speaking in Mandarin at the May Day Rally on Thursday morning, sought to explain why foreign workers can help strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness.

 

He noted that some Singaporeans think that foreign workers are the problem because they are under-cutting the wages of locals.

 

As an example, he mentioned recent reports in newspaper about coffee-shops hiring foreign workers, which became a talking point.

 

An older Singaporean woman has lamented to Minister Lim Boon Heng (Prime Minister's Office) that these young, pretty foreigners were taking jobs away from locals.

 

'Boon Heng replied, half joking, that maybe this was how the drinks stores attracted more customers; with more business, locals will be able to keep their jobs, and so the PRC young lady was indirectly helping the Singaporean woman,' PM Lee told the rally.

 

Some people disagreed with Boon Heng's answer. Mr Lee himself also thinks it may not be a good thing to have more pretty beer ladies who encourage people to drink more.

 

But he said the former labour chief had a serious point.

 

The PM gave three reasons:

First, foreign workers are hardworking and willing to work long hours. By hiring them, coffee shops can open late, or even 24 hours, round the clock.

Second and more importantly, with the help of foreign workers, airport, seaport, factories, offices, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets can offer better service and business hours: 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, they can run their operations, service their customers, and so strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness.

 

Third, many SMEs do not make good profits, especially the neighbourhood shops. If they can hire some foreign workers in addition to the locals, they can reduce their business costs; otherwise, they may have to go out of business. Thier Singaporean employees will then lose their jobs.

 

PM Lee said the Government is controlling the inflow of foreign workers, by setting limits on the proportion of foreign workers they can hire and imposing a levy. This gives Singaporean workers the edge in competing for jobs.

 

'Overall, our policies are creating many job opportunities for Singaporeans,' he added.

 

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2...ry_232960.html

[Dynaway]

no cheena babe.... KTV all close shop, joochiat become dead town... geylang no one goes....

 

so cannot say FT no contribution....they help to bring down the rape cases...... muahahaha

 

shoot me if i'm wrong

[Celicapimp]

gahman say wat they like...up GST cos economic is good must increase..later now say retrenchment and economic is bad..another min say economic still ok..Wtf?

 

RUN COUNTRY machiam running biz leh.

[Celicapimp]

I have hard time communicating with the PRC in foodcourts,hawker ctrs etc.They don't understand what I'm talking.Last weekend, this ah pek was ordering his dessert at a foodcourt.The PRC don't understand ah pek's dialect.KNN don't know if anyone of you encounter similar experience?

[Metalbone]

ya like a virus, slowly invading our land.

[Boyboy]

one protest without offering a real solution while the other refused to admit the picture painted isnt tat rosy. yawnz.

 

the "other" also did not offer REAL solution

[Nolicense]

no lar.. they no nothing about economy.. all rely on MAS. think they know better? even Fed also like that.. still believe them?

[Scoots]

First, foreign workers are hardworking and willing to work long hours. By hiring them, coffee shops can open late, or even 24 hours, round the clock.

 

Ok, so how many coffeeshops DO operate 24hrs? And please, if if they all CAN operate 24hrs, do their clients visit coffeeshops round the clock??

 

Also, it appears that coffeeshops is the only arena where they can come up with reasons to validate for foreign workers huh?

 

To be fair, I'll add a few:

 

Construction

Domestic help

Cleaners

 

Second and more importantly, with the help of foreign workers, airport, seaport, factories, offices, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets can offer better service and business hours: 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, they can run their operations, service their customers, and so strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness.

 

Unless I am SOOooooo out of touch, I believe our airport, seaport hotels has been operating 24hrs/day 365days/year as long as I can remember. So the rationale of the foreign workers contributing in this aspect is kinda weak right?

 

There are factories that operate 24hrs, there are those that don't. But their operations are pretty much determined by the demand of their products and not limited by the amount of labour they have (more demand: OT or more hire; less demand: plant shutdown, deduct leave)

 

Why would any fatory run 24hrs/day, producing products that have no market demand??

 

Offices that have international business already have staff and working systems to deal with their counterparts/customers from across the world and time zones.... the added 'advantage' of more foreign labour doesn't (in my opinion) help much, if any

 

And again... which retail operate 24hrs?!?!?!...I can't shop 24hrs, you cannot shop 24hrs so no value addded here. Andf I don't think any of 'them' do any shopping on their own so they're definitely not contributing to anyone's job security here

 

Third, many SMEs do not make good profits, especially the neighbourhood shops. If they can hire some foreign workers in addition to the locals, they can reduce their business costs; otherwise, they may have to go out of business. Thier Singaporean employees will then lose their jobs.

 

 

Err... let's extract some key points of this point.

 

Some SMEs do not make good profits

Advocates to "hire some foreign workers in addition to the locals"

This will "reduce their business costs"

 

I cannot understand how any business that's already NOT making good profits can reduce business costs by hiring MORE workers (even CHEAP labour still costs).

 

It's no rocket science. To reduce operating costs. REPLACE with cheaper labour. NOT hire MORE labour.... especially when a business is already NOT doing well.

 

*sigh*....This from someone who earns so much more in a month than what I earn for the entire year ....

Edited May 1, 2008 by Scoots

[Qpik]

yes, FT r indeed replacing locals.

 

my mil used to be on yrly renewable contractual basis for 1 of the prominently located hotel. however, due to the fact that it is "cheaper" to employ FT, they r letting her as well as her colleagues (all locals) go.

 

for those who has not completed their contract, the hotel offered a contract to the locals where they do not get the benefits of a full-time worker but hv to fulfill the working hrs of a full-time worker. now, only FT are full-time whereas locals r on part-time.

 

so for those who buy FT are good, sooner or later, u or yr offsprings might not hv a job to speak of in future.

[Scoots]

no cheena babe.... KTV all close shop, joochiat become dead town... geylang no one goes....

 

so cannot say FT no contribution....they help to bring down the rape cases...... muahahaha

 

shoot me if i'm wrong

 

Only if you can afford their rates ....

Edited May 1, 2008 by Scoots

[Ahwhye]

Finally he admits they have no clue how to handle the economy other than to engage in lower-cost competition, despite paying themselves millions.....

 

The PM gave three reasons:

First, foreign workers are hardworking and willing to work long hours. By hiring them, coffee shops can open late, or even 24 hours, round the clock.

Second and more importantly, with the help of foreign workers, airport, seaport, factories, offices, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets can offer better service and business hours: 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, they can run their operations, service their customers, and so strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness.

 

Third, many SMEs do not make good profits, especially the neighbourhood shops. If they can hire some foreign workers in addition to the locals, they can reduce their business costs; otherwise, they may have to go out of business. Thier Singaporean employees will then lose their jobs.

Edited May 1, 2008 by Ahwhye

[Ahwhye]

This is a good one, never know he can be so funny..... , tell that to the neighbourhood kopi-soh and tiger beer auntie, they sure peng.....

 

 

Third, many SMEs do not make good profits, especially the neighbourhood shops. If they can hire some foreign workers in addition to the locals, they can reduce their business costs; otherwise, they may have to go out of business. Thier Singaporean employees will then lose their jobs.

 

PM Lee said the Government is controlling the inflow of foreign workers, by setting limits on the proportion of foreign workers they can hire and imposing a levy. This gives Singaporean workers the edge in competing for jobs.

 

'Overall, our policies are creating many job opportunities for Singaporeans,' he added.

 

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2...ry_232960.html