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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 8890
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from the papers today
quote: SDP PROPOSAL
Minimum wage for workers and pay for jobless
IF THE Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) had its way, workers would be paid a minimum wage and those retrenched would continue to be paid salaries.
And like the Singapore Democratic Alliance, it also wants a 'Singaporean First' employment policy.
This would involve hiring foreigners only when there are no locals who are able to do the job, and to retrench foreign employees before locals.
SDP chief Chee Soon Juan unveiled these proposals yesterday as part of his party's economic plan for the country.
He argued that paying workers a minimum wage was necessary to prevent them from being exploited and, for a start, suggested a minimum wage of $5 per hour.
This is how the SDP retrenchment-benefits scheme would work:
Retrenched workers would be paid full salaries for the first six months of the 18-month scheme, three-quarters of their salary for the next six months, and half of their pay for the last six months.
There would be no minimum service requirement, which would mean that a one-month-old employee who was retrenched would also qualify for the 18 months of benefits.
But during this period, a worker could only reject up to three job offers, or he would lose his benefits.
Why 18 months? The party believes that an economy in recession would recover in about that time.
Dr Chee said that the scheme would not bring about a 'welfare society' because 'that would only come true if we were to pay retrenchment entitlements indefinitely'.
When asked how much the benefits would cost, he said: 'Well, I think that would be something that the Government would have to tell us.
'They keep their reserves in such a secretive manner.
'From what we know... I don't see any problem in trying to support a system like this.'
The SDP's longer-term economic plan called for the privatisation of government-linked companies within five years so that entrepreneurship would flourish, and to protect local companies from multinational corporations (MNCs).
He said the SDP was not against MNCs.
'What we are saying is - don't let it be a free-for-all,' he explained.
'What we are saying is - be intelligent about who you want to attract, who you want to bring in.'
peraonally i find this too good to be true...
what do you think?
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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 5417
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Won't work.
This message was edited by evildq on 24 Oct 2001 06:45 PM
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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 1852
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quote: He said the SDP was not against MNCs.
'What we are saying is - don't let it be a free-for-all,' he explained.
isn't he aware of the glaring inconsistency in those 2 statements? 
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Administrator

Total Posts: 1661
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I really pity the opposition. Not only are they not credible. They get their words twisted up pretty badly too 
First of all, wait till you guys start work. As most opposition MPs have stated, they are not opposed to foreign talent. The keyword here is talent, not foreign. If I can find a top notch banker to bring DBS to the next level, by all means hire him cos maybe, Singaporeans do not have the right kind of exposure.
But the last angmoh at DBS (whose name shall not be mentioned ) here was pretty much crap. He introduced a lot of his own foreign cronies, pushed up the pay packet to "international" levels, but pretty much ran DBS into the ground. Even when he left, DBS was saddled with his golden parachutes (and his cronies')
Palliart, on the other hand, seems to have a better track record. Keeping fingers crossed.
In my last company, I saw foreigners being hired, but when placed on the job, just could not deliver. But they seem to have the gift of the gab, and was able to present themselves very well, and could sway the bosses and justify their own positions in the company, depriving (what I felt) were better, more qualified locals who could do that job. But in reality, it was other Singaporeans doing the grunt work and carrying these idiots through.
This isn't meant to be an attack on all foreigners, ok? So Pieter and MrGruber, please bear with me 
All I ask is that we scrutinies some of these foreign "talent" before dismissing our own so easily.
This IS the sentiment of most Singaporeans here. No one is asking MNCs to leave or to throw out some of the really talented ones here, ok?

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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 5417
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As they say:
On top of you, are all those that are with golden hair, who's pay is international(western) standard, while yours is singapore standard.
and those around you and under you are those that either not speaking your language or waving a different flag.
This message was edited by evildq on 25 Oct 2001 12:45 AM
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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 8890
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hmm...you got a point there
the reason why i highlighted this particular article is mainly due to the suggestion og a 18-month retrenchment package to be paid by the government to the people
that is an incredible claim to make especially during elections
to even think of abolishing crtain taxes is already a difficult task, to promise a 18-month is even more ludicrous
just some opinions...
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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 6430
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quote: Originally posted by bktoh:
This isn't meant to be an attack on all foreigners, ok? So Pieter and MrGruber, please bear with me 
No offense taken. But don't you know we export all our idiots? 
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Moderator

Total Posts: 3276
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quote: Originally posted by bktoh:
This isn't meant to be an attack on all foreigners, ok? So Pieter and MrGruber, please bear with me 
no problem. you've brought up some valid points.
quote: Originally posted by Pieter:
No offense taken. But don't you know we export all our idiots?
it seems lately that america is importing most of canada's exports.  
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Very Senior Member

Total Posts: 839
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Totally AGREED with you!
quote: Originally posted by bktoh:
I really pity the opposition. Not only are they not credible. They get their words twisted up pretty badly too 
First of all, wait till you guys start work. As most opposition MPs have stated, they are not opposed to foreign talent. The keyword here is talent, not foreign. If I can find a top notch banker to bring DBS to the next level, by all means hire him cos maybe, Singaporeans do not have the right kind of exposure.
But the last angmoh at DBS (whose name shall not be mentioned ) here was pretty much crap. He introduced a lot of his own foreign cronies, pushed up the pay packet to "international" levels, but pretty much ran DBS into the ground. Even when he left, DBS was saddled with his golden parachutes (and his cronies')
Palliart, on the other hand, seems to have a better track record. Keeping fingers crossed.
In my last company, I saw foreigners being hired, but when placed on the job, just could not deliver. But they seem to have the gift of the gab, and was able to present themselves very well, and could sway the bosses and justify their own positions in the company, depriving (what I felt) were better, more qualified locals who could do that job. But in reality, it was other Singaporeans doing the grunt work and carrying these idiots through.
This isn't meant to be an attack on all foreigners, ok? So Pieter and MrGruber, please bear with me 
All I ask is that we scrutinies some of these foreign "talent" before dismissing our own so easily.
This IS the sentiment of most Singaporeans here. No one is asking MNCs to leave or to throw out some of the really talented ones here, ok?

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Moderator

Total Posts: 1033
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A good article...
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/story/0,1870,80050,00.html?

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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 1852
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quote: Originally posted by bktoh:
In my last company, I saw foreigners being hired, but when placed on the job, just could not deliver. But they seem to have the gift of the gab, and was able to present themselves very well, and could sway the bosses and justify their own positions in the company, depriving (what I felt) were better, more qualified locals who could do that job.
Hmm... perhaps Singaporean employers are too easily impressed by foreigners.
This message was edited by DivineOne on 27 Oct 2001 05:38 PM
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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 7839
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this is really funny...
quote: Originally posted by Pieter:
No offense taken. But don't you know we export all our idiots? 

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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 7839
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SDP is rubbish..
quote: Originally posted by ahgong:
from the papers today
peraonally i find this too good to be true...
what do you think?

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Moderator

Total Posts: 1033
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quote: Originally posted by DivineOne:
Hmm... perhaps Singaporean employers are too easily impressed by foreigners.
We still live in the colonial ages...the Pinkerton Syndrome where gold is better 
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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 1811
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quote: Originally posted by annika:
We still live in the colonial ages...the Pinkerton Syndrome where gold is better 
Well, I don't. Do you? 
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Moderator

Total Posts: 1033
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quote: Originally posted by Fsaggi:
Well, I don't. Do you?
I was referring to your comment about S'porean employers. Most of these Ah Ciks are probably still a byproduct of the colonial era, hence the colonial mentality.
Gold isn't always better, esp if gold tends to believe S'pore is a 3rd world posting, thus leaving only the dreges who want to come here. It's only those golden hair who can't make it in their homeland come here and get treated like god and paid like god.
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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 1852
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quote: Originally posted by annika:
I was referring to your comment about S'porean employers. Most of these Ah Ciks are probably still a byproduct of the colonial era, hence the colonial mentality.
Gold isn't always better, esp if gold tends to believe S'pore is a 3rd world posting, thus leaving only the dreges who want to come here. It's only those golden hair who can't make it in their homeland come here and get treated like god and paid like god.
yeah, i agree with you. i was just erm... doing another of those 'saggi-things'. 
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Ultra Senior Member

Total Posts: 3807
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Agree that the ang moh's abilities r vastly over rated locally. I have attending Queen's Counsel's presentations and would say thou some of them are good but some r merely mediocre and our local guys can do much better in substance. However they do have the benifit of having a larger population base, in which case the best of them r likely to be better than the local's best(but they are not likely to take up local positions- prefering to rule their home roost. Anyway their stock option there are prolly 10x the pay they would get here) & most will admit the manner in which they present themselves is more impressive due to their grasp of their mother tonque( maybe due to the fact that we often have to be bilingual?).
So @ the interview stage who wud the employer likely to employ? It is often said that the hardest part of a job is getting it in the first place? 
This message was edited by Hannibal on 30 Oct 2001 11:45 AM
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