Dear Frens,
just my 2 cents rants with regards to low skilled workers and the difficulty in retaining locals to do low skilled jobs.
Please note I am coming from a pro conservative middle class view. The issue with Foreign trashes and what is happening in Singapore is mainly due to PAP's rent seeking behaviour and the lack of political costs to the PAP for ignoring Singaporeans.
The Current Situation
Its through this rent seeking behaviour that has allowed the FT problem to get from bad to worse and that SMEs now are doing nothing but economically canibalising on the local market trying to delay their demise by minimising cost (cutting head count, low pay, do it on the cheap etc) and maximising profits. This matter will get worse as the middle class is shrinking in Singapore hence shrinking domestic demand.
For example I run a burger take out, catering to locals. However my business is dropping as many of my customers are out of work and cant afford to patronise my business. So wat do I do? I cut pay and hire FTs, and as this is a low class job, not many locals will do due to long hrs and low pay. And if I hire locals and try to up skill the job,,there is a limit to what I can do as its a small local burger joint. Meanwhile due to PAP rent seeking behaviour my rent goes up, ingredients go up etc..so what is my next step? Continue to keep my workers pay low,,,use FTs etc etc.
Meanwhile all other companies (SME's) are doing that..even for PMET jobs, FTs are hired to keep cost down. Therefore, middle class Singapore is continuing to shrink and my customers get less and less. So what do I do? Continue to cut cost right? See the downward spiral?
The Singaporean Labour Market
As the labour force matures, Singaporeans are more reluctant to take low paid, physically demanding jobs. I for one dont want to do such shit jobs. In warehousing/logistics or whatever you want to call it, the job is Dirty, Dangerous and Low class. For an educated Singaporean, to do such a job means they are low class etc etc. Please note during my school days, I was always told, 'you dont study, u have to do this and that job and get your hands dirty etc etc'. So most went to Uni get degrees so as not to end up as low class labourers or any low class job like painters, car mechanics etc. This coupled with the PAP and its more good years etc shit make all of us want comfortable office jobs, does not the PAP want that for themselves? So why cant we have that?
I remember a time when going to Vocational Institute means basically a death sentence. But look at Australia, for tradesmen like Electricians, Plumbers, tilers etc, get paid alot. And due to their high pay, they have to focus on technology to justify their pay. Also such jobs cannot be outsourced. I am not going to wait a week for a plumber to come by plane to fix my toilet.
Last time, I saw a 4 FTs painting the guards on the drain, and they were 4 of them, painting 1 guard and chatting!! where is the productivity? In Australia, if there are 4 painters for a wall, 2 painters will start from 1 end and paint and meet at the middle. If there is 1 painter or 2, a sprayer will be used to speed things up. But productivity and technology is expensive in Singapore due to cheap FT labour. So from my earlier point, the downward spiral continues as no need to upgrade the job as FT is cheaper.
Ok, now for warehouse work etc, even if a Singaporean Uni graduate takes up the job as a store keeper to gain experience. And works smart, offer better way of doing things etc etc. He will not stay as promotional opportunities is limited if its a small company. For a large company (most likely an MNC), management will most likely be FTs so there will be no promotional opportunities anyway. Hence he will be reluctant to take up such a job, as he will be underemployed. To me underemployment is as great a sin and unemployment. This Underemployment also refers to other low class Industries like restaurants, cleaners, security etc etc.
My Opinion and Solutions
1) Industries and jobs need to be reclassified. Those labourer, cleaner, waiter jobs (low class jobs) need to be given to FT to do, these jobs cant be upskilled and less and less Singaporeans (the old ones) will be around to do it. Also SMEs need to be given the incentive to upskill jobs so that locals are willing to do it. For example, in warehousing, more use of machinery and multi tasking with office work and increase productivity. So for example, if the warehouse needs 10 workers, by upskilling their job, 6 people can do it and all 6 will get pay rises as less people are required.
2) PMET jobs need to have a Singaporean 1st ideology. If a company needs to fill a PMET vacancy, priority must be given to a local. Only if no local can be found to do the job, than a work visa will be granted to the Foreigner. This will also ensure the middle class grows and that domestic consumption increases and my burger joint will have business.
3) Make use of FTs. For all foreigners and PRs, a progressive taxation system needs to be in place. Since FTs and PRs dont serve NS, they will get no benefits. We are not a western liberal welfare state, so its stupid for us to follow such policies.
a) All Foreigners/PRs and their employers will pay a 20% tax instead of CPF contributions.
b) For FTs/PRs taking up PMET roles, They will pay 20% tax + 1 month tax per financial year (call it a Not Serving Reservist Tax). The Employer will pay 20% tax for each FT hired.
c) For purchase of HDB by PRs, they are to pay 50% tax on profits when sold and once they leave singapore, they are to sell the flat in 1 year. Furthermore, they are not allowed to rent out the flat.
d) FTs when going to Polyclinics or Government Hospitals are to pay full medical fees and no subsidy rate. Employers are to purchase medical insurance for their FT employees.
e) FT children are to pay full fees in Government schools. And when they reach 16 and dont serve NS, they will be deported immediately
f) All the taxes gained will be used to develop Infrastructure, extend medical services etc for locals.
4) End PAP's rent seeking activities.
just my 2 cents rants with regards to low skilled workers and the difficulty in retaining locals to do low skilled jobs.
Please note I am coming from a pro conservative middle class view. The issue with Foreign trashes and what is happening in Singapore is mainly due to PAP's rent seeking behaviour and the lack of political costs to the PAP for ignoring Singaporeans.
The Current Situation
Its through this rent seeking behaviour that has allowed the FT problem to get from bad to worse and that SMEs now are doing nothing but economically canibalising on the local market trying to delay their demise by minimising cost (cutting head count, low pay, do it on the cheap etc) and maximising profits. This matter will get worse as the middle class is shrinking in Singapore hence shrinking domestic demand.
For example I run a burger take out, catering to locals. However my business is dropping as many of my customers are out of work and cant afford to patronise my business. So wat do I do? I cut pay and hire FTs, and as this is a low class job, not many locals will do due to long hrs and low pay. And if I hire locals and try to up skill the job,,there is a limit to what I can do as its a small local burger joint. Meanwhile due to PAP rent seeking behaviour my rent goes up, ingredients go up etc..so what is my next step? Continue to keep my workers pay low,,,use FTs etc etc.
Meanwhile all other companies (SME's) are doing that..even for PMET jobs, FTs are hired to keep cost down. Therefore, middle class Singapore is continuing to shrink and my customers get less and less. So what do I do? Continue to cut cost right? See the downward spiral?
The Singaporean Labour Market
As the labour force matures, Singaporeans are more reluctant to take low paid, physically demanding jobs. I for one dont want to do such shit jobs. In warehousing/logistics or whatever you want to call it, the job is Dirty, Dangerous and Low class. For an educated Singaporean, to do such a job means they are low class etc etc. Please note during my school days, I was always told, 'you dont study, u have to do this and that job and get your hands dirty etc etc'. So most went to Uni get degrees so as not to end up as low class labourers or any low class job like painters, car mechanics etc. This coupled with the PAP and its more good years etc shit make all of us want comfortable office jobs, does not the PAP want that for themselves? So why cant we have that?
I remember a time when going to Vocational Institute means basically a death sentence. But look at Australia, for tradesmen like Electricians, Plumbers, tilers etc, get paid alot. And due to their high pay, they have to focus on technology to justify their pay. Also such jobs cannot be outsourced. I am not going to wait a week for a plumber to come by plane to fix my toilet.
Last time, I saw a 4 FTs painting the guards on the drain, and they were 4 of them, painting 1 guard and chatting!! where is the productivity? In Australia, if there are 4 painters for a wall, 2 painters will start from 1 end and paint and meet at the middle. If there is 1 painter or 2, a sprayer will be used to speed things up. But productivity and technology is expensive in Singapore due to cheap FT labour. So from my earlier point, the downward spiral continues as no need to upgrade the job as FT is cheaper.
Ok, now for warehouse work etc, even if a Singaporean Uni graduate takes up the job as a store keeper to gain experience. And works smart, offer better way of doing things etc etc. He will not stay as promotional opportunities is limited if its a small company. For a large company (most likely an MNC), management will most likely be FTs so there will be no promotional opportunities anyway. Hence he will be reluctant to take up such a job, as he will be underemployed. To me underemployment is as great a sin and unemployment. This Underemployment also refers to other low class Industries like restaurants, cleaners, security etc etc.
My Opinion and Solutions
1) Industries and jobs need to be reclassified. Those labourer, cleaner, waiter jobs (low class jobs) need to be given to FT to do, these jobs cant be upskilled and less and less Singaporeans (the old ones) will be around to do it. Also SMEs need to be given the incentive to upskill jobs so that locals are willing to do it. For example, in warehousing, more use of machinery and multi tasking with office work and increase productivity. So for example, if the warehouse needs 10 workers, by upskilling their job, 6 people can do it and all 6 will get pay rises as less people are required.
2) PMET jobs need to have a Singaporean 1st ideology. If a company needs to fill a PMET vacancy, priority must be given to a local. Only if no local can be found to do the job, than a work visa will be granted to the Foreigner. This will also ensure the middle class grows and that domestic consumption increases and my burger joint will have business.
3) Make use of FTs. For all foreigners and PRs, a progressive taxation system needs to be in place. Since FTs and PRs dont serve NS, they will get no benefits. We are not a western liberal welfare state, so its stupid for us to follow such policies.
a) All Foreigners/PRs and their employers will pay a 20% tax instead of CPF contributions.
b) For FTs/PRs taking up PMET roles, They will pay 20% tax + 1 month tax per financial year (call it a Not Serving Reservist Tax). The Employer will pay 20% tax for each FT hired.
c) For purchase of HDB by PRs, they are to pay 50% tax on profits when sold and once they leave singapore, they are to sell the flat in 1 year. Furthermore, they are not allowed to rent out the flat.
d) FTs when going to Polyclinics or Government Hospitals are to pay full medical fees and no subsidy rate. Employers are to purchase medical insurance for their FT employees.
e) FT children are to pay full fees in Government schools. And when they reach 16 and dont serve NS, they will be deported immediately
f) All the taxes gained will be used to develop Infrastructure, extend medical services etc for locals.
4) End PAP's rent seeking activities.
no worries. you deal with dept. stores, we deal only with grocery outlets and supermarkets.
Any doubts can refer to #94.
