Another strike at Tai Seng construction site yesterday?

[Rogue Trader]

Foreign workers stop work at construction site: Another dispute?

Stomp
Saturday, Dec 08, 2012
Workers at a construction site on Tai Seng Street have stopped working and started to gather outside the building, an office worker who works nearby said on Saturday.

The office worker said it was unusual for this to happen, adding that the workers were still not back in the building two hours later.
The full article from Stomp can be found below:

Stomp contributor Andy was surprised to look out of his office window and see workers at a construction site stop work. In light of the recent strikes by SMRT bus drivers and two Chinese nationals atop a crane in Jurong, he wonders if this could be a similar incident.
Said Andy:

"I arrived at work around 8am, and the construction site just outside my office was as normal.

"The workers usually start work around 8am, and everything was as per normal. The site has been under construction for about a year.

"The site is at Paya Lebar iPark, Tai Seng Street, next to the Sakae Sushi building. They are constructing the BreadTalk operations headquarters.

"Around 9am, I happened to look out of my window again and saw this curious sight of the workers who had stopped work and gathered on the ground floor.

"There was not a single worker in the building, and there didn't seem to be any sign of danger or any ambulance that had arrived. They looked like they had just simply stopped work."This wasn't normal, as usually there will be people working on the construction site throughout.

"It is now 11am and they are still sitting it out. There are also people speaking through a loudhailer, and it looks like it could be another foreign worker dispute."

Previously, two Chinese nationals were arrested on Nov 6 after a nine-hour protest on top of two tower cranes, which had started because they were owed salaries.

On Monday Nov 26, 171 SMRT bus drivers from China refused to work as they wanted equal salaries as compared to their Malaysian counterparts.

88 drivers then absented themselves from work on Tuesday (Nov 27) after seeking medical leave.

Since that incident, four bus drivers have been charged, and another sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment, while 29 drivers have been repatriated after participating in the strike.

This article was originally published in Stomp.

Workers at a construction site on Tai Seng Street have stopped working and started to gather outside the building, an office worker who works nearby said on Saturday.
Photo: Stomp

The office worker said it was unusual for this to happen, adding that the workers were still not back in the building two hours later.
Photo: Stomp

Said Andy: "Around 9am, I happened to look out of my window again and saw this curious sight of the workers who had stopped work and gathered on the ground floor."
Photo: Stomp

"This wasn't normal, as usually there will be people working on the construction site throughout."
Photo: Stomp

"It is now 11am and they are still sitting it out. There are also people speaking through a loudhailer, and it looks like it could be another foreign worker dispute."
Photo: Stomp

 

[Rambutan]

Had the employers treated workers with some respect, these would not have happened.

The relentless squeeze to maximise profit at the expense of the workers resulted in such. This calls for change.

Had the government accorded the citizens with some respect, the uproar over the internet would not have happened.

Changes could be expected come 2016 too.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Ah Tiongs boleh.....they learn fast....confirm got balls unlike aqua sinkies

 

[Kinana]

Had the employers treated workers with some respect, these would not have happened.

The relentless squeeze to maximise profit at the expense of the workers resulted in such. This calls for change.

Had the government accorded the citizens with some respect, the uproar over the internet would not have happened.

Changes could be expected come 2016 too.

You are absolutely correct. I always pay my workers well. Much better than they get paid elsewhere.

 

[Bigfuck]

You are absolutely correct. I always pay my workers well. Much better than they get paid elsewhere.

Go take your medicine and stop talking from lala land.

 

[GenghisKHAN]

You are absolutely correct. I always pay my workers well. Much better than they get paid elsewhere.

....and you transfer the manpower hiring costs to your customers. Well done mate.

 

[tualingong]

Money god worshipping employers have no respect for foreign workers.

MOM pakat with employers to screw them.

We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Bigfuck]

Money god worshipping employers have no respect for foreign workers.

MOM pakat with employers to screw them.

We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

Ra's al Ghul is here, no worry.

 

[tua lam pah]

MOM, pappies, labour agents all pakat to screw these foreign workers. why in the name of God do these poor workers need to cough up 6k just to be able to work here??

3k to the labour agent, the other 3k to the employer.. fucking extortion

i know because i deal with these labour agents

 

[jw5]

The ideal person to settle this latest dispute in the most productive manner is Zorro.

 

[moolightaffairs]

ah tiong eh kok gua kio lang mai zor lozai!

its in their national anthem. if u want them to be submissive, might as well write to China gov to change their national anthem.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UctriMuXYS0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

起來！不願做奴隸的人們！
把我們的血肉，築成我們新的長城！
中華民族到了最危險的時候，
每個人被迫著發出最後的吼聲。
起來！起來！起來！
我們萬眾一心，
冒著敵人的炮火，前進！
冒著敵人的炮火，前進！
前進！前進！進！

English Translation:

Arise! All who refuse to be slaves!
Let our flesh and blood become our new Great Wall!
As the Chinese nation faces its greatest peril,
All forcefully expend their last cries.
Arise! Arise! Arise!
Our million hearts beat as one,
Brave the enemy's fire, March on!
Brave the enemy's fire, March on!
March on! March on! On!

 

[zeddy]

I'm sure this latest strike is a joint collaboration between the Ah Tiong and the Keling workers at the construction site..

Ah Tiongs hand in hand with the Kelings.. This is one hell of a lethal combo..

 

[songsongjurong]

all tiongs & nehs, please swamp the new MOM service centre

 

[giggity_shit]

all tiongs & nehs, please swamp the new MOM service centre

If they were building your condo you wont be too pleased

 

[Bigfuck]

If they were building your condo you wont be too pleased

You think you condo in good state meh? Rusty and water infiltrated structures.

 

[giggity_shit]

You think you condo in good state meh? Rusty and water infiltrated structures.

i hear construction workers alrready not enough for all the projects. Now they wanna sit in every other day, you see how much rust you get.

 

[Bigfuck]

i hear construction workers alrready not enough for all the projects. Now they wanna sit in every other day, you see how much rust you get.

Construction quality has been shit for more than 10 years. It does not matter. the only difference between here and malaysia is pre-fab concrete. No need so many workers if better equipment and productivity. But PIC grants are meant for show rather than reduced labor dependence. It is a fact Singapore construction costs are many times higher than foreign developed countries. Building costs should form most of a property cost, not prostituting government taxes for bonuses. The corruopt Leegime caused this, not the foreign workers. It is also not an issue of not enough locals wanting to do the job. IT IS LEEGIME fault period. When houses and apartments in USA and Japan can be built cheaper and better than Singapore, you know you are seeing rampant corruption.

 

[Rambutan]

Had the employers treated workers with some respect, these would not have happened.

The relentless squeeze to maximise profit at the expense of the workers resulted in such. This calls for change.

Had the government accorded the citizens with some respect, the uproar over the internet would not have happened.

Changes could be expected come 2016 too.

You are absolutely correct. I always pay my workers well. Much better than they get paid elsewhere.

Pay is but one single aspect of the whole package. What is the point of paying your worker well if you treat him like a dog, a robot or a daft?

In my earlier posting, I choose the word "respect" rather than simply pay.

It is sad that you choose to subscribe to a single dimensional motivational factor - pay - the underlying philosophy of the LEEgime for themselves and their cronies. At best, you get better mercenary workers. Nothing more.

On the other hand, forms of respect such as care & concern (have a listening ear & other hygiene factors in place), putting the welfare of the workers ahead, will get workers striving their very best for the company. Sometimes, in return, the worker gives his unconditional loyalty to the company.

Folks here are generally loyal to Singapore. Otherwise they won't waste their time in SBF. Why are they screaming at the top of their voices and why is the PAP IB doing all they could to counter the overwhelming discontended voice?

This, Kinana, you got it absolutely wrong. Mend your way before it is too late.