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PMET: My crime is being a Singaporean & a parent

makapaaa

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
[h=2]PMET: My crime is being a Singaporean & a parent[/h]
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January 9th, 2014 |
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Author: Contributions

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I am suffering from severe depression after being retrenched (not quite, but sort of) in a job I thought would be my stable rice bowl.

When it comes to being replaced by cheaper FTs, I’ve experienced this first hand more than once. My crimes: for being a Singaporean and for being a parent.


My first boss here in SG (a famous MNC) promised to convert me from contract (no CPF) to full-time worker after 2 weeks. Sometimes I even worked till 3 am. 3 months past and a fresh Indonesian grad was hired instead. I remained a contract worker with no benefits while the MNC continue to be filled with expats and cheap workers. I asked why I was not converted. Their reason: tight on budget. After enduring months of agony with empty promises, I left.


The next company, same thing happened, this time it was 2 fresh grads – a M’sian and a PRC. Once more, no conversion due to ‘tight’ budget. I was hired on a freelance basis instead even though I worked the same full time hours with OT (no OT pay), so they don’t have to pay my CPF.


The next place, I was told by the Malaysian boss who is a Singapore PR that no company would want to hire me because I’m a parent, and that my asking salary ($2600 as a senior executive with 6 yrs experience) was way too high. He replaced me and a fellow senior exec (also a Singaporean with same work experience length as me, but at $3000) with 2 young fresh grads who commanded $1800 each.

I worked for a subsidiary company owned by a local MNC here for a while before being threatened to be fired, because I was not working ‘fast’ enough (I was doing 2-people job and had to supervise the juniors under me as well since the company was reluctant to hire extra help that I asked for), despite the super long hours. This lady boss even expected us to keep quiet about the fact she was hiring a fresh Indonesian grad illegally before her S-Pass was approved, since the head company would not allow this. We were understaffed too and Singaporeans were way too expensive for her to hire. I could not endure the abuse further, especially the lies that the management fed her about me since they didn’t like me giving them honest feedback and opinions. My 2 other ex-colleagues also could not endure the dictatorship-like hierarchy, so we quit.


Desperate for money to come in, I worked for an events company before I left in less than a year, due to its financial and legal issues. They were so severe that my FT boss was issued multiple letters by CPF and MOM regarding unpaid wages and to appear in court. He never did. One ex-colleague was so frustrated that she interrogated CPF as to why they were not chasing this matter more seriously as we Singaporeans were suffering under the brutality of this FT boss. Surprisingly, the empathetic CPF officer in charge explained to her in hush tones that this was so on purpose that Singapore remains “business friendly”. I’m not so “jia-lat” like her, since the remaining amount due to me was a much smaller 3-digit amount compared to her 5-digit amount. The company closed down but the FT boss still walks scott-free till this day.


The savior (or so I thought) came when I landed a job at South East Asia’s largest fashion e-retailer with a better pay. I thought I have arrived at last with a stable job and income with CPF contributions at last! The first few months was exciting to see the start-up MNC grow from a few dozens to hundreds of people in less than a year, thanks to the financial backing of its parent conglomerate company. Despite the fun atmosphere, I saw the messy organisation and was appalled by the uncontrolled and unsupervised mass hiring spree.

I saw interns interviewing other interns for positions, FT colleagues getting their FT friends, some FTs even admitted they got the job on the spot via Skype interview and flew to Singapore the following week. Even more impressive, we have so many managers and directors who are in their 20s. ‘Manager’ – because an individual manage one aspect of the website. Important job titles that would usually take years to earn were thrown out like confetti to inexperienced, questionable workers(a great way to retain them perhaps?). Over time, I noticed more and more older workers leaving the company, until I myself felt out of place even though I’m in my early 30s. I’ve even seen fresh grads becoming the head of certain departments, or young managers becoming directors in less than a year they were hired.


Even though the company operates as a flat hierarchy, job titles were being prostituted over experience. I was put under a fresh grad who became director in less than a year, and it was hell since this fresh grad was inexperienced and inconsistent in decision-making, and blames were put on us instead of her. While I’m not against the great friendships that form in the place, it was survival since top positions were given to those within their circle. Unsurprisingly, I was not given any senior or managerial role despite having intensive experience in those areas.

Because, as a parent, I could not afford to go out late nights to their drunk parties, or dinners as my priority was to my family. There are so few parents in the company, that the department I worked for had none. I was blasted as a capital ‘B’ by an insensitive young FT who admitted getting the job without going through an interview. It even hurts that a Singaporean junior worker angrily commented that I should spend longer hours in the office to be fair to them, even after explaining my situation to them (I have no maid and relatives’ help with my kid from daycare) and the head allowed me to go home early on the condition I finish my leftover work from home which I always delivered on time.


I have suffered discriminating, insensitive abuse, and even micromanaging from the young hirelings that one other nice boss stepped in to warn them about their attitudes towards me. I felt countless guilt trips for being overly harsh to my kid as a result of work pressure.

Once due to under staffing, we were given last minute notice on Friday that everyone in the department had to help out in the warehouse the next day on Saturday. As I already had plans to spend time with my child, I told the boss I could not, but she said I was not showing team spirit if I did not come.

The company suffered major financial losses (US$91 million) in that year. Severe cost cutting was taking place. Lots of Singaporeans lost their jobs while many of the FTs (most on E-pass) were kept.

The final straw came when the boss told me in private that I was selected to be retrenched. Due to cost cutting measures, they would not hire anyone in the department above $2000. Salary reductions was happening across many departments. I was told that I’m not young anymore and should look for a job that would pay my worth.


While I looked around at the FTs (some slightly older than me) on E-pass in secret anger that they get to stay, I remembered my family and reluctantly agreed on a huge pay cut similar to a fresh grad pay than to take a retrenchment. I even talked to the HR boss (an FT too) about the matter, and whether there was a chance to take back my old salary. Her response was that I should be concerned about the welfare of the company. What about my family and our welfare??


Not my problem that you went on to mismanage the company in the first place and lost US$91 million! They are now mass hiring interns.
What hope is there for older PMETs like me, seeing that even fresh grads can become managers and directors less than a year instead of us?? All my years of hard work and long hours on my CV have become such a joke.

Sad PMET
 

ginfreely

Alfrescian
Loyal
Sounds really pathetic, really useless government to allow the situation to deteriorate to such a state. Foreigners can set up company and then simply ignored payment of CPF for workers? replace Singaporean workers with foreigner interns? use cost cutting to get rid of Singaporeans while employment pass holders keep the jobs?
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
Sounds really pathetic, really useless government to allow the situation to deteriorate to such a state. Foreigners can set up company and then simply ignored payment of CPF for workers? replace Singaporean workers with foreigner interns? use cost cutting to get rid of Singaporeans while employment pass holders keep the jobs?

Why can't Singaporeans set up a company and do the same thing to foreigners?
 

halsey02

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Why can't Singaporeans set up a company and do the same thing to foreigners?

This I got to agree with you, but on the other hand, it is not easy to set up a company these days, but many are not willing to try, if they are unable to come out of the loop. But they choose to grumble, complain & still drag themselves from one job to another like the writer. Why complain about the 'beast' they have created??
 

johnny333

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
One has to ask why things are so bad in Spore:confused:

It all comes down to the question of who did he vote for:o If you support a party who takes your support for granted what can you expect:rolleyes:
 

The_Hypocrite

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
I was told that there is alot of employment for locals. As gahmen has cut the number of FTs etc. A lot of SMEs also have HR problems. So wat gives?

If a company is hiring fts for the fun of it. The ultimate culprit is MOM as they allow it to happen. If these fts get here n no job due ti no work visa. They have to fuck off. Easy as that. But they stay cos the gahmen allows it. Simple as tat. Hope WP brings that up.
 

halsey02

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
The writer forget to add that being OLD is a crime tooooooo

This is not right, being old , & being a SINkingporean is a crime, only if you are a lesser mortal, not "member", not member of a certain famiLEE,not married to the famiLEE. If not you are 90, 80, 70 etc...you employment is lifelong, even you screw up badly.

Being Old & being a SINkingporean is a crime....:p
 

streetsmart73

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
One has to ask why things are so bad in Spore:confused:

It all comes down to the question of who did he vote for:o If you support a party who takes your support for granted what can you expect:rolleyes:


hi there

1. honest, the labour market situation out there is no longer what it was to be.
2. many sheep have not wake up from some world-crass dreams or make-to-believe empty promise.
3. there is no longer any good years ahead but tons of uncertainties.
4. guess what race too?
 
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halsey02

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
hi there

1. honest, the labour market situation out there is no longer what it was to be.
2. many sheep have not wake up from some world-crass dreams or make-to-believe empty promise.
3. there is no longer any good years ahead but tons of uncertainties.
4. guess what race too?

the honest truth is many, especially those who voted for the PAP, live in a cuckoo ( opps! cocoon) artificial world absolve from reality. Unless, they are thrown out of that cocoon, where they do not have to compete in the real world for their living, they will never know that world out there. To them, have a degree, must have $10,000 job, 3 months bonus, all sort of perks, good title, like BUS CAPTAIN ( for an example), member of a club ( NTUC), every now & then upgrade to a better car, from a Toyota to a BMW ( I know one young civil servant), spoil their children & themselves to the hllt..never thrifty for they think that money flows like water from the people they work for & voted for...

guess what race is the majority here...?? the labour market had never been the same since the last recession in which a could be world mathematician had a hand in it... & that is from 1985...many who are in that cocoon, 60% are still living in their dream world..
 

streetsmart73

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
the honest truth is many, especially those who voted for the PAP, live in a cuckoo ( opps! cocoon) artificial world absolve from reality. Unless, they are thrown out of that cocoon, where they do not have to compete in the real world for their living, they will never know that world out there. To them, have a degree, must have $10,000 job, 3 months bonus, all sort of perks, good title, like BUS CAPTAIN ( for an example), member of a club ( NTUC), every now & then upgrade to a better car, from a Toyota to a BMW ( I know one young civil servant), spoil their children & themselves to the hllt..never thrifty for they think that money flows like water from the people they work for & voted for...

guess what race is the majority here...?? the labour market had never been the same since the last recession in which a could be world mathematician had a hand in it... & that is from 1985...many who are in that cocoon, 60% are still living in their dream world..


7k cabdriver; 3k dishwasher

yesterday glitters:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

dreams are made to be believed:kma:
 
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johnny333

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
hi there

1. honest, the labour market situation out there is no longer what it was to be.
2. many sheep have not wake up from some world-crass dreams or make-to-believe empty promise.
3. there is no longer any good years ahead but tons of uncertainties.
4. guess what race too?


Many years ago I remember trying to have a lunch time discussion with colleagues about the dangers of ONLY supporting one party i.e. the PAP. However they were more interested in the price of housing, COE, cars,,.... They never understood that politics is very important in Spore because it it is what allows the PAP to retain power & abuse the system.

Today many of my ex-colleagues are struggling. Some of them have been retrenched or are in the process of being retrenched. One of them is still paying for his BMW. Those still lucky to be employed have plenty of white hair. All this might have been avoided if they had put in more opposition in parliament to keep the PAP busy.
 

laksaboy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
In some more enlightened countries, HR is forbidden to ask a prospective employee about his/her marital status during the interview process, it prevents bias and discrimination. The same goes for religion.

Seems like it is the norm for employers here to ask interview candidates about their marital status and religion. What the fuck is the Ministry of Manpower doing all these years? :rolleyes:
 

The_Hypocrite

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
This sort of qns must ask lah,,its the corporate welfare mah,,,I mean u dont want to hire a chick that is preggy right? or intend to have kids in 6mths,,,and also in spore,,maternity leave is paid by companies and in ang mor lands its paid for by gahmen,,,so in ang mor land they not that fuss as if the bird goes on preggy leave,,the company dont pay,,,but of course got to get people to cover etc,,,and alot of women abuse the maternity leave system,,,many stories in this forum,,,that is why i dont hire newly married women and mom's with young kids,..too much headaches like my kid sick got to bring to Dr and all that BS,..if no ability to not work for the 1st 4 years of a kids life,,than dont have kids..

but i have seen women with young kids doing damn well at work as they keep their personal and professional life seperate,,,so all in all its up to the women,,but i thought birth rates are dropping?? so soon maternity etc will be a thing of the past,,

In some more enlightened countries, HR is forbidden to ask a prospective employee about his/her marital status during the interview process, it prevents bias and discrimination. The same goes for religion.

Seems like it is the norm for employers here to ask interview candidates about their marital status and religion. What the fuck is the Ministry of Manpower doing all these years? :rolleyes:
 
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