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Deportation Own Goal
As the Singapore government announced that they will deport 29 of the Chinese bus drivers involved in the strike last week, I’m struck by one thing; the amazing own goals scored by our government ministers.
Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said on Saturday that “the workers broke Singapore law”, but also say SMRT "could have done better”. Frankly, I think government ministers need to stop saying things like that. You know what does that statement tells people? It tells them that the strikers' demands are valid.
The Chinese bus drivers complaints of poor pay and lousy living conditions seem to be valid because even the Singapore government are chiding SMRT for “poor labor practices”. If that is the case, people will ask why are they still deporting and jailing the drivers?
That is a question Singapore will not be able to answer to people’s satisfaction. And no; saying the workers broke the law by having an “illegal strike” is not going to cut it. Not helping matters is the fact that the quickness of actions against the Chinese workers is not matched by actions taken against SMRT. I mean if the workers’ complaints are valid (and the government admits that they are), shouldn’t they be the wronged party here? In return, we are deporting the workers back to China and the SMRT got…nothing!
No fines or actions has been taken against SMRT and most probably, none will ever be taken. Most people would acknowledge the unfairness of this and the fact that SMRT is a government-linked company will only compound the problem. If the government is going to deport the bus drivers for reasons even they admit are valid, then they need to do so quietly. If not, deporting the bus drivers will only do more harm than good to Singapore.
hardhitting-nobs.blogspot.sg
As the Singapore government announced that they will deport 29 of the Chinese bus drivers involved in the strike last week, I’m struck by one thing; the amazing own goals scored by our government ministers.
Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said on Saturday that “the workers broke Singapore law”, but also say SMRT "could have done better”. Frankly, I think government ministers need to stop saying things like that. You know what does that statement tells people? It tells them that the strikers' demands are valid.
The Chinese bus drivers complaints of poor pay and lousy living conditions seem to be valid because even the Singapore government are chiding SMRT for “poor labor practices”. If that is the case, people will ask why are they still deporting and jailing the drivers?
That is a question Singapore will not be able to answer to people’s satisfaction. And no; saying the workers broke the law by having an “illegal strike” is not going to cut it. Not helping matters is the fact that the quickness of actions against the Chinese workers is not matched by actions taken against SMRT. I mean if the workers’ complaints are valid (and the government admits that they are), shouldn’t they be the wronged party here? In return, we are deporting the workers back to China and the SMRT got…nothing!
No fines or actions has been taken against SMRT and most probably, none will ever be taken. Most people would acknowledge the unfairness of this and the fact that SMRT is a government-linked company will only compound the problem. If the government is going to deport the bus drivers for reasons even they admit are valid, then they need to do so quietly. If not, deporting the bus drivers will only do more harm than good to Singapore.
hardhitting-nobs.blogspot.sg