SDP Labour Day Forum (新加坡民主党举办劳动节中文讲座)

[Cosmos10]

http://yoursdp.org/news/2013-04-17-5605

http://yoursdp.org/publ/chinese_language/41-1-0-1284

https://www.facebook.com/events/557800197574440/

The SDP will be organising a public forum to commemorate this year's May Day. It will take place next Saturday, 27 April 2013. The forum, to be conducted in Mandarin, will focus on empowering our workers.

Workers in Singapore have, since PAP came to power, come under sustained pressure, both politically and economically.

The National Trade Unions Congress has done little to advance the lot of our workers.

In the 1960s, many trade union leaders were detained under the Internal Security Act when they demanded better working conditions and higher pay. Mr Zhuang Ming Hu, who was the head of a construction workers' union in the 1960s, was one of them.

Mr Zhuang had championed the plight of his fellow workers in the 1960s but was imprisoned without trial under Operation Cold Store. He will be one of the speakers at the forum and will talk about the treatment of workers under the PAP Government.

Little has changed. Today, in the face of the influx of hundreds of thousands of foreign workers, the Singaporean worker continues to be sidelined. Wages are depressed as businesses favour migrant workers who are willing, and can afford, to accept lower wages. Singaporean workers have little voice.

The forum will mark International Workers' Day and the Singapore Democrats will use it to honour our workers who have built this country. The occasion is part of the SDP's on-going effort to work towards empowering our Singaporean workers.

The forum will be conducted in Mandarin.
Event: SDP Labour Day Forum
Date: 27 April 2013, Saturday
Time: 2-5 pm
Place: China Media Success, Action Room,
#04-41 Bras Basah Complex, 231 Bain Street


新加坡民主党举办劳动节中文讲座
为了纪念劳动节，新加坡民主党将在2013年4月27日（星期六）举办一个公共讲座。这此的中文讲座的主题是：＂賦予新加坡工友们希望＂。

新加坡的工友们承受了持续性的政治和经济压力。全国职工总会在政府的控制之下，也甚少采取行动来推进工人的利益。

在六十年代，许多工会领袖年为了争取更好的工作条件和较高的工资，遭政府在内部安全法令下扣留。庄明湖先生就是其中一个例子。他以一位建筑工人工会领袖的身份，倡导新加坡员工的困境，但他却在＂冷藏行动＂中遭拘留。现在是中医师的他，将会是座谈会的演讲者之一。

现今的劳工问题几乎没有改善。在面对数万名外籍劳工涌入的情况下，新加坡工友们的权力继续遭到排挤。雇主较青睐那些能接受和负担较低工资的外籍劳工。新加坡工友们的声音至此微不足道。

新加坡民主党除了想借此讲座庆祝国际劳动节之外，我党希望能继续为工友们仗义直言。我党将继续围护工友们的权利，并协助他们组织独立性的工会。

本次讲座将以华语进行，因我国绝大多数工友们都用中文交谈。 这是他们对于本身的劳工权利和生计发表意见的良机。
新加坡民主党劳动节中文讲座：賦予新加坡工友们希望

日期：4月27号2013年（星期六）
时间：下午2至5点
地点：Chinese Success Media Pte Ltd, Blk 231 Bain Street, #04-41 Bras Basah Complex, Singapore 18023

 

[SgParent]

...........

Since your post last month about SDP "continuing" its groundwork do you have anymore photos to share on their subsequent ones?

Dun get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing bad about writing ONLINE articles, organizing forums in posh hotels. But is SDP getting too distracted by all those?

 

[Cosmos10]

SDP visits households at Holland-Bukit Timah

Added on: Monday, 22 April 2013
By: Singapore Democrats

The SDP continued with our house visits yesterday, knocking on doors of residents at the Bukit Panjang estate in the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

As with our previous visit in the Clementi area a few weeks ago, members fanned out and climbed several blocks of flats to say hello to the residents.

Many of the flats were occupied by permanent residents and foreign workers. Of those who were Singaporean homes, many welcomed us as we handed out flyers that provided information about what the party is doing and the issues we are speaking up on.

Read also Democrats continue groundwork, http://yoursdp.org/news/democrats_continue_groundwork/2013-03-25-5587



As before, several of the residents said that the cost of living was the major concern. "I go to the market with $100 and comeback with only a few items," one middle-aged lady told us. "It's not like before, things are really expensive now."

Another resident told us that polyclinic prices have gone up repeatedly. "The bill used to be about eight dollars, then it went up to eleven and recently when I went again, I had to pay thirteen dollars," an elderly woman complained.

Not all of the feedback centred on bread-and-butter issues. A lady said that many of the expatriates from India seemed to no respect for Singaporean Indians.

"They are mainly from northern India and they think that we don't know how to bring up our children here," she said. "They think that they are so smart that they can come and criticize the way we teach our children."

The SDP continues to do or ground work and reach out to the people. While our objective is to listen to the people, we are also spreading our message of reforming our healthcare and housing systems so that Singaporeans are not burdened by the high costs.

We are working to keep our constituents informed of the SDP's alternative policies in these areas and how these policies can help them.

We also explain the dangers of the Government pushing for a population of 7 million in Singapore. As it is, out infrastructure is put under tremendous strain with 5 million people. Seven million would severely damage the country and its resources.

We also communicate our ideas on how to stop the further increase of our population through the indiscriminate intake of foreign workers and how we should. and can, enhance the quality of life of our people.

Getting SDP candidates into Parliament so that these grave issues be addressed and our alternative policies tabled remains our top message to Singaporeans.

The Singapore Democrats will continue to work to gain the confidence of our people by interacting more meaningfully with them during house visits and, in the process, build a better future for our nation.

 

[ILovePAP]

SDP is nothing but a CON job.

 

[SgParent]

SDP visits households at Holland-Bukit Timah

Added on: Monday, 22 April 2013

Thumbs up. Again.

If SDP keeps up this effort, then I'm sure that boy-with-a-girl's-name Vivian will be crying like a girl in no time.

===EDIT===
Just a suggestion, pls consider starting a new thread with a more appropriate title and then copy over such posts of the house visits, block party, etc, etc.

 

[SgParent]

SDP is nothing but a CON job.

Care to elaborate?

 

[Cosmos10]

Photo essay: May Day in the 1950s and 60s

Added on: Friday, 26 April 2013

by the Singapore Democrats



Take a trip down memory lane and see these incredibly historic photos of how our workers and trade unions celebrated May Day in the 1950s and 60s.

Mr Chng Ming Hu, former trade union leader, will take us through the days before and after the PAP crushed the labour movement.

Other speakers at tomorrow's forum are SDP CEC member Mr Bryan Lim and SDP member Ms Jaslyn Go who will also be speaking in Mandarin.

Join us tomorrow at:













Images of old newspaper clippings provided by Mr Chng Ming Hu (庄明湖先生)


摄影报道：新加坡在50年代和60年代的五一劳动节

让我们走过一趟记忆的步道，共同来看在50年代和60年代的新加坡，我们的工人和工会如何庆祝五一劳动节的这些令人难以置信的历史照片。

前工会领袖之一的庄明湖先生,将带领我们通过这段历史,诉说人民行动党如何镇压新加坡早期的工会运动。

在民主党明天的华文论坛,其他的发言包括民主党中委林文兴先生和党员吴慧玲女士。

明天4月27日（星期六） ,敬请加入我们：

 

[Cosmos10]

授权工友们过一个更有质量的生活

Category: 中文 (Chinese language) | 24 April 2013

新加坡民主党将通过这星期六所举办的劳动节中文公众讲座，突出新加坡政府镇压工人权利的现况。



在60年代，许多工会领袖在内部安全法令下，遭遇长期的无审判拘留。那些主张更好的工作条件和较高的工资的工会领袖在＂冷藏行动＂中惨遭拘捕。

从此，新加坡的工友们不断被剥削，促成现今的巨大不平等收入，以及低收入员工所得工资，低于生存在这昂贵城市的底线。

庄明湖先生，一位曾经在1970年被逮捕的工会领袖，将是本讲座的发言者之一。他会畅谈行动党是如何粉碎了我国的工会运动：

"在60年代，我是靠当建筑散工（油漆工人）来养家糊口的，长时期过着家无隔夜粮的生活。为了改善我和家人的生活，早年就参加了全星建筑工友联合会，建筑工联被封闭以后，就转入新加坡厂商工友联合会和金银业职工联合会。我就是致力于争取改善工人生活的各种斗争，反对人民行动党政权的倒行逆施政策，而遭受《内安法令》的对付。


我在1970年8月3日被逮捕，一直扣留到1983年8月7日才被释放，共被扣留了13年又4天。释放时, 政府当局以通知方式对我强迫施加四项条件，即出国、搬家须申请批準，不许与前政治被扣者来往，不许参与亲共政治活动。此外，被捕约三个月后，我的公民权遭褫夺。出獄后经过两次申请，至1994年9月21日，才归还我公民权。人民行动党政权剝夺我的公民权利长达24年。

按我国法律，一位被判无期徒刑的刑事犯，其服刑期是20年，但扣除假日的天数后，只须服刑足13年就可获得释放，不会受限制参与任何社会活动，更没有被褫夺公民权这回事。我遵循宪制斗争，参与工人运动，只因反对当权者实施不利于工人和工人运动的政策，却比被判无期徒刑的刑事犯，遭遇更残酷的对待。

我被拘留那年（1970年），左派运动在新加坡政治午台的影响力已经开始式微，況且早在1966年年中，我已被李绍祖掌控的社阵领导及受其影响的党团套上"敌人代理人”、"内奸”等"罪名”，像我这样的人，对左派运动还有什么影响？对人民行动党政权还有什么威胁？当权者逮捕我的主要考虑和目的是趁我家境困难之时， 用长期扣留来逼我屈膝投降，从而一劳永逸地摧毁我的政治生命。

被捕当年，我有两个分别四岁与六岁的幼女，我太太陈静莲(照片)患心脏衰弱症，又怀孕三个月，全家四口靠我的微薄收入过活，我被长期扣留，家人生活必然陷入困境。当权者选择此时对我下手，他们料想我为了家人的生活（尤其是我太太处于待产期），一定会向他们屈服。"



这种恶劣的待遇，导致新加坡工友们无法为自己谋求利益。根据国际劳工组织的报告，这一切造成了我国员工的工作时间是世界最长之一，而且促使我国员工的实际工资下降。

既使政府让百万名外籍劳工涌入本国，并压制了我们的工资和剥夺了许多新加坡人的就业机会，我们的员工也只能感到无奈。

但另一方面，如果我们授权予员工和支付他们正当的工资，他们就更能够提供高品质的工作。这将提高生产率，并促进我国长远的经济。最重要的是，我党希望每一位新加坡员工能过一个更有质量的生活，以及取得工作与生活平衡。

您可在这讲座倾听庄先生的贴身经验，并获悉我党要如何赋予工友们权利，使我国重新步上凯旋大道。

切记就是因为有劳工运动，才能賦予我们现今拥有周末、工作8小时、玩乐8小时和休息8小时的权利。来参于这次的中文讲座，与我党一起欢庆国际劳动节吧！


新加坡民主党劳动节华文讲座："賦予新加坡工友们希望"
日期：2013年4月27号（星期六）
时间：下午2点至5点
地点：Chinese Success Media Pte Ltd, Blk 231 Bain Street, #04-41 Bras Basah Complex, Singapore 18023

 

[cleareyes]

Someone please correct me if i m wrong but aint Bukit Panjang a SMC under Ho Pin Kee?

 

[SgParent]

Someone please correct me if i m wrong but aint Bukit Panjang a SMC under Ho Pin Kee?

Now that you'd mentioned it...... anyway after AIM-gate, Mini-Bond TeoHP is more like a sitting duck now