ST Forum: Praise For Prof Lim, Query for NTUC

[Vulcann]

When Prof Lim gave his recommendation recently, it was relentlessly attacked by all parties inclduing our political leaders but csince then changes seemed to take place though not significantly.

 

Strange isn't it?

 

From ST Forum:

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Online...ory_805130.html

 

Praise for Prof Lim, query for NTUC

Published on May 31, 2012

 

KUDOS to Professor Lim Chong Yah, who sparked the debate about the need to increase wages for low-income earners ('NWC: Give built-in pay rises'; last Thursday).

 

One must then question why the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), a union that is supposed to represent Singapore workers, did not take a more proactive approach to bargain for better wages and help improve the plight of poor Singaporean workers until Prof Lim stepped in.

 

Furthermore, a wage of $1,050 a month, even after the proposed $50 increment, still makes Singapore a country that offers one of the lowest wages among developed nations.

 

This is hard to accept, considering the other extreme where Singapore boasts of being one of the countries with many millionaires.

 

The $50 increment should not be just a one-off; it should apply over the next 10 years.

 

Unless it is mandatory, some employers will not feel the need to reward these workers more, even if they are more productive.

 

While employers are justifiably concerned about increased business costs with higher wages, labour cost is but one of the factors, another being the spiralling cost of rentals.

 

The Government can take the lead in adjusting commercial rent downwards, through JTC and various other landlords it has a stake in, or give more rental relief to help businesses.

 

Other business costs like the necessary operating licences should also be scrutinised to achieve savings that can be passed on to businesses, especially the small and medium-sized enterprises.

 

Terence Tan

[Scb11980]

government got to start to invest in the people (singaporeans)

it is time

[Twnll]

Government is saying raising wages will affect our competitiveness but what about raising rentals and other business cost, that doesn't affect competitiveness? Why must wages be the only concern. Businesses can only automate so much, much work is still done by human labour. This human labour needs food and shelter and most of all a sense of belonging that the fruits of his labour is worth it - it is building a better world for his children. Now, I don't think so, seems like building a better world for FTs. A government that do not recognise this has lost the right to govern.

[Watwheels]

Think about it. If sudden significant increase over a short period of time, this will add on to operation costs which may indirectly be pass on to consumers. The issue is not with how much of the wage increase but rather the timing to start increasing wage gradually is a little too late. The gradual wage increase should have started when inflation was increasing at a fast rate. So as to let low income earners cope.

 

Now that shxt has hit the fan dan they start to panick. This goes to show that the ppl on top is totally disconnected to those at the bottom. Still can talk c0ck sing song play zorro.

[KARTer]

Something wrong with zorro

[Tigerwoods]

Think about it. If sudden significant increase over a short period of time, this will add on to operation costs which may indirectly be pass on to consumers. The issue is not with how much of the wage increase but rather the timing to start increasing wage gradually is a little too late. The gradual wage increase should have started when inflation was increasing at a fast rate. So as to let low income earners cope.

 

Now that shxt has hit the fan dan they start to panick. This goes to show that the ppl on top is totally disconnected to those at the bottom. Still can talk c0ck sing song play zorro.

Agreed totally.

Zorro knows that he had cross the line defending his CBF campaign

He is definitely not working on himself to be CBF.

After all the attacks, sudden U-turn increase salary ?

He is not going along with the recommendations of the Prof, more like trying not to create a STRIKE or unrest of the thousands under the NTUC payroll.

[Mustank]

Think about it. If sudden significant increase over a short period of time, this will add on to operation costs which may indirectly be pass on to consumers. The issue is not with how much of the wage increase but rather the timing to start increasing wage gradually is a little too late. The gradual wage increase should have started when inflation was increasing at a fast rate. So as to let low income earners cope.

 

Now that shxt has hit the fan dan they start to panick. This goes to show that the ppl on top is totally disconnected to those at the bottom. Still can talk c0ck sing song play zorro.

 

that part damm funny!!!

[Dice]

i wonder how many of such low-skill low income earners are singapore & pr as long as alternative labors can be purchase freely from outside of singapore at a much cheaper rate.

 

the gov needs to give biz more incentives to hire local workers and this would allow companies to pay better wages as such cost can be offset by gov incentives so that local workers can become competitive with foreign cheap labors.

 

there is so much we can grow thru compressing cost, the billions that were lost by temasek can be better channeled to less riskier developments like investing more in companies that can make a difference in the employment of singaporean & pr.

[Babyt]

y dont reduce rental so that the money can go more toward employees? then more sg will work.

[Celicar]

The only time you have a chance of gov admitting they miss the mark is election. Over already, so forget about hearing such things.

[Yuan]

government got to start to invest in the people (singaporeans)

it is time

 

Truly born, breeded and serve NS (for males) Singaporeans.

[Jman888]

do you guy really think that Prof Lim (probably a member of the think tank for policy making) can shoot off an idea without discussing with the team?

[Tigerwoods]

y dont reduce rental so that the money can go more toward employees? then more sg will work.

reduce rental the company will keep as profits - give to employees ?

[Tigerwoods]

do you guy really think that Prof Lim (probably a member of the think tank for policy making) can shoot off an idea without discussing with the team?

I think he scolded ah loong over dinner and say LSS no gib face - ah loong f LSS and LSS lan lan increase salary for ntuc low wage staff..

[Vulcann]

do you guy really think that Prof Lim (probably a member of the think tank for policy making) can shoot off an idea without discussing with the team?

 

I think he did not just make a simple remark off the cuff but have given some serious thought.

 

So I do not think he has somehow gotten "approval" form the powers that be before making his views known.

 

Besides he was rebutted afterwards by many, unionists and ministers included, so not likely to be a staged event IMO.

 

Remember he was the founding chairman of the NWC and had headed it from 1972-2001 for a total of 30 years so he certainly knows what he was talking about.

 

 

[Jman888]

i thought you all keep saying these people always wayang [rolleyes]

 

 

 

I think he did not just make a simple remark off the cuff but have given some serious thought.

 

So I do not think he has somehow gotten "approval" form the powers that be before making his views known.

 

Besides he was rebutted afterwards by many, unionists and ministers included, so not likely to be a staged event IMO.

 

Remember he was the founding chairman of the NWC and had headed it from 1972-2001 for a total of 30 years so he certainly knows what he was talking about.

 

[Ender]

Think about it. If sudden significant increase over a short period of time, this will add on to operation costs which may indirectly be pass on to consumers. The issue is not with how much of the wage increase but rather the timing to start increasing wage gradually is a little too late. The gradual wage increase should have started when inflation was increasing at a fast rate. So as to let low income earners cope.

 

Now that shxt has hit the fan dan they start to panick. This goes to show that the ppl on top is totally disconnected to those at the bottom. Still can talk c0ck sing song play zorro.

 

That's why Prof Lim suggestion also includes the freezing of the upper level income, that in a way will mitigate the rise in operating cost significantly. It's time the top management to look into their heart and take the reduced increment themselves, while the worker get the increased wages. Stop citing this will increase operating cost, as paying themselves obscenely also contributes to operating cost significantly.

[Tigerwoods]

That's why Prof Lim suggestion also includes the freezing of the upper level income, that in a way will mitigate the rise in operating cost significantly. It's time the top management to look into their heart and take the reduced increment themselves, while the worker get the increased wages. Stop citing this will increase operating cost, as paying themselves obscenely also contributes to operating cost significantly.

Ender

They will tell you this :

I OWN the BUSINESS so ? I have friends that work in this company that got 1 month extra pay when retrenched. some worked 15 yrs there.

The boss has a fleet of supercars in his basement garage that can hold 6.

Heart ? Economics has NO Heart. Rule #1

Edited May 31, 2012 by Tigerwoods