Freddie and the Chrome Dome - you're in the news again...
Is this a the sign of a classic pincer strategy? No comments from the powers that be for a couple of days then now a double volley to bring in the weekend?
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stori.../59546/1/.html
Unions in Singapore are not like houses on different streets. Rather, they are more like co-passengers on the same ship or families living under the same roof and in the same compound. Hence, how one union behaves will affect other unions and ultimately all Singaporeans.
This analogy was given by Acting Minister for Manpower, Dr Ng Eng Hean, to drive home the message that the government is bent on maintaining and preserving industrial peace.
Speaking at the 39th anniversary dinner and dance of the Food, Drinks & Allied Workers' Union (FDAWU) on Friday, Dr Ng said it would have been easy for union members to insist on their rights and make more demands.
"You too have mouths to feed and bills to pay. It would been easy and populist for your union leaders to dig-in and get the best deal possible at every round of negotiations. It would have been understandable for you to resist the temporary lay-offs and unpaid leave. Even now, some of you may blame your leaders for giving-in too easily. Worst still, a union can boot out its leaders and pass a resolution to demand fresh elections so that new tougher, more confrontational Exco can lead the next collective bargaining.
"But if one union did that, how would other unions respond? Their members too have mouths to feed and bills to pay. Unions in Singapore are not like houses on different streets. We are more like co-passengers on the same ship or families living under the same roof, in the same compound. How one union behaves will affect other unions and ultimately all of us. If a fire is not put out in one cabin, the whole ship is at risk.
No one should doubt this government's resolve in wanting to maintain and preserve our industrial peace," added Dr Ng.
Earlier, Dr Ng commended the contributions and sacrifices made by FDAWU members during the SARS crisis to help the hotels save jobs.
"I was told that from April to September 2003, 11,019 FDAWU members from 58 unionised hotel branches took a cumulative total of 101, 384.5 days of unpaid leave to help hotels solve their cash flow problems. If we estimate the average daily wage cost at $50, this sacrifice of union members amounted to $5 million savings for their employers."
He also applauded FDAWU leadership in encouraging their members and hotel workers to go for skills upgrading and retraining.
Looking back, he added, the quick action and cooperation extended by FDAWU to the hotel have helped in ensuring a smooth recovery for the hotel industry.
Dr Ng also said FDAWU's actions serve as an example of how responsible unions can achieve better long-term outcomes for its members by working within the tripartite framework.
"But employers must do their part, and indeed should shoulder the greater burden. Employers must communicate their plans and reward their workers for good performances when the company does well. They must recognise the sacrifices that employees have made to the continued success of their companies. If management is perceived to be taking advantage of their employees, or being uncaring about their workers, morale will be low. This ultimately hurts the company," he stressed.
While Singapore's economic recovery is gaining ground, Dr Ng warned that no one should be over confident to think that there won't be a setback as a result of terrorism or a recurrence of SARS.
"One quarter of good economic results does not mean that our troubles are over. There is still much to do together to get our economy going and help solve unemployment," he said.