Foreigners-locals
Conflicting statements
Is it a misunderstanding or official policy? Minister says 'no' to local salary adjustments, while MP wants to retain foreign workers by paying them higher wages. By Darryl Kang.
May 7, 2008

Locals cannot salary adjustment, foreigners can.
Quotes from Acting Manpower Minister, Mr Gan Kim Yong:

"Raising wages to address rising costs not the right solution

"Raising wages to address the issue of rising costs may be an enticing option but that is not the right solution, said Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong.

"He said adjusting wages upwards to meet rising prices would only result in a “price-wage spiral” and Singaporeans should look at the bigger picture.

“What is more important is for us to have a realistic expectation of wages that reflect the underlying economic strength of our industries and also of our productivity. That will allow us to ensure that our economy will be able to sustain its growth momentum.” - Mr Gan.

In another news, on 5 May 2008

Industries urged to give foreign workers proper pay package
Industries need to provide proper remuneration and recognition to retain foreign workers in Singapore especially in the construction sector, according to Senior Minister of State for National Development, Grace Fu.

She was responding to media queries on manpower shortage in this sector, which is expected to remain robust for the next two years.

Ms Fu also gave an update on what the government is doing to help meet the demand for workers. This includes setting up more skills training centres overseas.

She said: “By doing so, we’re expanding the (pool of) workers, but at the same time, we want to make sure they are well-trained before they come over. So that’s really striking a balance between having more supply and at the same time, ensuring that some minimum standards apply.

No wonders the locals are getting frustrated and leaving the country. The government actually cares more about the foreigners than locals.
Written by DK.

Comments

wishbone says,
Oh. So foreigners can get higher salary. Then why am I a pink IC holder?

Tianhong says:
Sigh… when can gahmen (sic) learn to protect its own people, people who are born here and went through up and own with them no matter what happens.

uncle sha says,
I echo your sentiment
There’s a different remuneration package at my previous XYZ company for contract project work for local and expats.
Haiz … migration; here I come

ignorantsoup says:
Can we migrate to Singapore? lol..

motd says:
Wish I can migrate to another country as well. It’s just getting too expensive to live in Singapore.
I don’t need foreigners to come all the way here to remind me that I have to keep upgrading myself to keep my rice bowl.

kriscell says:
Well it is true that foreigners get a higher pay (talking about at least $500 more) despite doing less work (and lower quality). This happens to me in my company.
Wonder why I keep pink IC for…

Mole says:
My lecturer from Georgia, Atlanta once said.. Singapore is God’s gift to Mankind.. Yea right.. All mankind except Singaporeans.. You can’t blame the government for spouting all these nonsense when it is flooded with noobs who had never been at ground level

Sicarii says:
We all complain all we can, yet when people step into the ballot booths, many do not have guts to give up on their lift upgrades and all the ‘candy’ that the Gahmen is giving them with *our* money, and tick the box that’s not next to the PAP logo…
It’s the same every election year… lots of noise saying how we need to have a change in the gahmen, but in the end the PAP still has a majority.
Migrating isn’t the solution — the grass is just greener on the other side, because the reality is that not many who go overseas really do well and are only just getting by.

pissed says:
If raising wages not a solution then what is? (--)
Cost of living rising and they still up GST? What are they thinking? Citizens going hungry and all they think of is foreign workers? Is the govt. expecting us to ask for salaries the same as foreign workers and feed a family in singapore?
A foreign construction general worker can send S$300 per month home to feed his family.. is the govt. expecting us to be able to survive with that amount?
I used to work as a construction worker 20+ yrs ago with 14 Singaporean colleages (all getting S$22 per day). One saturday, the boss told us all we don't have to work from Monday onwards.
When we came back to collect our salaries on Monday, all our jobs were taken by Thai workers (S$15 per day). Is this wad the govt. was planning?

AngryAngMo says:
Its probably true and although I'm a foreigner its sad to read what a country does to its own people…they shouldn't punish them like this, but reward them for what they helped to build up here in the past.

Anon says:
Everything is increasing price. Salary will not increase, if you're not performing

http://blog.dk.sg/2008/05/06/locals-cannot-salary-adjustment-foreigners-can/