http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/449…
Democrats rebut PAP minimum wage groupthink
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Singapore Democrats
Last week in Parliament several PAP MPs
demonstrated their awesome ability to engage in groupthink. They
stepped up one by one to say how Minimum Wage will not work while
blithely ignoring the fact that the policy is a key feature in
developed economies all around the world.
Instead they promoted their party’s Workfare Income Supplement
(WIS) Scheme which is effectively a programme to get older workers
to continue working but for less pay. The Singapore Democrats
pointed out how ineffective WIS was here.
We take this opprtunity to rebut some of the points that the MPs
made about Minimum Wage and in the process continue to make our
case for its introduction in Singapore.
‘Ms Josephine Teo: “From the perspective of the labour movement,
growth in the last few years has been inclusive. Our tripartite
approach works…As the economy grows, now is the best time to catch
the wind and help low-wage Singaporeans do better and for Singapore
to become even more inclusive.”
’
It is patently untrue to say that Singapore’s economy is inclusive.
For much of the last decade when the economy was booming, the
income disparity increased every single year. (See figure on right)
Even as the rich made their millions, the working poor saw
themselves getting more and more impoverished.
The PAP lifted not a finger to help these low-wage
workers then. Now it expects us to believe that it is serious about
helping them? Does the fact that the elections are around the
corner have anything to do with this sudden demonstration of
compassion?
‘Ms Denise Phua : “A minimum wage will become an additional cost
of business paid by employers who in turn will either pass on the
cost of business to their customers, causing further increase in
the cost of living, or become more cautious especially in hiring
those who are less skilled or able.”
’
Increase in the cost of living is caused by the myriad of fees and
fares that the PAP imposes on the people. It is also
caused by the high rentals that businesses have to pay to an
oligopoly. Office and business rentals are determined largely by
the control of land and its sales which the PAP
Government controls.
If Ms Phua is genuinely concerned about not increaing the cost
of living in Singapore, she would propose that her party stops
jacking up land cost. She would also advocate that the
GST be reduced and abolished for essential items, and
that fees like public utility rates be decreased.
Instead she is using the passing-the-cost-on-to-consumers bogey
to deny low-income workers a decent, lving wage. Minimum wage will
put more money into the pockets of workers which will mean greater
spending power for the people and the increased consumption will
benefit businesses and, hence, the general economy.
‘Mr Heng Chee How: “You do that [introduce minimum wage], and if
the workers become unemployed, you have just converted them from
low-wage workers to no-wage workers. Who is (then) going to be
responsible for these no-wage workers and their families? I don’t
recommend minimum wage but best wage.”
’
Mr Heng treads on dangerous ground when he talks about Singaporeans
becoming unemployed. In the first place it is the
PAP’s policy of bringing in cheap foreign labour
enmasse that has led to countless Singaporeans being displaced from
their jobs.
Those who manage to find work have to compete with foreign
workers who are willing to accept lower wages because they are
transient workers with their families back in their home countries.
Singaporeans, with their roots here, cannot survive on these
wages.
This problem can be attenuated by the SDP’s
proposal of a Singaporeans First Policy where businesses are
required to demonstrate that the skills that they want to hire
cannot be found among the locals before they are allowed to employ
foreigners. This will stop our over-reliance on foreign workers and
help Singaporeans secure proper paying jobs.
‘Mr Gan Kim Yong: “The impact will be worse during a recession
because employers are more likely to retrench low-wage workers who
are drawing the minimum wage as they cannot adjust their
wages.”
’
Our low-income workers are already not able to make ends meet with
their measly wages. Their lives are a living hell with many being
evicted from heir flats making them homeless. Many see no way out
and end their misery by committing suicide. Singapore sees an
average of more than one person committing suicide every single
day.
Others turn to seeking free food at temples or grabbing
unfinished meals left behind by patrons at hawker centres. Social
services see many families unable to cope with low wages in an
expensive economy. And how many out of desperation turn to loan
sharks or a life of crime?
Retrenched? They’d be happy if they survived while employed.
‘Mr Lim Swee Say: “While we allow a lot of foreign workers to
enter Singapore, we’ve never done so at the expense of high
unemployment in Singapore…”
’
How does one rebut propaganda like this?
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sian si ....
josesphine teo ??
dennise phua??
Heng chee how??
gam kim yong??
lim swee say ... i hear of/know