Lim Swee Say: Making the economy and workforce cheaper

last SG · 2009-10-15T11:54:41+00:00

Lim Swee Seng Really nth to do and comment on this statement. It is really very disappointing.

Fantagf SG

S'pore playing to win and next 2 years will not be any less challenging: NTUC

By S.Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 October 2009

SINGAPORE: Singapore's labour movement is playing to win and the next two years will not be any less challenging.

That's the view of the labour movement's chief Lim Swee Say who has called on workers and employers to play their part in making the economy and workforce cheaper, better and faster. He was speaking at the 3-day ordinary delegates conference.

The challenges facing Singapore's labour movement are varied as the battle against the global recession is still on.

But for the labour chief there was no better way then to put the key messages across to the unionists in his usual candid form.

Mr Lim said: "We are now upturning the downturn. As we move forward, let us go on the offensive. So let us move towards a cheaper, better, faster Singapore economy."

Mr Lim said that to be cheaper Singapore must improve its productivity. And that means producing better quality products and services in a more cost effective manner while being better meant nurturing new markets and broadening capabilities.

He added: "For those who start to neglect training, it will be another downturn for them and this downturn won't be a global downturn but an enterprise downturn. So from the viewpoint of the labour movement we hope that all industries will go through this process of transformation.

“Achieving the vision of a cheaper, better, faster economy powered by an all-inclusive workforce will not be easy. Strong and effective tripartism has been our unique advantage enabling us to sustain healthy economic growth with full employment for most of the past 30 years.

“Going forward to be even more pro-business and pro-worker, the role of tripartism will be even more critical. We must therefore further broaden our reach and deepen our trust in tripartism."

Mr Lim added that once the new continuing education and training centres are completed, they can respond faster to start new courses to cater to the evolving new economy. - CNA/vm

Fantagf SG

From the article - hey hey hey, Singaporeans, be prepared to accept further lower salary to be productive and at the same time cope with the rising living costs from the ruling party while working hard to feed the mercenary ruling party.

Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

Fantagf SG

Lim Swee Say should volunteer to cut down his pay by at least 20% to support what he is preaching. Come, come, lead by example.

Junyang700 SG

Tough times are back. =X

Looking at this, I probably would lead a working life harsher than my parents. =X Probably better than my grandparents. =X

Fantagf SG

Tough times are back. =X

Looking at this, I probably would lead a working life harsher than my parents. =X Probably better than my grandparents. =X

With low salary, rising living costs, lots of parents now worry when their children grow up they are not able to afford to buy houses in Singapore.

deepak.c SG

Haiz......

When you pay afew million dollars worth of salary to so many, you expect better results than importing 3rd world country workers over to drive down the wages of ordinary Singaporeans to compete.

deepak.c SG

Using so much cheap 3rd world country workers hasn't decrease the cost of food and services in Singapore at all.

When you use cheaper labour, your cost goes down, your profit goes up, but food prices have gone up considerably these past 5 years.

Have to question their policy of "competitiveness"?

mlmersrlosers SG

the govt is always right…that’s what i learnt from many like shao_wei and themissus

Rooney9 SG

Lim Swee Say should volunteer to cut down his pay by at least 20% to support what he is preaching. Come, come, lead by example.

no the entire cabinet should follow suit, not only him.

even after 20%, they are also earning alot of money.

Rooney9 SG

graduates in future will find it harder to find jobs, esp those in the 30s and 40s. those in the 50s, if they are jobless, can retire or start their own business.

dun u find even the government sectors, are dishing out contracts to employees. even NUS, SMU and NTU staff are contract based. dun even need to say the private sectors like banks and financial industry. can you imagine hospitals like SGH, NUH or CGH, are offering contract positions of 3 years. so if after 3 years, they dun renew your contract, how? look for another job and the process starts all over again.

Fantagf SG

graduates in future will find it harder to find jobs, esp those in the 30s and 40s. those in the 50s, if they are jobless, can retire or start their own business.

Yes to what you have said.

They have the "you die your business" kind of attitude, what can we do except to exercise our right and wisdom to vote if we are given the chance to do so.

Rooney9 SG

Yes to what you have said.

They have the "you die your business" kind of attitude, what can we do except to exercise our right and wisdom to vote if we are given the chance to do so.

are you a grad btw? what field are you working?

Fantagf SG

Haiz......

When you pay afew million dollars worth of salary to so many, you expect better results than importing 3rd world country workers over to drive down the wages of ordinary Singaporeans to compete.

As long as the miw are paid the highest salary, the world class salary, they don't give a damn about the ordinary folks. They have the kind of attitude towards us "you die your business, as long as we can continue to suck you dry we will continue to do so".

To them locals are choosy and expect high salary (they never or refuse to accept the reality that we are all living in Singapore and we need to cope with the rising costs of living cause by them). The foreigners (from poorer countries, third world countries) are docile and expectations are lower than Singaporeans and this suit them very well.

Arapahoe SG

.....Cheaper, Faster, Better? What happen to the idea of work Smarter, Create High Paid Job, work More Efficient ???

How on Earth is Singapore going to be Cheaper than the labor in India and China or neighboring counries and have the Cost of Living like Swiss...? What the F#@%!!!!

Put this piece of #@$% in the Toliet and Flush it down.....And we have the stupid media to publish this crapy on news. Totally detach from the street....

Arapahoe SG

Lim Swee Say should volunteer to cut down his pay by at least 20% to support what he is preaching. Come, come, lead by example.

He should be fired. period.....

Kuali Baba SG

Cheaper AND better/faster? In your dreams*.

*Unless it means hiring more of the right kind of foreign workers

Atobe SG

The intelligence of the NTUC Sec-Gen Lim Swee Say is insufferably low, with a communicating skills to match his intelligence.

There must have been a higher purpose to pick such a low intelligent miscreant to head a trade union movement that has been beaten into quiet obedience by the PAP.

"So let us move towards a cheaper, better, faster Singapore economy"

"Cheaper, better, faster" ?

Does he not recall his own Mentor's saying that "you pay for what you get" ?

Is he serious in his attempt to get a "3-in-ONE" packaging out of the Singaporean workers to be treated as economic digits for the PAP economic model ?

Arapahoe SG

Totally making a mockery on the Common Sense of day 2 day hard working Singaporean......just trying to meet bills payment..

the Bear SG

can we ask him to make the politicians in singapore cheaper while we're at it?

i don't think we give a shit anymore if we got foreigners to do their jobs either.. and i wager it'll be heaps cheaper

Fantagf SG

can we ask him to make the politicians in singapore cheaper while we're at it?

i don't think we give a shit anymore if we got foreigners to do their jobs either.. and i wager it'll be heaps cheaper

YEs. I am all for getting FTs to replace the current ministers. Need not pay these FTs world class salary but I believe they will do a much better job than the current mercenary despots.