no one is denying that there are pockets of jobs that perhaps
these so-called FTs (which is a misnomer, btw) has a use for/in
singapore. you have a fundamental problem if you have a free
wage market where the locals cannot adequately compete on a
level playing field because the loaded cost of living is already
fixed at a certain level living in singapore. in developed, english
speaking markets like the USA and australia, do you have similar
situation where migrants have a field day getting in and out of the
country (with ease) and competing on wages on a wide scale of
industry and work level with the locals? or for the matter, UK. do
you see a situation where anyone can enter freely and compete for
jobs at all levels of the basis of wages?
To be frank, tis is link with their immigration problem
and US british etc find more and more immigrants coming
in to work. In Europe, after the integration of the euro group,
people r indeed more mobile and the immigrants come in the
form of poorer europe countries. In US, they also find themselves
having to deal with the chinese and india who stay after they get
their degree. Tat is why during election, immigration issue is
something big for them. If u go to US or french, u can find there r
a lot of chinese, african and india. If u go to italy, u will
find a lot of people r from africa. If u r in germany, u will find
more people from eastern europe. If u go to australia, there is
also quite a high number of chinese. Even if u wanna go to
japan, u can find more south americans there
If u compare with singapore, one thing for sure is tat the
unemployment rate is low. Tis is unlike US or Europe or Australia
where their unemployment is generally much higher. Furthermore, it
is not tat easy for foreigner to come in anytime they want and
leave anytime they want.
granted there will be some jobs where singaporean will not get
their hands dirty on; but if these can be compensated by a
competitive wage where they felt that it is worth their while to
work to support their family, i am certain that no one will
be such a block head as to prefer to remain jobless than
to do something.
The problem is, there r enough jobs for people out there. Who is
really out of job ? The real complaint is they find the
job being paid too low. A person prefer to work in a job with a
better condition than a job with a worse condition. And if u pay
much higher than the other normal industries, then they will shift
to another cheaper place outside singapore. Otherwise they
just pass the cost to u. Lets name an example. If we r forced to
give $1200 for a local construction worker than $400 for a
foreigner, then r u willing to accept a house tat is 2 times
more expensive ? Do u mind paying 30% more for staying in hospital
if we employ local nurses ?
Let me ask u a difficult moral dilemma. Do u want a company tat
employ all foreginers as their workers yet pay the land, tax, bill
and spend in singapore or u prefer the company to move out of
singapore ?
One of the main problem of singapore is high labour cost. If a
company employs all foreign workers, tis labour cost is offset and
operating cost is lower, inducing them to come to singapore to
invest or stay. However the employment of local will be damn low
and tat is bad for citizen
If we force them not to employ any foreigner, then the labour
cost is very high and tis eats into the operating cost, inducing
companies not to invest in singapore or move out of singapore. Then
companies will moved out, jobs become scarce and pay still reduced
since supply is more than demand
So wat is the best model ? Ensure the companies r still
attracted to singapore by the reduced stress on labour through FT,
but still make sure local people r still employed by having tax on
foreign workers or a quota of local to foreign workers. The most
important thing is to make sure unemployment rate is low and it is
tuned by adjusting the amount of foreigners coming over to work
finally, you contradicted yourself when you said "...all
the people wanna do good job and not do lousy work." this free
market thingy the government is so fond of using as a
guise for keeping blue collar wages low is what will be the
unravelling factor to singapore's competitiveness in the long run.
as people are willing to work for less now, you will find less
qualified people holding the same job and less pride is put onto
the work. not to mention the negative social impact that is
yet to hit singapore.
what good is a singapore that is top this, top that, hub
this, hub that when its soul is no longer in the right
place?
I thought I state man's nature. All people want to do good job
and not do lousy job. Who in the right frame of mind prefer to do a
lousy job when they can do a good one ? If u talk about
putting less pride into the work, then frankly speaking
from donkey years ago, blue collar workers always think they r
paid too little. Because people compare themselves with other type
of work and they will feel they r paid lower than white collar
workers. Tat is why tat is a supervisor around since the start of
industralisation. They have to find motivation for the worker
through a carrot and stick approach. Do u think the pride level
changes significantly over the years ? In history, nobody in any
country feel they r paid too much as a blue collar worker.
