Ethics in the Workplace

pierre^^ SG

My mum got retrenched again for the 2nd time in 2 yrs

Both are big electronics companies in Spore
and both companies i tink wan to shift to china or vietnam

Both times, happily go to work
suddenly jus ask to go home lidat

I was studying strategic managment and my lecturer relate a story about retrenchment. He was also against this kind of shock therapy and wondered what is wrong with giving people a few days notice.

No doubt perhaps it may affect productivity of the abt-to-retrenched worker in question but

lidat ask people to go home is very unethical

At least they will have some time to find another job
imagine a stretch of days without income while waiting for job acceptance
how do u expect they feel?

and the govt may say they tried to give jobs to people and accuse us of being picky

but look at what jobs they offered
CLEANING JOBS
WASHING JOBS

if we need to work these jobs, we no need ur help at all, we can find ourselves better.

and lastly the govt say our economy is growing is totally bulls.h.i.t
there are still so many jobless people out there

and pay rise sux. The rich oni gets richer while the poor remain, well poor
If spore allows demonstration, there sure be chaos in the streets.

walesa SG

Maybe events like that will help folks appreciate the fundamental importance of labour standards(ie.the role minimum wage, trade unions, etc) better... Wink

Arapahoe SG

Please lah....! what industry do you work in? bring in the Union r u serious?

Kenashi SG

where got union in singapore, just a bunch of losers.
think about SIA incident, that senile Lee came out n kpkb, then the union shut up liao.
when ppl get retrenched, the union will said that they will fight for the employees, in the end, the employee just get what stated in the employment letter, nothing more!

furthermore, the law said u cannot do go on strike unless u get a permit, u cannot have a gathering of more than 5 persons, u cannot do this, u cannot do that, so what is the damn union for Evil or Very Mad

Ito_^ SG

discounts for chalet booking. Laughing

ditzy SG

5% rebate at the supermarket Laughing

Nelstar SG

Point system for Aunt Lucy

Laughing

<Precious> SG

Wad ethics are there to speak of in the work place? It's every man for himself! Law of the Jungle - Survival of the fittest! My office sucks BIG time as well but wad can I do? Just tolerate lor....... Evil or Very Mad

If the economy is improving, the benefits certainly have not filtered down to the man-in-the-street yet. The people at the top get to enjoy the prime cuts first so that only crumbs remain when the perks finally filter down the ranks to people like us........... income divide is here to stay baby. Just get used to it lah.
For me, it's living from 1 day to another. I dun dare to plan too far coz the distant future is absolutely hazy. As long as I'm happy can liao......... Very Happy

pierre^^ SG

actually unions are just enforcer of the govt rules, after all they are controlled by govt

soulwinner SG

I come work for me in 3 year time…

Arapahoe SG

Singapore Union leader are under gov payroll?

The only union that are strong is probably South Korea or Japan some sector in Europe perharps (no knowledge of that) but the US Union are equally bad.

Here is a real example that i witness. I think it is a real bad deal the workers get.

The super market union in US West coast had a strike in 2004. The strike due to breakdown of negociation of pay increase, medical benefit etc. The strike when on for at least 4 months. At the end the union compromise.

During the 4 months of strike the union only pay the union worker $100 a week. They end up lossing their home because unable to pay morgate. When the strike is over the grocery stores have to close down some stores. People got Lay off.

Tell me who benefited......probably only 1 person. That is the union leader himself. The lowerest of all lowerest of the food chain always get the shit.

soulwinner SG

What is your race?

Now people judge based on performance not race...

airgrinder SG

retrench dun have some months or compensation meh?

walesa SG

It says a lot about the kind of society you live in when there's no legal minimum age and the functions of unions are peripheral...

PS : Anyway, if you didn't catch the pun intended, I was saying events mentioned by the TS should wake some people up to the cruel realities of one's labour vulnerability in this "first world" regime operated by criminals...

walesa SG

Yeah, and the law also says any gathering of 5 or more people can be construed as an illegal assembly... Laughing Welcome to Singapore.

Arapahoe SG

Please let me know your understanding of the world outside. Or you simply go to orchard road and shop and sit in your comfort home?

before taking an assult rifle and start shooting. U should know that

I spend 3 months working with UN NGO on Human right monitors on hiring minimium age, employment condition of factories, and compliance auditing.

walesa SG

Shopping at Orchard Road and sitting in your home? That's what folks like you do...

I'd think I certainly know more about labour rights and the role of various labour movements in the world than you, given the fact I did an internship at the UN HQ in New York(through the ILO's Liaison Office with the UN) when I was a student, working broadly on a vast spectrum of UN issues(the exposure gained from working with staff seconded to the ILO notwithstanding).

For the record, working with a UN NGO only exposes you to the ground conditions(I suppose it's the equivalent of lab lessons for a science class) of wherever you worked and would most probably not expose you to the daily activities that go on at the ILO, which provides one with much greater exposure to labour issues on a global scale, with regard to the work they actually do (with case studies, etc). If you're interested in labour issues, you might want to consider trying out for a stint at the ILO HQ in Geneva, Switzerland (at least, a friend of mine who had a stint there - and currently works there - as a student claims the exposure you get in Geneva is unparalleled)...

robertteh SG

You should write to MOM or Mr. Lim Boon Heng, who were in charge of this matter - industrial conciliations and protection of workers' right.

What you have suggested makes sense. It will prevent companies from abusing their power as an employer to do as they like to cause suffering of workers.

It would seem that for pragmatic reasons, our ministers and NTUC labour chief will always forget to look after such workers' rights.

Mr. Lim Boon Heng will be receiving a labour award today for his contributions to workers' rights and labour movement. How ironic he is able to receive award of such nature without doing anything about workers' basic right to notice of termination.