SMRT drivers go on strike!

Singaporeans reacted strongly to the news of the PRC bus drivers going on strike today, as it was the first strike in Singapore in living memory (there haven't been strikes in Singapore since the 1950s). In Singapore, if you intend to go on strike, it is a criminal offence if you don't inform your employer 14 days in advance. Technically speaking, these striking drivers have broken the law - but to deploy the riot police on them seemed incredibly heavy handed and it sounds like the government went into a total panic. These drivers were simply standing around in the car park, they were not exactly rampaging through the streets causing harm to innocent people and property. They were well organized, they made their demands clear and if anything, they convinced Singaporeans that the government's heavy handed stance on striking is unnecessary to say the least.

The PAP would use footage of violent riots from countries like France, Spain and Greece to show scare Singaporeans, "see? You see these so-called liberal countries in Europe? They allow strikes and look what happens, chaos in the streets. You want Singapore to become like that? No, you don't. So shut up and let us deal with this." There is a huge difference between a riot and industrial action - such a well coordinated strike allowed the drivers to make their demands, exert some influence with their employers without actually involving the general public. 

Of course, the general reaction by the Singaporean public so far on social media has been very negative towards the PRCs who went on strike, it was all along the lines of, "if you're not happy with what you're offered, then go back to China!" PRC bus drivers were never popular in Singapore. However, it was clear why they were so unhappy: their Malaysian colleagues received a $275 increment and a month's bonus, while Chinese nationals were paid $75 extra without any bonus. It is arbitrary to give out pay rises based on one's nationality rather than work performance - I do think that the matter was badly handled by SMRT and they owe the PRCs an explanation. It made no sense whatsoever and such decisions not only ignore good work performances but clearly sends out a message that PRC employees are less valued than Malaysian employees. That's just plain wrong - an employee's worth to the company should be measured by his work performance and not his nationality!

By that token, I do have a lot of sympathy for the PRC drivers and I support their cause. They have clearly been discriminated against and I salute them for having the balls to stand up for their rights. Singaporeans, on the other hand, would never have the balls to do the same thing. Oh pullease lah, the PAP has walked all over them over issues like ministers' pay, national service and foreign talents and Singaporeans are unwilling to even protest about it. This is why there is such a strong reaction to this strike - particularly since it was staged by a group of expatriates rather than locals. I am not sure if Singaporeans are that against strikes - rather, they are resistant to change, especially if this is a change that is instigated by a group of expatriates. 

What will this lead to? It depends on how they will be dealt with. If these bus drivers are severely dealt with - say if the government adopted a 杀一儆百 approach and decided to make an example of these bus drivers by deporting them, it may seem a bit heavy handed but it may achieve the desired effect of preventing further strikes. Even if that brings this episode to a swift conclusion, there will still be unanswered questions like, who hired these bus drivers in the first place? What kind of contracts were they offered when they accepted their job? Did they understand the nature of their contracts? What kind of protections are they receiving as foreign workers when it comes to conflicts with their employers? Will they inspire other workers to strike like them? So many questions.

How can SMRT justify this kind of discrimination on the basis of nationality?

On the other hand, if the government caves in to their demand or at least try to reach a compromise (come on, you've gotta feel sorry for those striking PRC drivers), then it does mark the start of a brand new chapter in industrial relations in Singapore - where strikes become part of the landscape again. This would change the nature of the relationship between Singaporeans and their government, employees and their employers, the worker and the system. The government's decision would depend a lot on public opinion (readers, let me know how you feel about the situation) and they will probably do what would make them look best in a situation like this.

Either way it is a game changer - for the better, one hopes. I live in the UK where strikes do happen - train drivers, bus drivers, teachers, hospital workers, tax office staff, even border control staff can go on strike and have done so. However, just because they are able to strike doesn't mean that they do strike all the time - strikes tend to be fairly uncommon. Public transport works, schools are open, hospitals are operational and when you land at Heathrow airport, it's business as usual at passport control. Giving people the possibility to strike may empower them when it comes to demanding better working conditions and pay, but it doesn't mean that they will abuse that right to strike. When strike happen, they are more an exercise to flex one's muscles as part of the negotiation, make their opinions heard and usually the strikes don't often last more than a day or two.

The fact that Singapore has gone over 60 years without any strikes is nothing short of a miracle - it is the greatest achievement of social engineering by the PAP to tame a population to the point where they become so docile they are totally obedient and wouldn't dare to contemplate striking. However, this has come to an end this week by a group of PRCs bus drivers who weren't brought up in Singapore and tamed like the local Singaporeans. How ironic. The PAP have undermined their own grip on power by letting in so many foreign workers who don't fear them the same way locals do. This episode answers the question about whether new citizens would always the PAP. Perhaps they didn't think this one through carefully enough?

So there you go my friends. What do you think about this strike? Do you think that some good will come out of it? How do you think the government and SMRT will react to these strikers? Do you sympathize with the strikers? What are your feelings on the issue? Don't be shy - please leave a comment below! Thanks.