Singapore to face a labour crunch?
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Singapore is likely to face a labour shortage as a result of dwindling manpower supply from major suppliers such as China, warned labour leader Ong Ye Kung on Thursday.
Speaking at a conference organised by Human Capital Singapore, the deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress explained that major manpower suppliers are holding on to their workers as they battle their own labour crunch.
As wages rise in China for instance, industries are moving back to advanced economies like Singapore, driving up demand for workers here, he said.
"We are, therefore, likely to be at a turning point of history, from labour glut to labour crunch."
"This presents a whole new challenge to industries in the medium term -- how to find enough workers and continue to remain competitive?"
Ong added that many economists believe a slowdown in cheap labour supply is on the cards, and that it will lead to a reprieve from current problems due to the influx of such labour, reported The Straits Times.
He noted that while low-cost foreign workers have helped reduce business costs, they have also added downward pressure on wages in labour-importing countries, including Singapore. Those that did not let foreign labour in also suffered higher unemployment and lower wages as industries moved abroad for cheaper labour.
Citing figures in a recent Financial Times report that showed stagnating or falling wages for workers at the bottom and in the middle in developed countries, Ong noted that real wages have been rising in Singapore. Increases for the bottom 10-20 percent, on the other hand, have been modest.
But a labour crunch would also pose challenges to employers, he told the 300 business leaders and HR practitioners at the conference.
To tackle them, Ong suggested companies raise productivity through technology, invest in skills upgrading, and motivate workers by sharing with them the rewards of productivity gains. Employers were also urged to be flexible and open in hiring new workers.
Noting that while some job seekers can be picky, he said the labour movement has also seen many who are open to lower-paying jobs in different industries.
"As manpower becomes scarcer, it would make sense for the HR community to take a hard look at its systems and processes to ensure it is open and flexible, so as to consider every willing and able candidate for every position," he said.
-- Yahoo!
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more horsecrap to justify more foreign trash.................
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double posts..
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foreign influx is not without its problems....but weighing the economic productivity over social/ security issues...there should have a balance...certain plans that are not prudent to go ahead should monitor it till the time is ripe...
socio-economic balance is a good barometer
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Labour crunch? What labour cruch? To grow at 15% GDP with all-and-sundry of industries, we need need another 1 million people!
Will these all-and-sundry help us compete in the long term? Do they bring us long term benefit?Do we still need the marine industry where 95% of the workers are foreigners? Over the long term, will we still benefit from the casino industry when China and India take centrestages as the world economies, opening up further with casinos of their own?
Right now 50% to 60% of the visitors to the casinos are Singaporeans and we have became gambling addicts.
Better still! What about growing at 30% or 50% of GDP and import the world to our island country?Singaporeans, so far with 15% GDP growth, has it brought better living standard to your life? with the housing, transport inflation, wave of co. structuring and difficulties in finding jobs for older workers!
Labour crunch is hogwash by the PAP govt. Do not be seduced by their propaganda.
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Times are bad if even China's wages are more competitive than wages in Singapore.
And Singapore is like 2nd highest in terms of cost of living in Asia?
How much cheaper can Singaporeans go?
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nevermind they can keep preaching this shit and blame on no alien labor. keep singing that baseless lyrics next election more reasons for NSP and WP to gun donw GLCs
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Lame excuse to bring in more cheap foreign labour.
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Rehire those PMETs in their 30s,40s, 50s and even 60s and there will be labour crunch no more.
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Unemployment rate is still around 1% right?
Deploy this 1% to fill those positions lor.
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Originally posted by Rock^Star:
Rehire those PMETs in their 30s,40s, 50s and even 60s and there will be labour crunch no more.
With good pay, anything is possible.
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Originally posted by charlize:
Unemployment rate is still around 1% right?
Deploy this 1% to fill those positions lor.
Resident unemployment is 2.7%.
Non-resident unemployment is lower.
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Originally posted by βÎτά:
Resident unemployment is 2.7%.
Non-resident unemployment is lower.
My bad.
I have been brainwashed to think unemployment in Sg is damn low.
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the labour crunch (ie in hospitality service) is pretty true..
Have ever asked a couple of friends who are still currently unemployed.. "Would you consider working as waiter/waitress/kitchen assistant temporilary for some income as u cant find work at present..."...The answers are all the same : "... its long hours, tiring, dirty (at kitchen) and $6.50/hr wage niah... LOW." they dun even think about it.!!!
reality?
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lol beta and charlize damn funny man. And it's true....they keep asking us to readjust mindsets, accept lower pay bla bla bla. This is just to help the govt plug economic figures. They must ask themselves: after having attained a certain lifestyle and prestige in life, would they dein down to lead lesser lives?
They wouldn't......people also got property to pay for, children to feed and educate, the usual leisure activites etc etc. How can sgporeans, after a lifetime of toil be asked to accept lower paid jobs because of cheapo foreigners replacing them?
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Originally posted by LOTUSfairy:
the labour crunch (ie in hospitality service) is pretty true..
Have ever asked a couple of friends who are still currently unemployed.. "Would you consider working as waiter/waitress/kitchen assistant temporilary for some income as u cant find work at present..."...The answers are all the same : "... its long hours, tiring, dirty (at kitchen) and $6.50/hr wage niah... LOW." they dun even think about it.!!!
reality?
Then employers must adopt the pappie mindset:
If you want workers, just pay them higher.
Ministers will only want to work if they are paid handsomely.
So why not average workers like you and me?
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Originally posted by charlize:
Then employers must adopt the pappie mindset:
If you want workers, just pay them higher.
Ministers will only want to work if they are paid handsomely.
So why not average workers like you and me?
yes, there is one question per se....
we find our waiter/waitress faces "stone faced", hardly any smiles, lack of enthauism, lack of customer services, unattentive... etc..what is the lacking factors that caused them to shy away from these positions/work.
Normally we pay service charge 10% at expensive restaurants/cafe, do the staff gets them or the food establishment keeps them.?
I have friends who told me that in their countries ( Europe/Australia/US), the locals are most willing to work as waiter/waitress job as the tips are the incentive/daily bonus ie...top up way much than their usual pay (which is not too bad).... therefore bringing home a decent income... and they are motivated to work everyday :D
Good attitude, customers like, customers give better tips! They get more $$.. :D
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Originally posted by LOTUSfairy:
yes, there is one question per se....
we find our waiter/waitress faces "stone faced", hardly any smiles, lack of enthauism, lack of customer services, unattentive... etc..what is the lacking factors that caused them to shy away from these positions/work.
Normally we pay service charge 10% at expensive restaurants/cafe, do the staff gets them or the food establishment keeps them.?
I have friends who told me that in their countries ( Europe/Australia/US), the locals are most willing to work as waiter/waitress job as the tips are the incentive/daily bonus ie...top up way much than their usual pay (which is not too bad).... therefore bringing home a decent income... and they are motivated to work everyday :D
Good attitude, customers like, customers give better tips! They get more $$.. :D
You pay them $5000 a month and see if they smile or not.
Good pay works wonders.
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Wage efficiency theory.
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Originally posted by charlize:
You pay them $5000 a month and see if they smile or not.
Good pay works wonders.
waaaa... lizzy might be wrong...from the trend things is looking, u give them $5k per month, they might be asking for more benefits next...
samething why I believe more $$$ does not mean less corruption
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
waaaa... lizzy might be wrong...from the trend things is looking, u give them $5k per month, they might be asking for more benefits next...
samething why I believe more $$$ does not mean less corruption
Hey, how can you say our ministers are wrong?
Pay more money means less corruption.
If your boss says she will double your salary starting today, will you not smile more often and be less corrupted?
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Originally posted by charlize:
Hey, how can you say our ministers are wrong?
Pay more money means less corruption.
If your boss says she will double your salary starting today, will you not smile more often and be less corrupted?
I will start pinching myself awake...must be eat finish lunch then fall asleep
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
I will start pinching myself awake...must be eat finish lunch then fall asleep
Go ahead.
Pinch yourself.
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I went packpacking in Aust recently. saw some ads for low-level jobs. but wow, the pay is not low at all.
All figures mentioned are in AUD. 1AUD = 1.3SGD
Construction crew: $20/hr (no experience, transport provided)
Cattle rancher: $18/hr (Food, accomodation provided on the farm)
Nanny: $16/hr (Food, lodging provided by employer, + a car for transportation)
Lowest i seen was farmhand, $14/hr
Based on the above figure, a construction worker with no experience will make over SGD$4k a month.
if these menial jobs are paying so much, imagine what their professionals must be making.
you may say that cost of living in Aust is expensive, but with that level of pay, i think you still have plenty leftover after paying off food, transport and lodging. The system works, with no locals left behind.
A$20(money made in an hour) can buy you 2 McDonalds Big Mac meals, while in S'pore, S$6.50( dishwashing job) barely buys you a McDonalds meal.
Using the McDonalds' Price Index, our cost of living is actually twice as high as Australia's. This is further confirmed by the news report about S'pore being the 8th most expensive city in the world.
Minimum wage and foreign labour restriction are the way to go.
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Originally posted by deathmaster:
I went packpacking in Aust recently. saw some ads for low-level jobs. but wow, the pay is not low at all.
All figures mentioned are in AUD. 1AUD = 1.3SGD
Construction crew: $20/hr (no experience, transport provided)
Cattle rancher: $18/hr (Food, accomodation provided on the farm)
Nanny: $16/hr (Food, lodging provided by employer, + a car for transportation)
Lowest i seen was farmhand, $14/hr
Based on the above figure, a construction worker with no experience will make over SGD$4k a month.
if these menial jobs are paying so much, imagine what their professionals must be making.
you may say that cost of living in Aust is expensive, but with that level of pay, i think you still have plenty leftover after paying off food, transport and lodging. The system works, with no locals left behind.
A$20(money made in an hour) can buy you 2 McDonalds Big Mac meals, while in S'pore, S$6.50( dishwashing job) barely buys you a McDonalds meal.
Using the McDonalds' Price Index, our cost of living is actually twice as high as Australia's. This is further confirmed by the news report about S'pore being the 8th most expensive city in the world.
Minimum wage and foreign labour restriction are the way to go.
I regretted that in my younger years, I did not even think about going there.
I will have to die here, a broken man.