Daily Lessons from Life 28 April 2014 - S'pore labour market to remain tight for some time: Lim Swee Say

MH370 Updates - time to take another break.

Incheon-Jeju Ferry Updates - distressing video of the 'escape of the ferry captain' for the parents of those dead kids to watch! This can only raise tension. Maybe it is time to breakoff following the story for now.

"S'pore labour market to remain tight for some time: Lim Swee Say - CNA 28 April 2014

SINGAPORE: The tight labour market in Singapore will remain for some time, said labour chief Lim Swee Say on Sunday.

In his May Day message to Singaporeans ahead of Labour Day on Thursday, Mr Lim urged employers to be better bosses, and told employees not to take job supply for granted.

Two-thirds of Singapore's workforce are local, and the government hopes to keep it that way.

To do so, foreign manpower must eventually grow at the same pace as local manpower, said Mr Lim.
This means the growth of foreign manpower would need to slow down.

“My message to the employers is that the labour market tightness will remain for some time to come, so therefore, please find ways to be a better employer, make better use of every worker, and treat every worker better.

“My message to the workers is do not take the tight labour market for granted. Job supply should never be taken for granted. In fact, the whole world is now moving towards using robotisation, using new technology to reduce their dependency on labour.

He added that job creation could slow if economic restructuring does not take off.

Mr Lim said there is also more that members of the public can do to treat service staff as equals.

He said while customers want better service, they should also be good customers, as this can create a more positive experience.

From midnight on May Day, some 1,000 labour movement activists will be going around the island to distribute 100,000 of “energy bands” to workers. The colourful bands represent a show of appreciation, and is the labour movement's way of thanking workers for their contribution to Singapore."

It will be helpful to know where are the jobs that had been created, how many % goes to able and willing locals, and if the wages are 'reasonable' in comparison to our Vibrant Global City-State status?

Lessons for me are:

1. one must always be grateful for having a job. Especially one that one loves and are paid wages acceptable to the person working and the working environment is fair and decent too;

2. as for the almost ageless 'exhortation' of 'be a good customer towards service staffs', it is disheartening that it still seems like a hopeless cause to get Singaporeans and residents in Singapore to be respectful to the servers. I cannot accept this resignation as being one of the most educated people in the developed world, surely we ALL can be respectful customers to the servers. This is especially true when our service staffs are world class too! or are they? Even if they are not, as long as they are not too disrespectful to us, the customers, we can still be big hearted and treat them well. Yes? Or it is too much to ask? Maybe I will have some problems personifying this behaviour too!;

3. alas, maybe I am living a cave as my PERSONAL experience at SAFRA Toa Payoh last night should have taught me that 'all if not well with our average customers of F&B outlets'? I was there to watch Liverpool vs. Chelsea last night with my cousin. Someone was smoking. The manager seems resigned that it is better to leave him or them alone than to ask them to stop smoking. I, being a 'I Quit' Health Ambassador and law-abiding citizen, asked him politely not to smoke. He obliged. After a while, his friend lighted up. I asked him politely to stop smoking. He obliged. Then a lady in another table had a smoke, I politely asked her to stop. she passed her cigarette to her 'man', and he muttered something that I don't care to know and smoked and blow the smokes, thankfully away from me. I let it be. Some space for him to 'gracefully step down'. He finished it and did not light up again. That is GOOD enough for me.

Q. are these our TYPICAL smokers? most likely Singaporeans since they are in a SAFRA club? if so, we have a problem as the quality of our people, human capital, the ONLY precious resources we have!

4. Yes. There is a No. 4 tonight: What's up with the 100,000 'energy band'? I sincerely hope that the workers will truly wear it and be 'energised'. Otherwise, it is good money WASTED!! OMG.
Notes: qualification: the good thing is, there were MANY smokers who left their seats and smoked at an 'unofficial smoking area'. Maybe there are hopes. 4 persons do not make a nation. Yes?

p/s: Someone might ask: what would you have done if they continue to smoke? Well, if someone is breaking the laws, you cannot just walk away. This is Singapore after-all. If it is in China, I will just walk away in certain places. In some places, other Chinese would have asked the smokers to stop smoking in a non-smoking area! LOL!!