SMRT drivers’ strike is over, what’s been learned?

SMRT is now a major case study for all to study and see.

Walking off the job in protest is unheard in Singapore in the last 26 years until last Nov 26 when about 171 Chinese bus drivers of SMRT stayed in their dormitories. Another 88 did not report for work the day after.

The strike was over on November 28 but left behind some damages for SMRT which was scrutinized previously for several occasions of MRT service disruption. It is estimated that the strike disrupted about 5% of the city-state's bus services.

A Chinese bus driver involved in Singapore's first industrial strike in 26 years was jailed for six weeks as Singapore maintains a policy of zero tolerance on industrial action – something that the city state takes pride on in attracting investing.  But what must be done to avoid another strike in the future?

Singapore Business Review spoke with experts to take their views on what does this first industrial strike in almost 3 decades mean for Singapore and how the event could affect the foreign labor market.

Mark Chew, Giants Learning Technologies Pte Ltd | Founder and Principal Strategist, Author of "Discover Your Leadership Style"

This industrial strike is a result of an organisation reaching instability because it is experiencing a series of systemic failures.

I remembered a basic business management model known as the Ishikawa diagram, which pointed out that a problem or quality defect may arise if any of these six categories of 'Man, Methods, Machine, Materials, Measurement and Environment' are not taken care of.

Back in June 2008, a group of Nepalese Gurkhas in a contingent attached to the Singapore's police force openly disagreed with their superiors because they were unhappy over their wages. Can you believe that disciplined soldiers can be forced into such actions because of salary matters?

This was indeed a rare display of indiscipline in a force that was famous for its dutiful honour. In this case, the Gurkha Contingent experienced failure in 'Man, Methods and Environment'. There were poor communication channels between the soldiers and their commanders. Grievance procedures were overlooked, and Management and HR policies were wanting.

These similar reasons have surfaced within SMRT.

In an industry whereby discipline is required of the employees because of the clockwork nature of transport, we have seen SMRT experience failure in 'Machine, Materials and Measurement' from the huge breakdown of its Trains services last year.

And from this current incident, 'Man, Methods and Environment' are also found wanting within SMRT, especially within its Bus division. Their inability to listen and act timely on employee's feedback has resulted in a Public Relations fiasco. Their inability to integrate their global workers within their corps is a lesson to be learned by others.

SMRT is now a major case study for all to study and see. There is pressure because every step they take to improve on their quality can be seen by the public. We may choose to act appropriately from these lessons learned.

If we step back to understand these six categories again, we can progress with confidence.

It is business as usual for the employers because they have full confidence in the measured actions of the Government. Investors would be fully assured because they know that the Government will never condone strikes to be common place in this society. 

There is however a serious concern for the lower-skilled foreign labour market in Singapore. 
More needs to be done to assure the workers that communication and policy measures are fully in place for them. Many of them do not know their rights.
Employers must never abuse this fact, and push them into unfair work practices.
Communication and policy measures that seem to be in place, must work towards the benefits of these workers. Accommodation, Welfare and Salary matters will constantly be their hot buttons. So giving them assurance is only the first step. The litmus test would be to stand up for these workers when the need arises.

Pang Meng Hock, Managing Director, Apex Headhunters

I have studied in US and Japan, and I have seen how their people demonstrated for their needs and wishes. I have joined in a couple of peaceful demonstrations in the US. They were very well organized. We were told to respect public infrastructures and private assets, and demonstrate with dignity without resorting to violence. A few key figures went up to the podium in front of the city hall to make speeches, a famous singer sang an uplifting song, and we formed a single file and carried placards and walked around the city hall a few times peacefully, and finally left the place without any trash. Those demonstrations in Japan were a little more antagonistic and forceful, so I stood on the sidewalk as an observer. This is quite an educational experience for me knowing that the law in Singapore would not allow anyone to strike or demonstrate.

The psychology of people going for strike or demonstration is that they see themselves as powerless against a gigantic organization after they have exhausted the normal channel of communication. Usually it is used as a means of last resort. In Singapore, since we have this law to maintain peace and prosperity, and we are able to create so many jobs for foreigners to come here to work peacefully to feed their families back home, therefore, everyone, foreigner or Singaporean, should respect our law of no strike or demonstration. In this sense, the Chinese drivers are on the wrong side of the law. With Internet and social media today, there is always an effective way to apply pressure without resorting to violence or illegal means to achieve the desired result.

Singapore may be the only unique country in the world that does not allow strike or demonstration. This is a strong selling point to attract investors to keep coming and to keep our country loaded with jobs and businesses. We can see many countries in the world today, developed and developing, are cursed with constant strikes and demonstrations that paralysed their whole economy and society. At the end no one wins. Singaporeans should be wise and not let ourselves end up this way.

David Gerald, President & CEO,  Securities Investors Association (Singapore); member of Singapore Training And Development Association's advisory council

The lessons are firstly, that we must not take for granted that disgruntled employees will not react. Secondly, employers must constantly review the employees’ working conditions and benefits to give the employees the assurance that their concerns are being addressed; finally, the human resource officers must be communicating well with the employees and must always have their door open for employees to express their grouses.

I see very little effect on the foreign labour market except initially there may be some reluctance in the China market in view of the adverse publicity in the Chinese media. However, foreign employees come here because Singapore offers better prospects especially salaries. The strong Singapore dollars will always attract foreign labour