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15-10-2014, 08:20 PM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
THE UNKNOWN PLIGHT OF SINGAPOREAN DRIVERS
.node-article .field-name-link-line-above-tags{float: right;}.node-article .field-name-ad-box-in-article {float: left;margin: 15px 15px 10px 0;}.node-article .field-tags{clear: both;} Post date:
14 Oct 2014 - 2:21pm
http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/lorry-with-drive-e7475.jpg?itok=I__MQ-pj (http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/field/image/lorry-with-drive-e7475.jpg)
I had been a taxi driver for the past sixteen years and recently my hirer had a medical problem and decided to return the taxi. Having been in the taxi business for many years I decided to become employed again for a change. Driving is the only skill that i have experience in so I went looking through the driver wanted column of the straits time and one of the job that seemed reasonably paying was that of a Class 4/5 fuel tanker driver and the advertisement kept appearing over several times furthermore it stated that only Singaporeans were wanted. I then called them and asked about their requirements and told them that I was already forty seven years old but physically fit. I was told to come for an interview.
Upon arrival there, there treatment was good. I was referred to the HR dept where I was told to fill up the forms following which the interview proper started. I was told that I would have to go for some courses which will be for a day only, following which I will be put under training with a senior driver for a month during this period my salary will be $1,800/-. After i pass, i will enjoy the full pay. Only when they explained to me about the pay structure did I realise how exploited the drivers were.
Let me explain the full compensation package offered. The work was a six day, twelve hours a day work from 7am to 7pm(total of 72 hours) the basic pay was $1,350/-. You get another $600/-max if you accumulate 1800 points (not exactly sure if it is 1800 or 1500 points) this points are given to you for being on time, no mc and so forth. Further you get $3+/- for every 5000 ltrs of fuel you delivered and one tanker lorry will be able to carry about 18000 ltrs of fuel and you must make 4 deliveries per day so you can make another $150/- per month on fuel delivery. PH and Sundays you need to be on standby and you will be paid overtime if you work on these days or you might get time off however during the normal days if you work past the 7pm you do not get paid overtime.
I immediately refused the job and left the place. Firstly I thought the MOM rules clearly states that each work week should only have 44 hours and anything above that would be considered overtime. If you are not an executive you are entitled to overtime however i did not think that a tanker driver is considered an executive. The basic salary is also so low for a class 4/5 driver whereas in the market for a class 3 driver is able to get a higher basic pay. This job also involves conveying of fuel which by itself is considered dangerous how can the pay be so low.lastly when I was leaving the place I saw that the premises seemed to have more foreigners than locals and an indian national was being shown around the premises and explained on what he was supposed to do as he had just joined the company on the day itself.
For the past few years, I have seen a steady increase in the number of foreign drivers driving commercial vehicles some of them seemed to drive on the road without fear or care. they are slowly taking away jobs from singaporean by uncutting local drivers. I am still glad that I have a choice of going back to drive a cab but I feel for those Singaporeans who do not have this choice maybe they can be security guards as even security companies pay overtime.
Here we have Singaporeans who may not have the education but are required to go for a basic and advanced theory test just to pass class 3 driving license and on the other hand you have foreigners who come by the back door with doubtful license from their own country and only need to go through basic theory test. If the basic theory is enough for them why is advanced theory mandatory for locals. Lastly is the company getting away with not paying the drivers overtime that they are entitled to.
I only went for a couple of interviews and realised that the situation is almost the same everywhere that is why I see more and more youngsters are coming to drive a cab as you are still able to sustain a reasonable living without giving out your pride.
Thanks all for reading.
Under Dogs
TRS Contributor
Tags:
Opinions (http://therealsingapore.com/category/opinions)
http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/field/image/20070410_Lee-Hsien-Loong_0_5_0_1_0.jpg
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?192058-The-unknown-plight-of-singaporean-drivers&goto=newpost).
THE UNKNOWN PLIGHT OF SINGAPOREAN DRIVERS
.node-article .field-name-link-line-above-tags{float: right;}.node-article .field-name-ad-box-in-article {float: left;margin: 15px 15px 10px 0;}.node-article .field-tags{clear: both;} Post date:
14 Oct 2014 - 2:21pm
http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/lorry-with-drive-e7475.jpg?itok=I__MQ-pj (http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/field/image/lorry-with-drive-e7475.jpg)
I had been a taxi driver for the past sixteen years and recently my hirer had a medical problem and decided to return the taxi. Having been in the taxi business for many years I decided to become employed again for a change. Driving is the only skill that i have experience in so I went looking through the driver wanted column of the straits time and one of the job that seemed reasonably paying was that of a Class 4/5 fuel tanker driver and the advertisement kept appearing over several times furthermore it stated that only Singaporeans were wanted. I then called them and asked about their requirements and told them that I was already forty seven years old but physically fit. I was told to come for an interview.
Upon arrival there, there treatment was good. I was referred to the HR dept where I was told to fill up the forms following which the interview proper started. I was told that I would have to go for some courses which will be for a day only, following which I will be put under training with a senior driver for a month during this period my salary will be $1,800/-. After i pass, i will enjoy the full pay. Only when they explained to me about the pay structure did I realise how exploited the drivers were.
Let me explain the full compensation package offered. The work was a six day, twelve hours a day work from 7am to 7pm(total of 72 hours) the basic pay was $1,350/-. You get another $600/-max if you accumulate 1800 points (not exactly sure if it is 1800 or 1500 points) this points are given to you for being on time, no mc and so forth. Further you get $3+/- for every 5000 ltrs of fuel you delivered and one tanker lorry will be able to carry about 18000 ltrs of fuel and you must make 4 deliveries per day so you can make another $150/- per month on fuel delivery. PH and Sundays you need to be on standby and you will be paid overtime if you work on these days or you might get time off however during the normal days if you work past the 7pm you do not get paid overtime.
I immediately refused the job and left the place. Firstly I thought the MOM rules clearly states that each work week should only have 44 hours and anything above that would be considered overtime. If you are not an executive you are entitled to overtime however i did not think that a tanker driver is considered an executive. The basic salary is also so low for a class 4/5 driver whereas in the market for a class 3 driver is able to get a higher basic pay. This job also involves conveying of fuel which by itself is considered dangerous how can the pay be so low.lastly when I was leaving the place I saw that the premises seemed to have more foreigners than locals and an indian national was being shown around the premises and explained on what he was supposed to do as he had just joined the company on the day itself.
For the past few years, I have seen a steady increase in the number of foreign drivers driving commercial vehicles some of them seemed to drive on the road without fear or care. they are slowly taking away jobs from singaporean by uncutting local drivers. I am still glad that I have a choice of going back to drive a cab but I feel for those Singaporeans who do not have this choice maybe they can be security guards as even security companies pay overtime.
Here we have Singaporeans who may not have the education but are required to go for a basic and advanced theory test just to pass class 3 driving license and on the other hand you have foreigners who come by the back door with doubtful license from their own country and only need to go through basic theory test. If the basic theory is enough for them why is advanced theory mandatory for locals. Lastly is the company getting away with not paying the drivers overtime that they are entitled to.
I only went for a couple of interviews and realised that the situation is almost the same everywhere that is why I see more and more youngsters are coming to drive a cab as you are still able to sustain a reasonable living without giving out your pride.
Thanks all for reading.
Under Dogs
TRS Contributor
Tags:
Opinions (http://therealsingapore.com/category/opinions)
http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/field/image/20070410_Lee-Hsien-Loong_0_5_0_1_0.jpg
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?192058-The-unknown-plight-of-singaporean-drivers&goto=newpost).