10/24/2013

Termination of a train driver, a Sinkie

We have heard the story of the termination of a train driver after 18 years of service. Gintai did not explain exactly why but I gathered it was due to some minor mistakes he made. What actually went wrong is not the issue in this article. What I want to address is where should a Sinkie go from here.
 

Gintai was with the Police Force before he became a train driver and had chalked up 18 years of experience on this job. He is about 50 and still has many good years to go even if he does not intend to work till 80.
 

From the company’s point of view, has Gintai committed mistakes serious enough that it was necessary to lose a very experienced train driver with many good years ahead? What is the opportunity cost to hire and train another driver? The new driver could be cheaper without taking the training cost into account. There are opportunity costs involved as well as opportunity to save some money for the company. They can’t be hiring a more experience and higher pay train driver for sure.
 

The other point is that a Sinkie lost his job, hopefully not to another foreigner to be trained to take his place. Now what shall Gintai do, what are his options if he intends to work again? I think at his age, not working is not an option. We also know that getting a job is a near impossible task.
 

First, there is only one train company here, so there is no chance of Gintai driving trains again. Neither can he return to the Police Force. If he is to remain in the city, his next job is probably driving taxi. For Gintai to look for any other jobs, retraining is necessary. And he is likely to get a job that would pay him less than his current basic, without the overtime pay. He probably has school going children and a housing mortgage to provide for. He needs an income.
 

The alternative for Gintai is just not too rosy. The net effect is for the train industry and the train company to lose a trained and very experienced driver. And this driver has to start anew in a new job in a new industry. It is a waste of trained manpower. We value our workforce. Our workforce is our main asset. We foolishly wasted a trained worker who would have to downgrade to do something he has no experience in.
 

On the whole it is a lose lose situation. Maybe the train company will gain by getting a cheaper and new train driver. And a new driver is born. Very likely a foreigner. Sinkies better be nice to their employers and don’t make mistakes to warrant a dismissal. The consequence is dire straits, and nobody will be there to help you, no institution or organisation will be behind you, except Gilbert.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

RB, Gilbert is one man show so there is a limit of what he can do. Basically when it happen to one, one is actually screwed. It happened to me when I was 50 and I was screwed too

oldhorse42 said...

From the press reports, it seems that he committed only some minor breach in his duties like entering the cabin from the back rather than the front.

What is so serious about that? If it is sex, I concede that it is an unnatural act and is punishable.

Could there be some hidden agenda?

He did blog about the affordability of HDB flat and was invited to lim kopi with a minister

Anonymous said...


it is not ITE (its the end) for Gintai........

no need to drive taxi.....understand healthcare needs people and there are conversion courses to take....can approach WDA.....

even driving taxi is also not bad...cannot earn $7000.00 as advertised....but, I think to earn $5000.00 to $6000.00 is not a problem considering the OTs and number hours you had put in at smrt....especially with the recently announced higher flag down fees....

no try no gain.....cheers...

Anonymous said...

Gintai can write very well. In other countries, he could have become a writer of books and if these sell well, then he can become rich.

For instance JK Rowling of the Harry Potter fame even became a billionaire! And she also donated a lot as a result.

But just too bad lah, you can never, never become rich by being a good writer or artist in Singapore.

In the meantime, Maybe Gintai should blog like RB to earn some kopi money to tide over lah. I am sure he will have lots of fans and can do as well, if not better than RB, tio bo?

Anonymous said...

The point is where are the UNIONS, and of course the Workers' Party stand on this...

Are they for the Workers' rights..or what..

Anonymous said...

The point is where are the UNIONS, and of course the Workers' Party stand on this...

Are they for the Workers' rights..or what..

Anonymous said...

Workers' Party?????

But Sinkies did not choose them as the ruling party what.

And which is just as well lah, since they are not ready to be govt and also their leader said PAP govt is competent what. So let PAP be govt lah, tio bo?

Anonymous said...

Got union meh?

Anonymous said...

Got union meh?
Anon October 24, 2013 9:22 am

Got, but Gintai did not join.

He must have his reasons lah, tio bo?

Anonymous said...

9.29 am lucky he did not join as no much use lar. At least he saved a lot of money lor

Anonymous said...

Got, got, god!

Anonymous said...


coming back to the issue of driving a taxi....

while having my morning kopiO at a coffee shop, one uncle was telling a few senior citizens that he knew someone who had chose to drive a taxi over a $4000.00 full-time jobs .....

according to that uncle.... to earn $4000.00 to $6000.00 as a taxi driver is not very very difficult if you work hard and don't gamble in cards, 4D, TOTO, and soccer matches....

that uncle added that once a taxi driver achieved his daily income target he will then use his taxi like his own personal car ......a good deal considering today record high COE....

not a bad deal .....

Anonymous said...

@ redbean
"We value our workforce. Our workforce is our main asset."

Sure or not?
Who is this "we"?
I don't think it's the PAP gahmen.
I don't think it's the Singapore employer.
I don't think it's NTUC.

So redbean.
Who is this laudable "we" that you are talking about?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

I oso dunno leh. Just making a motherhood statement to make daft Sinkies feel good only.

Anonymous said...

Aiyah!
In that case, just say 'Vote PAP. They are on our side."

Anonymous said...


I think the article in TR EMERITUS "NS stands for National Slavery" may interest you all....happy reading ........

Anonymous said...

Call a spade a spade. Gintai lost his job because he is too outspoken. Period!

Anonymous said...

18 years experience???

Or one year repeated 18 times?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

redbean,

Wild assed speculation with not a shred of evidence to back up your assertions.

In today's world there is no such thing as "job security". If you live in Australia, losing your job is no big deal lah.

Dole? Not really a help -- more a "motivation" to get off your arse and find a new job. You have to wait 6 weeks before you can even qualify to apply for the dole. The process is so intrusive now -- must declare all assets, bank accounts, including any assets and financial interests overseas, they might even pay a visit to your house, might have to work for the dole (indentured labour) and have your dole cut off if you don't keep a record a monimum number of jobs you have to apply for every week (and they'll check)...fuck it. Most people these days don't bother...they just find another job.

Gone are the days where you could apply for the dole and go live in Bali like a lord, or lump together with other bums and form a "commune".

I've lost and voluntarily resigned from several jobs from the time I was a student. No big deal lah. Age is no barrier -- you can do the job, you're in.

Putting Gintai's recent loss aside (by no means diminishing what personal experience he might be having), Singaporeans have got to get to a place where they accept that a "job for life" is quickly going away. The replacement is "personal branding" and the ability to sell and market yourself as a "productive entity". Whether you agree or like what is happening is immaterial --- that's the way of the world. (Earth, Wind and Fire -- awesome band!)

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

18 years of one experience is really what this job needs. You want 18 years of multiple experience for a train driver? You want to chart his career devt to become a dept manager or the CEO of SMRT?

In many fields and professions, it is indepth experience, specialisation, being very skilled in the work one is doing and be valued. What is the point of being an eye specialist and have experience in cleaning hawker centre, jargar flooding, looking out for illegal campers when his job is to be the top eye surgeon?

A 18 year repeated experience for a train driver or eye surgeon is hundred times better than 18 years of chapalang and irrelevant experience.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he is getting more pay for doing the same work as others?

Remember why those PRC bus drivers (also from SMRT) that went on strike?

Precisely because they were aggrieved that they got less pay than others for the same work, tio bo?

Anonymous said...

How indepth can one be for a train driver's scope of work?

If he is a doctor or eye surgeon, yes. I would much preferred to be treated by one with 18 years experience, than a fresh graduate or one with less years of experience.

Anonymous said...

This guy is a sinkie and he has so much experience. We should treasure him no matter what. And I m sure very sure he will not do anything that will endanger himself or fellow passengers, even if he does, touchwood, inconveniencing or endangering passengers, many of us locals will forgive him once the truth is out. RB will run a commentary and gather signatures to support him and send to minister. We must support local.

Telok Blangah

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi Telok Blangah, welcome to the blog. Today it is all about profit and loss and nothng else. Sinkie or foreign, who is cheaper is good.

Some may even sell father and mother when they become useless. It is money talk. Sinkies are not indispensable.

Anonymous said...

My 2 cts worth. Anytime, I'll feel safe and secure with Gintai, a true blue SGP driving me in his train than a cheaper, betterer or fasterer foreigner. What a loss - 18 years at that!

Anonymous said...

You may have 18 years experience, but depending on the complexity and skill level of the job, it is just one year experience repeated 18 times.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Please lah, just like "talent", "experience" is over-rated. Not to say that they both are not important, but they are over-rated because people focus too much on them, elevating their status to the point of being romantically emotional.

Not a good way to evaluate the world.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Google search: Experience is overrated

b said...

Capitalism, which this country is subscribed to and pursue by the rulers, is never about the future. It is about the now and immediate gratification as a culture and a philosophy. This will have a profound effect on poverty, consumption, crime, drug use, education, healthcare and any other long term issues.

Anonymous said...

pthe pathetic state of the smrt today it due to past actions;

many pioneer employees are EX-saf; probably police force too

ranging from top mgt to technical personnel

think current problems bugging the system happened overnight???

of course ... with current FT inducted, CAN IT GET BETTER????

Anonymous said...

missing a stop ... SMALL ISSUE??

so what if on auto mode ...

an aircraft using instrument-assisted landing, overshot the runway, pilots can dismiss liability?

gimme a break ... of course, if the top is hopeless, can we expect the below to be ace?

Anonymous said...

haha ... union??

for fuck shake???

can "essential services" workers go on strike???

we are indeed ....

D A F T

Anonymous said...

Whatever situation and or whoever made u lost your job is not important now, Just making sure u will survive another day and the many years to come.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@424:

>> can "essential services" workers go on strike??? <<

This is another piece of PAP bullshit. FORCING people to work against their will is SLAVERY, or like a gangster pimp slapping around his whores and forcing them to work.

I am a dyed-in-the-wool, unabashed CAPITALIST. However, I support the UNIONS. I don't support union thuggery, but if unions play by the rules, I am all for it.

NTUC -- the "umbrella" union in Singapore is controlled by the government.

The government has the legal power to deem any industry an "essential" service. It can legislate, at will, suka-suka and unopposed, to deem the retail sector "essential" -- because people need to buy stuff to continue living. This "No Strike For Essential Services" law can be interpreted at their whim. It is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL, but no one cares.

What the fuck?? Worst still, The Sheeple have allowed this to happen.

The Brow-Beaten Sheeple Get The Government Controlled Union They Deserve.

Anonymous said...

Me got to meet up with Gintai infrequently after got to know him about three years ago at his Blogsite.
Gintai is one straight forward candid guy who reacts almost spontaneously with no pretense. Throughout these many years of regular meet-ups, including with some other bloggers, the one thing that he held dearest was his job as a train driver.
He was very proud of his job despite the long working hours. He was one very happy worker; me guesses that getting an average of 4 to 5 thousands dollars average monthly income made him felt contented.
He had published his appeal letter and admitted to some technical/operational faults while on duty. They might have caused some inconveniences but there were no damage or injury. NEITHER WAS THERE ANY COMPLAINT FROM ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
In any organization and in any job, there bound to be lapses; our Rulers had admitted as much before for a number of times.
In the Case of Gintai, he told me that he had not committed any fault a second time. As for the 'misconduct' cited, it sounded vague, unspecific to qualify as an official charge. SMRT has to be fair to its' employee regardless of position and length of service like any other organization and company.
In any case, I doubt anyone working 18 years in one job can be totally free from lapses.
In my opinion, the sack given to Gintai is too heavy a penalty.

I like to say that me am not being personal due to Gintai being a personal acquaintance. As a senior citizen and an employee for over 40 years myself, me had experienced Staff and industrial related matters.

patriot

Anonymous said...

Having unions or not makes no difference, in this town that we are in under a governace that is so sensitive, classic example of the, "do nots".
Warnings and sue, is not that complicated to understand.

Anonymous said...

Is Gintai an incorrigible worker that made mistakes and refused to change, make amends and stubbornly continuing to repeat the mistakes?

If not, if they were just some mistakes due to a bad day or oversight, the SMRT may want to reconsider taking him back.

Anonymous said...

By default, this is your life journey break through. U r definitely more wiser than before. U will not be tied and locked by those invisible red tapes, bureaucratic policies and hidden clauses at back page of documents.
Challenge your self to be more simple and effective, not those faster, cheaper and batter S thinkings. Smile, and smell more flowers.