Thanks Gilbert for the enjoyable read.
Appreciate your help to singaporeans and especially unemployed ones like me.
Allow me to share my real story.
I have been looking for a job for so long (more than 8 months), I am desperate and decided to try working as a Hawker stall assistant.
There was a small notice at the stall in my neigbourhood. Its stated “Hiring Singaporeans or PR only” followed by the mobile number to call.
I was happy to see an employer supporting singaporean/pr.
So, I called. My last drawn pay was about $8000, basic salary. There was also a separate Employer CPF contribution for my last job. The following is what the hawker stall boss told me about the job :
1. Full-time = 12 hours per day.
. salary : $1500
. Working days = EVERY DAY work with 2 off-days per month entitled (I wondering any 1st world labor policies violated??? )
. Place of work = Jurong (place advertised = SengKang. )
2. Part-time = 8 hours per day.
. salary : $5 per day + $5 transport allowance.
. working days = Every day , 2 day-offs.
. Place of work = Jurong
From Seng Kang to Jurong by public transport may cost quite a bit (for mere mortals) , lets assume $2.50 per end-end trip consisting of bus and mrt and maybe 1 more shuttle. To-and-Fro = $5 (allowance used up entirely).
To work for 8 hours, if I spend 1 meal outside, that could cost me $2.50 (without coffee/tea/soft drinks but only tap water). This leaves me $2.50 income per day for 8 hours so-called ‘part-time’ work. This is assuming no other nett- offs.
Yes I am Desperate and should take up this job. I am still considering.
But I like to ask, is $2.50 a day of income (partially netted), enough to survive in 1st world Singapore? Fortunately for the Employer,in a pro-business environment where there is no official Minimum wage regulation, he can set this kind of salary. Food prices have not fallen overall even in this crisis, based on personal observation. Many prices continue to go up.
To cut story short, I also like to know
What is there for Employees?
regards
Pork and Pork ( can pork no more)
Related posts:
Hi,
An income of $5 per day is ridiculous. Look for any part-time cafe/restaurant waiting staff job. It pays around at least $5 per HOUR.
2 off days per month violates the Employment Act in Singapore. The latter states that there has to be at least 1 rest day per week. You coud work on the rest day as OT. However, OT work has to be remunerated by OT pay which is 2 times of what you earn daily. Any job that requires you to work on rest day with the rest day OT pay factored into the basic salary violates against the Employment Act. Basic salary is for (up till) 6 days of work per week; work on rest day OT pay has to be calculated separately.
In a nutshell, do not take up that stall assistant job! Consider others – and the options are plentiful: valet drivers, part-time cafe and restaurant waiters, temp admin jobs, etc… anything but a job with a pay even a foreign worker would be hesitant about.
8000 dollars and there isn’t a job that your skills (that earned 8000) could do?
you must either be a top node of a recently-failed MLM, or a top civil servant
this story just
doesnt make much sense
even failed bankers would be able to find a desk job at least…
Hi, you must be the luckyone that can go without job for 8 long months living on your reserve. Your last draw pay of $8000 a months or must be aroung over 100K a year can last what many workers earning today about 1k a month for 8 – 9 years. If they can survive why not you?
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the $5 per day (part-time) is a typo error. It is most probably $5 per hr. That will work out to about ($5x8hrs)x28days(30-2 off days)=$1120. That sounds reasonable as compared to the $1500(full time). For 12hr workday, you should be getting ($5x12hrs)x28days=$1680. So, part-time is a better deal.
Since you used to earn $8k/month, you should be better off than most of us(like me) with a fatter reserve & better qualifications(I assume).
I seriously wonder, why would you even consider $5 a day job. Even McDonald’s is paying far much better. If you are earning 8K a month previously, then you surely must be someone of higher education and I really cannot believe that you will seriously look for a job as a Hawker Assistance!
Hi Ben,
I re-read Pork&Pork’s entry and it seems he really mean $5 per day.
I’m incredulous. Even a foreign construction worker earns about $30 per day.
Pork&Pork, you shouldn’t have a problem getting a temp. or part-time job. Look online for them. There are a lot of them advertised by headhunter firms. Tell them your plight and they’ll understand that you are really willing to earn much lower just to get by.
I start working in 1975 and got paid $5.50 per day. Wanton mee cost only 0.30 cents a bowl and bus ride cost 0.10 cents. I can live comfortablely than.
Now 2009, P&P said got paid $5 a day just not possible? Where do you find employers pay such rate?