No-show by SMRT bus drivers a strike or protest?

No-show by SMRT bus drivers a strike or protest?
By Imelda Saad | Posted: 27 November 2012 1623 hrs

SINGAPORE: 102 SMRT bus drivers, all China nationals, refused to turn up for work on Monday over pay dispute, and on Tuesday morning, over half of those involved did not show up for work again.

There's been a lot of talk about why the media and even the Manpower Ministry and SMRT have not been calling the wage protest a strike.

Instead, terms like "sit-in", "sit-out", "protest", "did not show up for work" were used.

There are several reasons for this and they have to do with the law.

As this has to do with an essential service - in this case, transport - the law is very specific on what is considered a strike.

Under Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, it is a strike only when the worker gives his employer at least 14 days' advance notice of his intention to do so.

This notice has to be signed by at least seven fellow workers involved in the strike or by at least seven union representatives of the workers.

The notice then needs to be acknowledged and signed by the employer, after which, that notice needs to be put up in at least three conspicuous places where the workers are employed.

That's a legal strike, if rules are followed.

Anything else, it's an illegal strike and there are consequences. A person involved in that could be fined up to S$2,000 and jailed up to 12 months.

A person who instigates or finances an illegal strike also faces the same penalties.

The last strike in Singapore was in 1986 by shipyard workers.

- CNA/ck

- wong chee tat :)