Union Leaders Hit Back at Jamus Lim’s Min Wage of $1,300; Said His Comments Were Uncalled For

Associate Professor Jamus Lim may be Singapore’s national treasure with his sweet demeanour and plethora of finger hearts, but it seems to the union leaders…

He may not be as popular as iheartJamusLimOppa123 would’ve thought.

According to various reports, union leaders have protested Lim’s proposed minimum wage of S$1,300…

And they have also cried foul at his comment last week, which compared their opinions to “folksy wisdom and beliefs”.

Now, I’ve never once thought bad about our own union leaders.

And perceiving them as something like the Smurfs could really be stretching it a tad bit far.

Union Leaders Hit Back at Jamus Lim’s Min Wage of $1,300 & Said His Comments Were Uncalled For

Lest you’re unaware, it was announced last week that Singapore could institute a universal minimum wage with S$1,300 as a base.

The measure is believed to cater to lower-wage workers, and targets the lifting of workers’ wages as they seek to enhance their skills and increase productivity.

Sounds good? Well, not to the Union Leaders.

Though to be fair, their objection is “somewhat” justifiable.

According to TODAYonline, several union leaders have shot down the Workers’ Party’s (WP) suggestion, on the grounds that S$1,300 is a figure that’s too low to serve as a bench mark.

Apparently, the lowest salaries in some of their sectors have exceeded that limit.

In addition, the union leaders have taken offence at Lim’s choice of words, which seemingly likened the leaders’ views on low-wage workers’ incomes as “folksy wisdom and beliefs”.

To be exact, this is what Prof Lim had said during a debate on the progressive wage model (PWN) on 15 October 2020:

“With all due respect, as much as it will be lovely to always rely on folksy wisdom and beliefs by labour union leaders, at the same time, it’s important to realise that when we talk about studies that show that the minimum wage does not lead to any appreciable increase in unemployment, this is based on careful consideration and not just beliefs.

“It’s worth reminding ourselves that there was a time when in the 16th century when people believed that the sun revolved around the earth. But that belief is not in fact the same as evidence,” he said.

Data And Statistics

Subsequently, union leaders said that Lim’s remarks were uncalled for.

They also accused Lim, via Facebook posts and forum letters to The Straits Times and Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, of looking down on their work.

Union leaders have reiterated that they are not Smurfs.

In the sense that they do not rely on folksy wisdom over evidence as Lim seemingly suggested.

According to the report, the leaders said that those in the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) utilise actual data and statistics when crafting policies.

They also purportedly rely on their expertise on ground sentiments.

Mr Arasu Duraisamy, who serves as general secretary of the Singapore Port Workers’ Union, also raised a point:

The union’s proposals would never have been accepted had they were genuinely made up of “words from the man on the ground”.

Dragging Everybody Downwards

And the points keep on coming.

Ms K Thanaletchmi, president of the Healthcare Services Employees Union, said that
the union has worked with hospitals to increase the minimum wage to S$1,500.

By incorporating a minimum wage of S$1,300, it may potentially “drag everybody downwards”, as workers who are paid higher than that sum would have their salaries slashed.

She also questioned the Worker Party’s deductions.

“On what basis do they think S$1,300 is enough? In today’s day and age, I think S$1,300 is too low. I am kind of baffled by the proposition made by WP. Is it truly by data and statistics?” she questioned.

Looks like the tables have turned.

NTUC deputy secretary-general Koh Poh Koon (also a PAP MP) also added his own two cents, stating that the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme and other policy measures have done what the WP hopes to achieve.

“So what the WP wants to achieve with the proposed minimum wage of S$1,300, we have already achieved through the progressive wage model, Workfare Income Supplement Scheme and other policy measures,” Dr Koh said.

For the record, a minimum wage of S$1,300 would serve to help around 32,000 workers, around 1.7% of Singapore’s workforce.

Jamus Lim

Jamus Lim first captured a lot of Singaporeans’ hearts, when he went up against seasoned politicians in a live debate on TV.

In addition, his finger heart is now an iconic moment in the history of politics.

Truly, he’s the Oppa Singapore needs, but don’t deserve.

In fact, his universal popularity is such that he was voted into the Economic Society of Singapore (ESS) Council, along with 5 other members.

For the record, the ESS Council has members from the academic, government and business sectors, and they organise conferences and networking sessions to discuss the current economic issues related to Singapore and within the region.

All in all, a powerful group that is known to consist of people who can make decisions.

However, one can’t deny that his recent comments have certainly ruffled a few feathers.