[sgbuffett]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=449040369924539&

[sgbuffett]

SINGAPORE - The High Court on Wednesday (June 30) ordered SBS Transit to pay $7,000 in legal costs to 13 bus drivers who are suing the transport operator over overtime pay.

I have not followed this case closely.
Not sure of the details ....but find this
case rather strange

Bus drivers sueing for OT pay etc. Shouldnt this be a black and white thing?...either they do OT or no OT. How is it there is a court case on this....given a corporation like SBS Transit should have good record keeping.

[sgbuffett]

The eight SBST drivers, all represented by lawyer M. Ravi of Carson Law Chambers, are claiming that they were underpaid for overtime work and that they had to work for more than a week without a rest day.

There are only 2 facts to establish
1. They worked OT and we're underpaid. This can easily be established or disproved beyond doubt.

2. They were made to work 7 days with no rest. This is a violation of labor laws. If true what is there to fight in court about?

Shouldnt SBS Transit settle without going to court.

If they lose I really think the CEO should be fired.

[debono]

There are only 2 facts to establish
1. They worked OT and we're underpaid. This can easily be established or disproved beyond doubt.

2. They were made to work 7 days with no rest. This is a violation of labor laws. If true what is there to fight in court about?

Shouldnt SBS Transit settle without going to court.

If they lose I really think the CEO should be fired.

It is shameful that SBS Transit did not pay their bus captain overtime....and that they need to settle this in court...

[hero]

i am not against opposition, but lim tean is not a trustable person.

[sgbuffett]

If below is true the top executives in SBS should be fired. They were trying to use legal atribution and bullying to treat these bus drivers unfairly thinking they will back off.

Kudos for the determination to fight on ....
--------------

My name is Chua Qwong Meng and I am currently involved with a suit that affects all SBS Transit bus drivers. There are now 13 drivers in total in this suit and we had to commence this suit as we needed the courts to listen to our case because there were too many important points which the law had to address about the Employment Act. It would affect not just all current and future bus drivers, but we feel it would affect all employees under the Act in any sector.

We are seeking to raise funds for our matter to pay for the legal fees which till now have been represented on a pro-bono basis.

[b]Background of Our Legal Matter[/b]

Since the day we commenced the first group of employment suits against SBS Transit in September 2019. More bus drivers joined in our action and ended up with 13 of us bus drivers as plaintiffs, my lawyer and his team has had to study a huge number of documents for the 13 of us, including calculating the formula for overtime pay and work hours, as well as organising the workers and engaging experts in employment law.

The matter got harder when we learned that SBS Transit hired one of the top lawyers in Singapore to defend themselves against our action and referred the matter to the Industrial Arbitration Court. In November 2019, the Industrial Arbitration Court ruled that SBS Transit’s collective agreements did not breach the Employment Act. Our lawyers had to make a judicial review application to challenge decision of the IAC as it may potentially affect our suits. This was a massive action as even the Attorney-General applied to intervene in the matter and took up quite a number of our lawyer’s time and resources.

Subsequently, we attempted to settle the employment suits out of court through mediation. A lot of research and strategic work had to be done and all 13 of us turned up for the mediation. Sadly, the attempt to reach a settlement failed, and we moved on to the next step of preparing for the trial proper.

[b]Pro-Bono Representation At That Point[/b]

Since March 2020, after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Singapore became more severe, several of our employment contracts had been terminated; and as some of us are Malaysians, it became difficult for us to keep up with paying the instalments of the legal fees to our lawyer Mr. M. Ravi on time. Thankfully, Mr. Ravi never gave up and continued with our representation on a pro-bono basis at that point.

When the trial was set in May 2021, Mr. Ravi and we decided to take out an application to have the trial heard in the High Court instead of the State Courts. Once again, a lot of time and effort had been put in on this application which the lawyers from SBS Transit strongly resisted, but ultimately, the Honourable Judge ruled in our favour and decided that the trial would be better heard in the High Court as the case raises “important questions of law” and may be a “test case”.

.

As the Honourable Judge said when allowing our applications to have the employment suit heard in the High Court, there are important questions of law which affect not only myself, but also a larger group of employees, including those in the public transport sector who may potentially fall within the definition of employees “in any industrial undertaking essential to the economy of Singapore”.

This case will have potential impact on how employment contracts are to be structured in terms of rest days, calculating overtime pay and determining work hours.

[b]Basis For Crowdfunding Funds[/b]

After careful thinking, discussing with the other bus drivers and with the support of my family and friends, we have decided to crowdfund to help us with the continuance of this case in the High Court and even further to the Court of Appeal if needed. It is important that the rights of workers in Singapore be properly considered. If we call ourselves a first world country, we need to review our laws to see if our workers are looked after. It is important for them, and it is important for the economy. We must see this journey through.

The trial is now going to being heard in the High Court which would require a lot of financial resources to continue the fight. We cannot expect our lawyer and his team at K. K. Cheng Law LLC to continue bearing all the costs of this suit especially with regard to the numerous extraneous filing and disbursement fees.

Whilst we are certain that Mr Ravi will give us highly discounted fees for the trial, we want to thank him, and his team at K. K. Cheng Law LLC but we cannot expect them to continue this journey with us not being paid.

We the 13 drivers are fighting for fairness so we must also be fair to our legal team too.

Please therefore help us raise some money. We are simple men and we do not know much about the legal system or about challenging a big organisation like SBS Transit. We however know about the rights of hardworking workers like ourselves who are trying to live and feed our families. This case, we believe, is an opportunity to review the Employment Act and to ensure that it protects us and is fair.

This suit will not just be about myself but also about the other 12 bus drivers' suits which is pending the outcome of my suit. It is also a suit which affects all the SBS Transit Drivers and other workers in situations like ourselves. I also have the mandate to raise this amount for the other 12 bus drivers' suits for which Mr Ravi is also acting for.

We are trying to raise $90,000 to help with the High Court trial which might head up to the Court of Appeal. There is too much at stake to stop here now. Please donate however much you can so that we can reach this target.

In addition to covering our litigation fees, I am hoping to raise a further $20,000 which will be disbursed to some of the ex-drivers who face exceptional financial hardship due to their health or difficulties in finding work during the pandemic.

Thank you all for your very kind support.

[sgbuffett]

The case is about whether employers need to follow the Employment Act and pay workers in accordance with contract.

I would think such a thing is taken for granted

I will be donating to the efforts through crowdfunding.

[sgbuffett]

i am not against opposition, but lim tean is not a trustable person.

I don't trust or distrust a person on all things. Whether I trust a person to do something depends on his interest and motivation to get that done. 

Any way why do you distrust Lim Tean?

[hero]

I don't trust or distrust a person on all things. Whether I trust a person to do something depends on his interest and motivation to get that done. 

Any way why do you distrust Lim Tean?

spoken to him in real person, i just find him fishy. He is not for the people in heart, he is more of an opportunist

[Stoki]

spoken to him in real person, i just find him fishy. He is not for the people in heart, he is more of an opportunist

If he is a opportunist, he wont be in opposition, he will be in PnP.


Get it?


Look at Ah Jinx, Alimah, disGracefool, Ah Jos ……

[sgbuffett]

spoken to him in real person, i just find him fishy. He is not for the people in heart, he is more of an opportunist

You conclude that because you met him?

When a person stands up against the PAP,  they risk repercussions like lawsuits, bankruptcy,  jail and character assassination.

There is nothing to gain materially. Only thing that motivate is sense of justice.

Of course he is not a perfect person and has his fair share of problems

[Huliwang]

You conclude that because you met him?

When a person stands upnagaisntvthe PAP,  they risk repercussions like lawsuits, bankruptcy,  jail and character assassination.

There is nothing to gain materially. Only thing that motivate is sense of justice.

Of course he is not a perfect person and has his fair share of problems

Lim Tean is my hero. Thanks for your good words on him............

[Ola]

I remembered 6 years ago, the useless Lim Swee Suay was the Chief of Labour Union.

His NTUC Income terminated all their Consultants for no reason.

If they were really retrenched, then how come now still have NTUC Income Consultants?

Isn't this Above the Rule of Law?

It was a Court Case. But Lim Swee Suay was never found!?#

[Ola]

I have not followed this case closely.
Not sure of the details ....but find this
case rather strange

Bus drivers sueing for OT pay etc. Shouldnt this be a black and white thing?...either they do OT or no OT. How is it there is a court case on this....given a corporation like SBS Transit should have good record keeping.

They were not paid OT accurately for quite some time.

Meaning, that the HR under- count the hours of OT that was actually done. And the HR Director refused to pay them back the shortfall.  So, how will bus- drivers ever want to do OT when they are cheated all the time?

Worse, the useless Union did not support the bus- drivers whom they are representing.

Is Tripartite really Govt + Employer + Employee OR Govt + Govt + Govt ?? 

[hero]

If he is a opportunist, he wont be in opposition, he will be in PnP.


Get it?


Look at Ah Jinx, Alimah, disGracefool, Ah Jos ……

i guess he is a reject from PnP
i wish opp all the best, but I'm not prejudice when I mention Lim tean and Ravi etc
I just dun wan opp to lose more, LT is really a "?"

[hero]

that y i dun wan opposition to be distracted, if really wan to support, go support WP and PSP

they are more credible than the rest

[winbig]

You conclude that because you met him?

When a person stands up against the PAP,  they risk repercussions like lawsuits, bankruptcy,  jail and character assassination.

There is nothing to gain materially. Only thing that motivate is sense of justice.

Of course he is not a perfect person and has his fair share of problems

If he is as noble as u made him out to be, he should fight this case pro bono. Why does he need to earn lawyer fees from those lowly paid bus drivers? Could he have helped them settle this amicably with SBS instead of taking SBS to court? Afterall, these bus drivers just wanted their fair share of remuneration right? Or do u think these bus drivers want to be in the limelight? Did LT made use of the bus drivers?

[debono]

If he is as noble as u made him out to be, he should fight this case pro bono. Why does he need to earn lawyer fees from those lowly paid bus drivers? Could he have helped them settle this amicably with SBS instead of taking SBS to court? Afterall, these bus drivers just wanted their fair share of remuneration right? Or do u think these bus drivers want to be in the limelight? Did LT made use of the bus drivers?

Lim Tean cannot always do pro bono work, he has staff to pay, rental office to pay and he needs profit for his own self...perhaps he could charge the bus captain a small sum.  But I am baffled why NTUC did not represent the bus captains if they are NTUC members....?

[[[ForeverAlone]]]

Lim Tean cannot always do pro bono work, he has staff to pay, rental office to pay and he needs profit for his own self...perhaps he could charge the bus captain a token sum.  But I am baffled why NTUC did not represent the bus captains if they are NTUC members....?

NTUC run by again Ex SAF scholar Ng C M the likes of Chan Chun Sing, Ong Y k etc....

so not surprise Crap

[Tangsen]

That bozo Ravi … have a history of fugging up. Hope Lim Tean will help them.

[starbugs]

The OT issue is not black and white because most JDs have this clause that says the employee will need to perform any other duties as assigned by the manager. Also, employers often have the right to adjust the number of hours worked for whatever reason. I used to work part-time many years ago during school holidays and the asst manager deducted 15mins from the daily clocked time from everybody's payslip because he said we were slacking. Everybody LL also no choice.

[debono]

The OT issue is not black and white because most JDs have this clause that says the employee will need to perform any other duties as assigned by the manager. Also, employers often have the right to adjust the number of hours worked for whatever reason. I used to work part-time many years ago during school holidays and the asst manager deducted 15mins from the daily clocked time from everybody's payslip because he said we were slacking. Everybody LL also no choice.

But the employer must fulfil his duty and pay the bus captain the OT they had put in.....

[Symmetry]

NTUC run by again Ex SAF scholar Ng C M the likes of Chan Chun Sing, Ong Y k etc....

so not surprise Crap

Anything run by those so called " ministers", have Double Standards.

Even their GLCs make me despise them.

[Ola]

Tripartite FAILED, lor.

PAP runs 3 Parties made of Govt + Govt + Govt.

SNEF/ Union all useless.

Even HR can easily exploit the bus drivers.

[Sentinel]

i am not against opposition, but lim tean is not a trustable person.

F...k you
We sud believe you issit??

[Tangsen]

F...k you
We sud believe you issit??

     you are Lim Tean

[Oyk]

If he is a opportunist, he wont be in opposition, he will be in PnP.


Get it?

Look at Ah Jinx, Alimah, disGracefool, Ah Jos ……

Was he ever invited by PAP for tea, and he rejected that chance?

[Oyk]

I have not followed this case closely.
Not sure of the details ....but find this
case rather strange

Bus drivers sueing for OT pay etc. Shouldnt this be a black and white thing?...either they do OT or no OT. How is it there is a court case on this....given a corporation like SBS Transit should have good record keeping.

Calculating OT is a simple arithmetical job.

You don't need donkey years of working experience to do payroll. It can be learned within a day.  OT rate at one time, one and a half times and two times are all fixed by law.  In a ten men company, you do it manually....you can use Excel to help you do the multiplication but in a company that's as big as SBS, there are payroll software, and you only do keypunching.

The hours worked are all clocked.

Very straightforward.

We do not have the full facts of the case.  So I will not jump to conclusions about the case.

The case was not brought to court by SBS but the drivers.  A number of them are Malaysians like you.

[Sentinel]

     you are Lim Tean

You are OYK

[applepiegal]

F...k you
We sud believe you issit??