Coffee Shop Talk from the best (at the very least, the most entertaining) forum in Singapore, Sammyboy's.
(Views expressed here are not mine, blah blah blah).
Subject: Latest!!! I heard from PM office
From: FWChongKing
Dear all,
I was aghast!!!! I am shocked...I happen to be rep my boss yesterday for a meeting with other ministry and this is the most shocking news I heard...
For those working in Civil Services...please note
First Lee has already delivered the sweet news...5 days work week blah blah..
now the bad news that will be annouce in the coming future...
3% cut in civil servants headcount per year over the next few year.
Outsourcing of non-critical and administrative jobs in civil jobs
Now Ministry of Manpower will be finalising the structure before this is announce Performance Review
Revised of performance review are coming soon...Civil Servant will Grade D and E will be given 6 month performance review to buck or ship off...this will be made official soon
From: @@ (D_Yamato) in reply to FWChongKing
Over the past half year or more, those with D grade for two review periods consecutively will get the boot.
Also, those deemed in excess of dept/division manpower requirements will receive invitation letters for retirement (young but lazy will get, old but ??? will get). Can refuse to retire the first time receive. However, another six months to a year, will get another invitation letter to retire. This second one, is not INVITATION, is INSTRUCTION TO RETIRE/RESIGN.
Finally, the MOTHER-F**KING Govt Civil Service is EATING THEIR OWN SHIT for their F**KING GREED for out-of-the-world HIGHER-THAN-private-sector SALARY !!! One full cycle comes around.
Civil Service is there to provide a stable working mechanism for the contry's smooth running, not there to F**KING SUCK away the nation's resources just because the private sector is paying well to attract the talents. Just look at the F**KING pap govt/cabinet, paying F**KING FILTHY World No. 1 Salary to the bastard scumpigs in white, who can do NOTHING to provide jobs/work/stability for peasants to procrate and have babies.
F**king useless pap ministers/civil service. They deserve to die and rot in hell for what they are paying themselves.
This week just spoken to a group of civil servants. 66% has families members migrated/intent to migrate, 33% has confirmed intention to migrate, 33% has possible wish to migrate. 99% cursed and f**ked the pap govt. 1% dared not say anything against the pap.
From PeasantJUDGE in reply to FWChongKing
we peeple in private sector work so long under this type of system already, got perfrormance appraisal, productivity benchmark and all dat. it is about time the civil service also face the same shit becoz got so many useless zombie working inside there. some more, they want to enjoy private sector pay and benefits even better, still want to expect iron rice bowl??? come on lah.
From: nav14 in reply to lanlan8
I heard from people working in govt agencies that what has been speculated is in fact true especially the part about 3% manpower reduction per year for next 3 years or total of 9-10%. Otherwise they will have to pay a penalty. In fact Lee Hsien Loong has already mentioned about the manpower reduction and penalty if Ministries do not want to reduce manpower some time back. Nothing new but I understand the info has just recently been officially made known to Ministries.
The thing about sacking those with 'D' grades after a review period is also very likely. Right now 5% of all grades officers must be graded 'D and this applies to even Superscale officers. The speculated sacking has been applied to "E" graders since many years back but not 'D'. They will have to change the definition of 'D' grade performance since it is defined as satisfacory performance that meet the needs the requirements of the job. Based on this definition they will not be able to sack so can expect some changes in the performace appriasal system and its definitions. But then again they cannot now insist that every year must get 5% 'D' graders. which will mean that most civil servant will not be able to work more than 15-20 yrs before they reach their CEP and start getting 'D grades. It is easier for a person to get a 'D' grade once you reach your CEP which is usually by the time you touch 50s. This will mean that most Civil Servants can never expect to work beyond 50 which I know is quite common in pte sector but Civil Service always wants to be a role model and by getting rid of most above 50s due to its performance system will not reflect well on that it is trying to help solve the present problem of higher retrenchment in the group above 40s. Lee Hsien Loong has already said in recent National Day rally that Civil Service is no longer a iron rice bowl.
Civil service has gone through many changes in the past 10-15 years and there are very few free riders left. What they are doing is to have a Civil Service with comparable personnel standards to the top firms in Pte sector. But the problem is with all this new initiatives Civil Service is no longer attractive and this includes the salaries for most jobs.
Previously there used to be generous medical benefits but these have been taken away. From about few years back all new appointees are placed on a mdecial scheme where you are only eligible to claim $350 maximum in outpatient treatment. That is why the govt has finally agreed to extend the medical benefits to female officers children. Because almost 50% of female civil servants are under this new medical scheme and thus the total amount the govt pays is limited to only $350 for 50% of these employees.
Job security is no longer there which was one of the most important attractions. Many Ministries have began to employ their staff only on 2 year Contracts (Div 1 to Div 4) and I understand that this Contract scheme is going to apply to almost all appointments very soon.
The salaries of civil servants is still below those in pte sector.
So would anyone in the right frame of mind want to become a civil servant now. I will be better off in the pte sector since the risks are the same but I will be rewarded much better if I work really hard. In the last 1 year they have been getting many applications because the economy was bad. In years to come they will only get applications from the very mediocre applicants with part time degrees .
concept of contract employement in Civil service is contradictory to all the pro-procreation benefits they have announced. With Civil Service itself employing workers on contract on a large scale almost all pte companies will also start doing so (esp those who have not been doing so). You have a nation of contract workers. With a nation of contract worker how on earth you expect the workers to go for 3rd or 4th child when they do not even know if their contract will be renewed. So I think all the 300 million dollars on procreation benefits is a waste of money. I have a staff in my office who do not intend to have any more children but has now decided to employ a maid with the $90 savings. This is what you will get.
From: FWChongKing in reply to ALL
For those of us who think that the cut is meant for the top civil servant,
IF YOU ARE A SUPERSCALE officer, you are RETRENCH-PROOF !!!!!
Retrenchment is only meant for bread and butter people we know are are our friends, uncles and those who make a decent living...
Those bloody idiots who are schoolars grades or policy makers are not affected at ALL.
I think everyone knows this news. LHL has annouce that his cabinet will get pension schemes while those newly recruited are in the new scheme which pale in comparision to the benefit of what senior staff gets. ie MC, Leave, wages etc.
