No-show bus drivers still not back to work in Singapore

About 60 of the Chinese bus drivers working with Singapore public transport operator SMRT did not return to work on Tuesday, the company said.

A total of 102 Chinese bus drivers working with the company did not show up for work on Monday. Local media said they were unhappy mainly because the Malaysian drivers recently received a pay rise of 275 Singapore dollars (225 U.S. dollars) and one month bonus pay, while the Chinese drivers received only an increase of 75 Singapore dollars without any bonus.

SMRT had said on Monday evening it had agreed to consider the drivers' demand for an equal pay with other foreign drivers and the drivers had agreed to return to work. The company had said it will give an answer to the demand of the drivers in about one week 's time.

The company also insisted that it has had sound communication channels.

"We regret that they chose to express their unhappiness about their salaries in this manner, especially when our lines of communication with them are always open," it said on Monday.

A human resources executive of SMRT, which operates about 25 percent of the bus services in Singapore, was called in to resolve the dispute on Monday. The police was called in when the talks came to a standstill, but they did not interfere as there was order.

News of the no-show incident became a topic of hot discussion on social media. Singapore has had few no-show or strikes over the past decades.

The Ministry of Manpower said in a statement that it took the workers' actions very seriously and that it was looking into the matter. Labor relations officers from the ministry were at the site during negotiations.

The Chinese Embassy in Singapore said it has been in close contact with Singapore authorities over the incident.

The National Transport Workers' Union said the union could not represent the affected workers as they were not union members. It urged the workers involved to return to work immediately and added that the union was prepared to help in negotiations between SMRT management and the workers if both parties welcomed its involvement.