THE CONTRACT LABOUR SYSTEM AND THE ODD-JOB LABOURERS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Singapore has emerged as one of the most advanced countries in Asia. The past two decades have witnessed industrialisation and economic growth. With such industrialising forces working within our socio-economic context, one would expect a high degree of normalisation in our economic sector with the subsequent demise of informal means of employment. This, however, is not the case, as can be seen in the case of the contract labour system which is the object of inquiry in this Academic Exercise. A number of odd-job labourers and contractors in the construction and shipping industries were interviewed to explore into the factors for the system's continued existence. Cost-cutting and the fluctuating demand for workers contribute to the management's continued use of this means of employment. Explanations for the persistence of the system in economic terms present only a partial picture on the worker's side, it was found that the social network, organisation and common parceptions of their work that constitute their work ideology, which are firmly internalised by the labourers, are some of the mechanisms that keep these workers remaining in this system.