Some of no-show bus drivers still not back to work in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- 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.

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