Industrial Conflict

Introduction

Industrial conflict is inevitable one form or another, so as long as the hierarchy of a higher power exist. The relationship between managers and their employees bring about contradicting circumstances, as managers often find themselves torn between the temptation to exploit workers and the desire to be empathic towards them. Certain occupations and its environment expose workers to constant hostility and ill-treatment which are difficult to avoid, and this gives rise to industrial conflict which can be argued as unavoidable. Pretzall, Abbott and Timo (2007) summaries that the major theories used to explain industrial conflict are unable to claim universal acceptance holds certain truths as different theories and explanation applies to different nations respectively. In the case of Singapore, the degree of rapid industrialisation and current political environment plays a paramount role in our current state of industrial conflict and will be prime determinants for the future state as well.

Overt and Covert Conflict

Singapore has been virtually strike free for the past few decades other than the notable SIA pilot's dispute. Pretzall, Abbott and Timo concluded a table of information sources of strike data recorded countries with current competitive industrialisation states such as Australia, Japan and Korea with cases of strike incidences but Singapore was not recorded due to the unavailability of statistics from ILO owning to virtual non-occurrence of strikes (2007). Singapore also belong to what Pretzall, Abbott and Timo (2007) have mentioned as a state with strong and effective legal sanctions against any form of strikes, thus overt and organised conflict does not exist in Singapore. They also relate to their theory that patterns of strikes relates to current industrial relations system and Singapore's system adopts that of the North European (type 1) pattern that suggests strike occurrence was low and strike duration was short. However, the absence of such a type of conflict does not necessary mean that we are free from industrial conflict, as the presence of covert and unorganised conflict remains a problem to be solved. The suppression of overt conflict merely diverts it into covert conflict. Bray, Waring and Cooper (2011) defines covert conflict as displays of slackness, inefficiency, absenteeism, labour turnover, material wastage and low morale. The labour turnover in Singapore, whereby Khatri, Chong Tze and Budhwar (2001) suggested that the turnover rates are among the highest in Asia, with the issue being significant enough to be highlighted in the country's parliament. Thus covert conflict will not only continue to hinder Singapore's industrial competiveness but remain to stay for years to come.