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Bus drivers to plead guilty to instigating strike

The four former SMRT bus drivers charged with instigating an illegal strike in late November last year will be pleading guilty.

Counsel representing 32-year-old He Jun Ling, seen as the “ringleader” and who faces two charges, confirmed this with Yahoo! Singapore Friday.

The drivers had changed their minds about claiming trial after receiving indications about their potential sentences. He’s ex-colleagues — 32-year-old Gao Yue Qiang, 39-year-old Wen Xianjie and 33-year-old Liu Xiangying — face one charge each.

“We (counsel for the accused) spoke to the prosecution, and the indication of the sentence that the prosecution will be seeking was given to us,” said defence lawyer Choo Zheng Xi, who is representing He. “That indication was deemed by my client to be satisfactory.”

Choo and lawyers acting for the drivers met with prosecution lawyers on Friday in chambers, where it was decided the drivers would plead guilty at their next appearance in court on Monday afternoon.

About two weeks prior to this decision, the drivers initially claimed trial, and dates were set for the first week of March. Their move to plead guilty could mean that they will receive their sentences as early as Monday.

The offence of instigating an illegal strike carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Another former SMRT driver, 38-year-old Bao Feng Shan, was jailed in early December for six weeks for his involvement in the strike, and was deported after his release.

The five drivers were among more than 170 SMRT bus drivers who went on strike on 26 November last year, expressing their unhappiness over living conditions and disparities in salary paid between them and other foreign drivers.

Apart from the five who were charged, a further 29 drivers were dismissed and deported, while another 150 were issued stern warnings for their actions.

Following the strike, which acting minister for manpower Tan Chuan-Jin declared “illegal”, SMRT instituted several reforms and stepped up checks on dormitory conditions, while setting up direct hotlines for drivers to reach management representatives and organising town halls in a bid to better address drivers’ concerns.

Separately, He and Liu, in video interviews with documentary filmmaker Lynn Lee, levelled accusations against investigators of physical abuse during their respective interrogations on their involvement in the strike. Police have since commenced investigations into their claims, seeking Lee’s assistance with the process as well.