Arasu Duraisamy
Singapore
“Whether you are a worker, business owner or even just a citizen of Singapore, let us all do our part to support one another through this challenging period. Let us unite in solidarity as one people, one nation, one Singapore. With resilience and fortitude, we shall prevail. I support the Budget.”
“Can the Ministry consider reviewing access to bigger HDB flats for unwed parents to better meet their housing needs? MND has, over the years, increased attention to support rental households towards homeownership. This support has contributed to the steady increase in these households becoming homeowners.”
“These engagements will help to foster a greater sense of communal bonding, for the public will also feel a stronger sense of ownership in the space that they have helped to build and, thus, there is a higher chance of better utilisation of these rejuvenated spaces, as they are the outcomes of the community's involvement.”
“Sir, in a small country with limited manpower, our National Servicemen play a crucial role in ensuring we have a credible and robust defence force. Every male Singaporean has to commit two years of his youth to serve the country. We must provide a seamless and convenient means for young male Singaporeans to prepare for enlistment.”
“Chairman, the Committee of Inquiry into the training accidents had found that training-related accidents happened due to lapses by the servicemen involved.”
“In conclusion Mr Speaker, in his Budget speech, the Deputy Prime Minister spoke on the importance of the short-term measures to deal with the immediate challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak and economic uncertainties while planning for the long term on growing our economy and creating opportunities for our people.”
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“Whether you are a worker, business owner or even just a citizen of Singapore, let us all do our part to support one another through this challenging period. Let us unite in solidarity as one people, one nation, one Singapore. With resilience and fortitude, we shall prevail. I support the Budget.”
“These shifts in the supply chain will cause inter-regional trade to slow down but intra-regional trade will likely grow at a faster pace. We must support our businesses to venture into these countries and prepare our workforce to work in these regions. Fourth, prepare to reform. While Singapore has embarked on transforming our economy and our businesses to adopt Industry 4.0 technological advances, the progress is not as fast as we had expected it to be. However, with COVID-19, it has accelerated some of these transformations, particularly in the area of digital transformation. Adoption of digital solutions has increased exponentially. This calls for reformation, a change in our convictions or perhaps a rewiring of our professional DNA to open up to transformation or reforms. Within the last six weeks, we have learnt how to work and study from home, shop online, pay via e-payment, entertain and socially interact online. Online shopping, ordering of food and services via apps, telecommuting and virtual meetings have become the new norm. It has changed the way we look at everything, including the way we transform and the speed of transformation. Thus, I applaud the Government for sustaining the momentum of digitalisation. But can we do more by extending this support to all sectors? Sir, in conclusion, never in the history of this nation has this House approved four Budgets within four months. So, let us not let these efforts go to waste and press ahead with the transformation. Let us be prepared for recession, be resilient, be prepared to go regional and be prepared to reform. This assistance cannot go on indefinitely and we cannot keep drawing down on our Reserves.”
“Can we also increase the quantum of assistance to $1,000 per month, aligning with Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) because both employees and the self-employed face the same pressure during the period of unemployment? Can the scheme be more favourable to workers who are sole breadwinners of their families, as they would be under greater financial pressure compared to dual-income families? Second, be resilient. As a country, we need to be resilient. Businesses can use this time to relook at work processes and business strategies while workers can review their training needs. Take this opportunity to reflect and learn from our past experiences and, hopefully, this will bring about new and innovative solutions which we can leverage when the economy recovers. Let us work together as a country to develop more win-win solutions for both companies and workers to enable us to be more resilient in the face of future adversities. While there might be some short-term pains, it is not all doom and gloom as the recovery will eventually come. Therefore, we must use this downtime strategically to transform our economy and accelerate the push for Industry 4.0 in the various sectors. If we can take this period to leverage and adopt technology, increase productivity, reduce our reliance on foreign workforce and reskill our workers to take up new jobs, I believe Singapore is well-poised to take advantage of the new opportunities when the global economy recovers. Third, be prepared to go regional. As supply chain and global manufacturing start to shift away from China, we need to refocus on regional manufacturing zones, such as Central and Eastern Europe (or CEE) for Europe, Mexico for the Americas, as well as India and South-East Asia countries for Asia.”
“This will not only give the company the flexibility to deploy these workers but also increase the value-add the workers bring to the company. I believe we can also explore similar cross-training opportunities in other sectors. Our unions and management must work even more closely during this challenging period to give confidence to our workers. In areas, such as workers’ safety and workers’ training, we should take proactive steps to reassure our workers that we are still doing our utmost best to improve their wages, welfare and work prospects. Moving forward, what else can we do to keep our workers' jobs and livelihoods? At a recent dialogue with PSA Group CEO Tan Chong Meng, our union leaders and PSA’s senior management partners, he shared with us four steps which we can take to help the organisation move forward in post-COVID times. Taking a page out of that, I feel that these steps are very much relevant to us as a nation. First, be prepared for recession. In the most recent estimate by MTI, Singapore’s GDP is projected to be -7% to -4%. Job losses and retrenchments are inevitable. In a typical business environment, it takes a retrenched worker about three to six months to secure a new job. But the current climate has exacerbated these norms. In light of this possible impact on workers, can the Government explore making COVID-19 Support Grant a long-term help to provide workers facing short-term unemployment? For example, can the Government consider extending the length of support beyond three months, with each applicant reassessed every three months based on their past training and job search efforts?”
“Some even stepped up to be safe distancing ambassadors at the dormitories and the workplaces. These are just some of my personal experiences of how LMR has come to play an essential role during this challenging period. Even as Singapore gradually reopens our economy, LMR can continue to play a crucial role to ensure that workers can return to work safely and businesses can continue to operate. For companies to resume operations, safe management measures must be put in place to minimise the re-emergence of COVID-19 community cases. While it might bring about some inconveniences, we all know that these measures are necessary. Due to this necessity, NTUC has worked with Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute and NTUC LearningHub to facilitate the training of union leaders, management partners and union staff as Safe Management Officers. Having knowledge of safe management measures, union leaders will then be able to work with their management partners to coordinate and implement these measures on the ground. Each one of us must do our part in adhering to these measures, and I hope that more companies can come on board and get trained so that businesses can continue to operate safely and workers can work in a safe environment. Another area that we can leverage LMR is in workers’ training. Compared to pre-COVID times, business activity might not be as high during this period, and we should make use of this time to retrain workers. In the port sector, our unions are working with the company to train workers to have dual skills so that they can be cross-deployed across roles. One example is how we are encouraging our crane operators and drivers to be reskilled as reefer and equipment maintenance technicians.”
“Mr Speaker, COVID-19 has impacted economies worldwide. Singapore is also not spared. With supply chains being impacted, the transport and logistic sector will also be affected. As the General Secretary of the Singapore Port Workers' Union, I too, am worried for my brothers and sisters in the sector. As compared to the four sectors worst hit by COVID-19, the impact on the transport and logistics sectors are not as pronounced yet. However, workers are concerned that they might soon be the "next in line" as they see telling signs of businesses slowing down, a reduction in overtime and incentive earnings as well as being asked to clear their vocational leave due to the low activities. It is not just our local workers who are worried about losing their jobs or having a reduction in their take-home pay; our migrant workers in the transport and logistics sectors are also concerned. It is in the time of crisis where we must leverage the existing labour-management relations or LMR in short, to help workers and companies through this challenging period. I recall when Malaysia first announced the Movement Control Order, the union and PSA management quickly came together to make arrangements to house our Malaysian counterparts in PSA-operated dormitories. Issues raised by these members were resolved quickly and amicably. When the Singapore Government imposed movement restrictions on workers staying at the dormitories, once again, the union and the management partners moved quickly to ensure that the workers' needs are taken care of. Union leaders and members volunteered their help to support the management in the distribution of meals and daily essentials to these workers in the dormitories.”
“What are the long-term transport plans for Tuas South and how does MOT intend to address workers' concern on reducing their commuting time, especially for those staying in the eastern part of Singapore? Public Transport”
“Chairman, I would like to declare my interest as the General Secretary of Singapore Port Workers Union. The development of Tuas South is picking up pace. Sembcorp Marine shifted its HQ to Tuas in 2019, bringing along a large number of its workforce from other parts of Singapore office as they consolidated operations in Tuas. PSA Tuas Mega Port will start operations next year. While the initial workforce numbers remain small, it will grow over time as more container berths become operational over the coming years. In my engagement with workers and union leaders, one of the main concerns was the distance between home and work. Based on SMRT's website, a commuter will take around 90 minutes to commute between Pasir Ris and Tuas Link, and approximately 72 minutes he stays up-north from Yishun to Tuas Link. The complete journey does not factor in another half hour of travelling time to his actual workplace along Tuas Boulevard. This worker will be spending a minimum of 15 to 16 hours per day just for work and travel, assuming he is on a 12-hour shift roster. Together with the sectoral tripartite partners, interim transport solutions have been put in place to cater to the workers' travelling needs. It is just a temporary solution and not a permanent solution. At last year's Committee of Supply debate, I proposed to MOT to consider an MRT line down-south to reduce travelling time and the idea was dismissed due to projected low ridership. Can MOT reconsider the proposal for an automated people mover system in light of workforce growth in Tuas South? Can the Minister also share what would the projected ridership numbers be for Tuas South in five and 10 years' time?”
“Can the Ministry consider reviewing access to bigger HDB flats for unwed parents to better meet their housing needs? MND has, over the years, increased attention to support rental households towards homeownership. This support has contributed to the steady increase in these households becoming homeowners. At the 2019 COS, MND announced several initiatives, such as the enhancements to the Step-Up CPF Housing Grant of $15,000. This grant was extended to rental families buying a 2-room or 3-room flat in non-mature estates and the introduction of waiver of rent increases for tenants upon their downpayment for the purchase of a flat. At the same 2019 COS, the Ministry announced plans to improve physical conditions of rental blocks and flats as well – works to improve the ventilation and lighting of older rental blocks to create more openings along corridors; more partitions in 1-room rental flats to enhance privacy between tenants under the Joint Singles Scheme. Can MND provide an update on the progress of these initiatives? Housing for Single Unwed Parents”
“Sir, last year, MND extended the Lease Buyback Scheme to seniors in 5-room and larger flats. The Minister also shared about efforts to raise public awareness of the scheme. Can the Minister share how has the take-up rate been since the extension of the Lease Buyback Scheme to the larger flats and what are some of the efforts to raise public awareness of this Lease Buyback Scheme? The Minister also mentioned that MND and MOH would conduct focus group discussions to seek views on the proposed concept for assisted living in public housing and that Assisted Living Typology flats would be launched in Bukit Batok in 2020. Such assisted living flats would be smaller, but they would have more communal and shared spaces for residents to interact with one another. Can the Minister share the findings from the focus group discussions that MND and MOH conducted? Can the Minister also share the kind of features these assisted living flats will have and when will they be launched, the number of units that will be made available and who will be eligible to buy these flats? Supporting Diverse Housing Needs Second cut. Over the years, MND has made changes to its housing policies to support diverse housing needs of Singaporeans. With these policies, the Ministry has continued to make efforts to better support single unwed parents who are in genuine need of housing. These include enhancements to frontline communications and the willingness to review every request made by unwed parents, among others. Sir, today, unwed parents can purchase up to a 2-room flat in the non-mature estates from HDB. However, some may need more space, especially when their children are growing older.”
“These engagements will help to foster a greater sense of communal bonding, for the public will also feel a stronger sense of ownership in the space that they have helped to build and, thus, there is a higher chance of better utilisation of these rejuvenated spaces, as they are the outcomes of the community's involvement. Could the Ministry share how the Government intends to involve the community in rejuvenating our city and in greening Singapore? Keeping Housing Affordable and Accessible”
“Sir, Singapore has done well in greening over the last 50 years. We have become a Garden City and, now, A City in a Garden and, in the near future, City in Nature. Today, greenery is all around us, with parks and gardens close to our homes and workplace, trees along our roads and vertical greenery on some of our buildings. But as we develop, there will always be increasing trade-offs between greenery and other infrastructure developments. The next phase of our greening journey must address this challenge. Can we continue to grow as a city while remaining green and liveable? Can the Ministry share its plans on addressing the trade-offs between greenery and infrastructure developments? At a time when our challenges are becoming more complex, partnering Singaporeans across multiple domains to tap on our diverse strengths is vital and our citizens also have a greater desire to contribute, to be heard and to act. The Government has done an excellent job of engaging communities in building Singapore. For instance, the public was involved in the Draft Master Plan 2019 process through workshops and exhibitions. The community is also increasingly involved in directly shaping and caring for the areas around them, such as residents managing their community gardens via the Community in Bloom programme. But can we do more? As we make plans to rejuvenate our city and enter into the next phase of our greening journey, we must get the community involved at an early stage.”
“Sir, in a small country with limited manpower, our National Servicemen play a crucial role in ensuring we have a credible and robust defence force. Every male Singaporean has to commit two years of his youth to serve the country. We must provide a seamless and convenient means for young male Singaporeans to prepare for enlistment. At the COS debate last year, MINDEF announced that it would be unveiling the NS Hub in 2023, a single facility that centralises pre-enlistment processes. Could the Minister please provide an update on the status of the NS Hub? Support for National Service”
“Chairman, the Committee of Inquiry into the training accidents had found that training-related accidents happened due to lapses by the servicemen involved. These findings demonstrate that training safety cannot just be a matter of safety guidelines and regulations, but must be part of the SAF's organisational culture and practised by every soldier at every level. Can the Minister share, how is the SAF instilling safety consciousness and personal responsibility for one's safety amongst National Servicemen on the ground? 1.30 pm Medical Support”
“In conclusion Mr Speaker, in his Budget speech, the Deputy Prime Minister spoke on the importance of the short-term measures to deal with the immediate challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak and economic uncertainties while planning for the long term on growing our economy and creating opportunities for our people. Budget 2020 is a step in the right direction. The Deputy Prime Minister's call resonates with the Labour Movement. Our call is the Government's call. Every worker matters. The time is now to take action and walk the talk. I rise in support of the Budget.”
“They are mainly the general administrative staff who are easily replaceable with younger employees as their wage cost is lower and with employees in specific roles where physical fitness is a requirement. Technologies, such as robotic process automation (RPA), execute repetitive business processes cheaper, faster and without human errors. As such technologies become more pervasive in workplaces, office-based generalist staff become vulnerable and face more reduced opportunities for re-employment when they retire. The Labour Movement calls on employers to intervene early through career planning customised to individual employees' needs and profiles. The companies can consider reskilling them in their 40s to achieve better job security and job progression when they retire and seek re-employment in the company. An example of a forward-thinking company is PSA. It has taken active steps to embark on upskilling and reskilling its employees through job redesign. The more mature workers are given similar opportunities and encouraged to upgrade their skills and to adopt technologies so that they continue to contribute productively. For example, PSA currently offers alternative employment for personnel from the Emergency Response (ER) Team upon retirement at the age of 55. Working with the union, PSA is encouraging the ER personnel to transit early in their 40s so that they have a longer runway in a new career path while they are in a better position to make the transition. This reskilling reframes one's mindset and gets them prepared for the change. It takes two hands to clap. While employers do their part, employees themselves need to embrace the culture of continuous upskilling and reskilling.”
“In many sectors, a portion of workers' monthly pay comprises variables, such as operational incentives, overtime or shift allowances. Workers will have to forego these variable payments to attend training to undertake new or additional roles. In some cases, these variables can be as high as one third of their monthly gross pay, if not more. The Labour Movement calls on employers not to shortchange employees and to share the productivity gains fairly while recognising workers who support the company's transformation through skills upgrading at the expense of undertaking short-term pay reduction. This gesture will strengthen the trust between employers and their workers while ensuring the workforce is well-equipped and future-ready. At the last National Day Rally, the Prime Minister announced raising the retirement age to 65 and re-employment age to 70 in phases by the end of the decade. The Labour Movement has since then called on companies to move forward the implementation date before the law comes into place. Unfortunately, many are reluctant, citing cost as a significant factor. I am happy to hear of the introduction of the Senior Worker Support Package. The Labour Movement hopes there is less of an excuse now to hold back but to move forward to our call. The Senior Employment Credit and the Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant, together with the CPF Transition Offset, will help companies manage the overall wage cost. I urge employers to not view these workers as cost burden but as valuable assets with tacit knowledge, for these senior employees will be the ones mentoring the next generation of workers. On that note, there are some groups of senior employees that the companies are reluctant to extend their retirement and re-employment age.”
“I applaud JSS, which aims to ensure that our workers stay employed by supporting companies defray their wage cost. It will offset 8% of a Singaporean worker's wage, capped at $3,600. It is estimated to benefit 1.9 million workers. But may I seek clarification from the Minister as to the reasons for the short duration of the support? What happens, God forbid, if the COVID-19 outbreak stays around longer? Also, companies do need time to adjust even after COVID-19 is over. Will the Government consider extending the support? How do we ensure that companies that benefited from these subsidies will not let go of their workers after the support ends? Yesterday, MOM announced the introduction of a temporary scheme to help the manufacturing and services sectors manage their manpower needs. MOM will allow businesses in these sectors with excess foreign workforce to transfer their workers to companies with a manpower shortage. While I support the move, can the Government go further and consider reducing foreign worker levies for firms affected by COVID-19, similar to what was in place during the 2003 SARS period? Under the Transformation and Growth strategy, there are three key thrusts, of which, developing our people is one. This aims to enable our citizens to get better jobs, better wages and to stay employable. The new SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit and the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package aim to do that. It is a welcome move as both companies and workers benefit. It will encourage the companies to send their workers for training and skills upgrading and, at the same time, workers will benefit in terms of their employability. My main concern is the implementation of these schemes.”
“Mr Speaker, Budget 2020, as announced by Minister for Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat is both responsive and forward-thinking amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and a slowing economy. The Budget reflects the values and priorities of our citizens and charts the direction to deploy our limited financial resources to meet our nation's goals and objectives. A substantial Budget amount has been put aside for Health, Education and measures that address climate change. Rightly so, and I welcome these moves. The Deputy Prime Minister spoke on another critical aspect of the Budget that is of importance to the workers of Singapore, that is, on transforming our industries and workforce. Let me pause here to declare my interest as a unionist and a representative of the Labour Movement in Singapore. Singapore went through a major industrial transformation in the 1970s and the Government of the day then stepped up training of the workforce to handle new jobs that came into Singapore. Fifty years have gone by and we are now at the crossroads of change. Our economy, while fundamentally strong, has slowed down tremendously with an overall growth of just 0.7% in 2019. With the global trade slowdown and growing uncertainties, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has downgraded Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP) to be around -0.5% to 1.5% for 2020. To deal with the immediate challenge, the proposed Stabilising and Support Package under Budget 2020 will help enterprises with wage cost and cash flow pressures as they grapple with the current economic slowdown. At the same time, it will help our workers to stay in their jobs and to go for skills upgrading.”
“There are some notable examples of private companies which provide prolonged medical insurance for the SEPs working on their platforms. More can be done to encourage service buyers to provide insurance coverage for SEPs, as this promotes healthy sustainability and even growth for the industry. Even if SEPs end up with the responsibility of procuring insurance coverage for themselves, we need to help responsible SEPs who purchase such insurance guard against undercutting by peers who do not. This is particularly relevant in higher-risk occupations. Service buyers and GPEs should be encouraged to factor in such costs, to minimise undercutting and provide a more level playing field for SEPs. To conclude, Sir, I hope CAYE is mobilised effectively to make the transition painless and help every SEP better save for their own and family members’ healthcare needs. While the principle of personal responsibility remains key for SEPs who have chosen this path, we can and should strengthen our support for SEPs, to help make self-employment sustainable and to celebrate the contributions of this diverse and dynamic group of workers in the Singapore economy. We will continue to advocate for the institutional support for SEPs because every worker matters. I stand in support of the Bill.”
“SEPs have widely different relationships with their clients and have different degrees of dependence on intermediaries. Also, SEPs can be paid per task or have their payments contractually scheduled over a period of time. This means that CAYE may not work as well or in the same way for each group of SEPs. To ensure a high level of compliance, consultations should be held with as many different types of groups as possible prior to implementation. MOM should also consider creating a one-stop resource to provide relevant information and to allow SEPs to submit queries relating to their CAYE contributions. Some SEPs have expressed concern about CAYE potentially increasing existing delays to payments owed to them, due to the additional logistical arrangements that need to be made by the service buyer. I understand that the CAYE payment process is meant to be easy and automated, so service buyers should not have to use CAYE as an excuse to delay payments. Will MOM consider introducing penalties for undue payment delays, to encourage prompt payments by service buyers, and GPEs in particular, for the pilot phase? I have another question. I understand that the pilot phase will allow companies in the private sector to voluntarily adopt the CAYE scheme. How about individual SEPs? Some SEPs who are not within the pilot phase may want to participate voluntarily as they see this system as beneficial for their MediSave needs. Will these SEPs be able to sign up for CAYE and compel their service buyers to opt in to this system for them? Beyond CAYE, more can be done to support SEPs holistically. I have previously advocated for the compulsory provision of work injury insurance by service buyers to ensure that SEPs have recourse if they suffer injuries in the course of their employment.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, the main focus of the proposed amendments to the Central Provident Fund Act is to introduce the CAYE scheme. If executed well, CAYE could be a welcome step in streamlining the payment contribution process to MediSave for SEPs and helping SEPs better manage their cash flow. This is a timely amendment and answers a key concern of SEPs, who do not have the certainty of finding consistent work and face more difficulties than the average salaried employee in saving regularly for their healthcare needs. While SEPs’ MediSave contribution rates remain the same, CAYE changes the payment process itself by having service buyers contribute regular payments to MediSave on SEPs’ behalf. To ensure that SEPs are not made worse off by the introduction of this system, we must exercise care in operationalising CAYE. We need to make sure that the CAYE system is understandable and easy to navigate for SEPs. Details of the payment process and even the online interface for payments must be made simple and clear, for both SEPs and service buyers. At the same time, the educational outreach to SEPs and service buyers must be effective, in order to make the transition as smooth as possible. In the pilot phase, outreach can be focused on SEPs and Government Procurement Entities (GPEs). However, in future phases where more SEPs may be affected, we need to ensure that the outreach extends to SEPs and service buyers in different industries and through different channels. Also, affected SEPs should be consulted before the launch of CAYE in each phase, to ensure that the process is understood and pre-emptively iron out any potential wrinkles that may be highlighted during the consultation.”
“Union leaders are part of the first batch trained alongside PSA leaders and we have provided feedback to strengthen the course structure and material for the subsequent rollout to all our workers. Union leaders also play a vital role in rallying workers' support for safety-related initiatives. For example, PSA taps on technologies, such as video analytics and telematics, to improve on-the-job behaviour and prevent accidents to the pre-emptive intervention programmes aimed at mentoring, coaching and training workers to improve their safety behaviour. These collective efforts have resulted in significant improvements in safety standards in PSA over the years and have helped in the reduction of costs. An injury is one too many, and we are partnering management to cultivate a generative safety culture. The Labour Movement aims to create a safe and conducive environment for every worker in Singapore. To conclude, Sir, the Labour Movement welcomes these additional amendments that bring benefits to the workers. We do hope that the Ministry can look at ways to cover every worker, including workers with mental illness, under the Act. We also call on our companies to work with the unions to promote safety and health at the workplace. As union leaders, we can and will be the ambassadors and catalysts at the workplace to promote health and safety at the workplace. After all, the well-being of our members is always our core business. I support the Bill.”
“This member was fortunate as the company continued to pay his salary and medical treatment for a year, but what happens if an employer opts to terminate an employee with mental illness at the early onset of the condition? Can WICA be extended to cover the medical expenses and wages for such illnesses? After all, mental wellness is an area not very much talked about, but it is an increasing trend in the workforce. On the amendment to provide for a differentiated WICA insurance premium based on the employer's risk profile and claims history, it now gives more significant incentives to companies to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for its employees. Here, the companies can partner the union to develop a safe and healthy culture in the company. One such example is PSA, the port operator. The Port's unions have a close partnership in working with PSA to raise safety standards at the workplace. Unions and management have worked closely together to improve workers' training and implement work procedures to create a safe work environment. As part of this close partnership, there are many channels for union leaders to provide feedback to management, in particular, the Health, Safety, Security Environment (HSSE) Council, which comprises management and union representatives and chaired by the top management executive, is a platform with regular meetings to jointly review safety and health performance, set safety and health directions, and provide feedback to management about workers' concern in safety-related as well as health, security and environment-related issues. To assimilate HSSE in the work culture, PSA has also developed an inhouse workshop programme called "Starfish".”
“As such, the responsibility is on the freelancers to ensure that they are insured with personal accident insurance that will be paid by the buyer while the service buyers should be prepared to factor such insurance cost into their service fee. Will other Government Procurement Entities (GPEs) consider taking the lead to provide work injury insurance, especially for a significant GPE like MOE's schools, as this will help set the tone and shape responsible procurement practices where work injury insurance is the norm for responsible outsourcing? Mr Speaker, Sir, at this point, I would also like to get an update on progress made by the Ministry and other Government agencies, besides IMDA, to provide insurance coverage and self-employed persons for work-related accidents for the many outsourced contracts they have. My third point of clarification is on mental illness brought about by work stress which is increasingly common in the workplace but it is not covered by the WICA amendments. As a unionist, I have come across members who have been diagnosed with depression. One such member initially wanted to resign from the company when diagnosed with depression. But the company persuaded him not to do so and to continue his employment while undergoing treatment. He was granted sick leave for a year with medical review done every month. During this period, the company paid his basic salary and medical treatment. After more than a year of therapy and medication, there was no improvement to the member's condition. The company had to reluctantly terminate his employment.”
“As automation and technology increasingly change the way we work, we are seeing more working people multitasking, taking up additional job roles and responsibilities. While they might be considered as non-manual workers, part of their job responsibilities will increasingly expand. Their day-to-day job might be office-based but the job roles and functions might require them to be around in an environment where the risk of injury is high. These employees might be drawing a salary beyond the stated amount of $2,600. So, may I suggest that more be done to encourage employers to buy insurance coverage for all employees? Secondly, how are workers under contract for service covered under WICA? Correct me if I am wrong, but the answer is none. With the advent of the platform economy, we have a growing number of self-employed persons, estimated to be more than 200,000 in Singapore. With the increasing prevalence of contract for service and the gig economy, they will not fall under the ambit of WICA as service buyers who engage them will not have to take up a WICA-related insurance coverage for these self-employed persons. What recourse do these employees then have in the event of injuries sustained in the course of their employment? The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), through the Tripartite Standards on Procurement of Service from media freelancers, provided details on insurance coverage for media freelancers to be covered by their companies if they are required to offer their service onsite or on locations specified by the companies. The work-related personal accident insurance covers against claims for death, total permanent disability and medical expenses.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the proposed amendments to WICA is timely and progressive. While we push for safety first at zero accidents, workplace injuries do happen. Higher injury compensations and broader insurance coverage to more workers give greater insurance to our working people and it is timely with the rising cost of living and medical expenses. The amendments to better regulate insurance coverage with limited exclusions provide clarity as insurers cannot include non-approved exclusions. Also, the proposed appeals channel by MOM for workers who dispute claims as assessed by insurers is much welcomed as it provides recourse for the injured workers. Moreover, the measures to encourage better safety track records of the companies based on differentiated insurance premium, the employer's risk profile and claim history will give greater impetus for employers to partner unions in ensuring a safe, healthy workplace for all workers which I will address later in my speech. While these proposed amendments are most welcomed, I would like to see clarity on three issues and put forth some suggestions. The first is the WIC due to the nature of work arrangements and insurance coverage. As flexible work arrangements become increasingly adopted by employers, such as working from home or telecommuting, will WICA cover any work injuries sustained during work outside of the workplace, specifically when work accidents occur when the worker is on flexi-work from home? While the move to expand compulsory insurance coverage to non-manual employees is welcomed, the salary threshold with proposed amendments from $1,600 to $2,600 is still low.”
“I have a question for Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary. I thank Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary for his reply to my cut. In his reply, he mentioned that since the Tuas South station would still be in its development phase and the anticipated ridership would be low, could he then explain to me what is the rationale when we are about to spend a quarter of a million dollars to build the Founders Memorial station and there are no projected numbers on that particular station? I mean foot traffic. What is the development process that is going to go around that particular station? His reply was that Tuas South station would still be in the development phase. I anticipate that Founders Memorial station would also still be in the development phase. They are both in that particularly, but the Senior Minister of State has also earlier projected to build a station there. So, could the Senior Minister of State then explain to me the rationale why he could not look at a line down to Tuas South?”
“This line can run via Jurong Island as there is also a need for transport for workers working over there. If LTA aims to ensure the maximum of 45 minutes of travelling time between one’s home and work at Shenton Way, I do not see why the Government cannot consider it for workers working in an area where the future of work is. There is no denying that the cost of building and operating an MRT line will be high and there is always an issue of ridership, at least till the place is fully developed and bustling with activities. Nevertheless, I humbly believe it is a chicken-and-egg problem. Without easy accessibility to an efficient public transport, Singaporeans will find it challenging to take up employment in Tuas South. Businesses will find it difficult to expand or gear up their activities due to human resource constraints. Hence, the ridership may not reach the so-called optimal number. Surely when we first embarked on industrialisation in Jurong Town, ridership was not the top priority or consideration when developing the transport system. It was about providing a public transport service to facilitate Singaporeans seeking employment in Jurong. For the same reason, I urge the Government to continue to do likewise and ensure every Singaporean who takes up employment in the Tuas South area can do so with a safe, comfortable and efficient transport service. It is not only about the companies and businesses in Tuas South. It is about every worker and “Every Worker Matters”.”
“Taking a train from Ang Mo Kio to Tuas West Station, the travelling time is about 65 minutes, not factoring in the time taken to travel from home to station and station to the work area. The duration is by no means short for the workers who have to commute daily. Such long distances will deter Singaporeans staying in the northern, eastern and central areas from wanting to work in Tuas South. I understand employers had a hard time getting local Singaporeans to work in the Tuas area. With the companies providing transport, the situation was slightly better, and it improved with the opening of the Tuas West extension line. I encountered a similar situation when the port moved to Pasir Panjang, and the workers had some challenge when transferred to the new terminals, till the opening of the Circle Line. Readily available public transport, especially our MRT train services, is a critical factor to be considered to facilitate Singaporeans to work in the Tuas South area, notably when the area is being developed to provide good employment opportunities. While businesses might provide transport for their workers, not all might do so. Singaporeans will use other means to travel to work in order to save time, and this poses a risk, especially travelling long distances after completing the graveyard shift. Sir, I have handled cases of Malaysian union members who were involved in fatal traffic accidents after commuting from their home or while heading back home after work. Fatigue was one of the reasons. Having to commute daily to work for more than 90 minutes back and forth can take a toll and certainly not what we want to subject our fellow Singaporeans to. I would humbly request the Minister for Transport to do a feasibility study on building an MRT line to Tuas South.”
“Chairman, Sir, I would, first, like to declare my interest as the General Secretary of the Singapore Port Workers Union and also a member of PTC. Tuas South is currently being developed for existing and new businesses. Businesses, such as the Tuas Mega Port, shipbuilding industry, Biomedical Park, electronics firms, logistic and cold chain companies, petrochemical companies, among others. These are mainly companies with decent pay, decent work environment and some even utilising state-of-the-art technologies. These are good jobs, jobs which we want Singaporeans to be gainfully employed in. The challenge is: how do we attract Singaporeans to go there to work? I recall that in our early years of industrialisation, the Government faced the same but different challenges. Enticing Singaporeans to take up employment in the Jurong Industrial Estate was also no easy feat despite high unemployment then. Besides building public housing in Jurong, one of the things done then was to develop a public transport system to facilitate Singaporeans from other parts of the country to commute to work daily. Hence, the comprehensive shuttle and trunk services, in addition to company-provided transport. What about Tuas South? As it is, the area is rather remote to most Singaporeans. In terms of accessibility, Malaysian workers have it better, compared to the locals, due to the proximity of the Tuas Second link. The nearest MRT station is Tuas West station. The distance from Tuas West station to Tuas Port Terminal Phase 1 is approximately 12 kilometres (km) to 13 km, with a travelling time of about 20 minutes. Currently, there is one feeder bus service from Tuas Bus Terminal serving Tuas South Avenue 14.”
“Sir, I note that the EUSFTA was recently approved by the European Parliament. This is a positive development that will serve to enhance the already robust trade and investment relations with the EU and the individual EU member states. Apart from the EUSFTA, what are the other areas in which we can step up our relations with the key partners in Europe? On the same note, with the Brexit deadline fast approaching, Brexit negotiations between the United Kingdom (UK) and the EU are still uncertain. Singapore has signed a number of bilateral trade agreements with the EU as a block. If Brexit does, indeed, happen, can MFA elucidate: one, how will it potentially affect our relations with both the UK and the EU? How do we plan to manage our relationship with the UK in the post-Brexit era? And two, will there be plans to ink separate agreements with the UK once Brexit is finalised?”
“NS exists to fulfil the critical need of national security and defence. The Committee to Strengthen NS (CSNS) was set up in March 2013 to examine how the NS system could be strengthened for the future to better serve Singapore and Singaporeans. One of its recommendations then was for skills learnt during full-time NS to receive Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) accreditation as a means to further enhance the value proposition of NS and facilitate full-time NSmen's (NSFs) transition back to studies or the workplace. In today's rapidly evolving learning environment, we need to ensure that our NSFs are well-equipped to thrive in higher education or in the working world. How is MINDEF working with the relevant agencies to support skills upgrading, so as to further enhance the value proposition of NS today? Training Safety”
“If our workers are gainfully employed, it will benefit employers, the Government and the nation overall as Every Worker Matters. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support this Budget.”
“A large number of Singaporeans work for SMEs. Due to their workforce size, many SME companies are often unable to send workers for training due to shortage of staff. At the same time, the other challenge is that SME workers are reluctant to go for training as it might affect their gross income and overtime. We have also heard feedback from workers in their mid-50s who felt that it is not necessary to go for training as their career runway is shorter and training might not provide more opportunities for career advancement. We need to change their mindset and help educate them that training and skills upgrading are necessary for them to remain relevant. In view of digital transformation and the ageing workforce, ensuring that both SMEs and their workers are pro-training is especially important. Hence, I urge the Government to recognise companies which are willing to send workers for training and willing to upgrade and automate job processes, to positively differentiate them by allowing them to easily tap on Government funding versus companies which do not do so. To facilitate and accelerate training, I hope that training can be brought nearer to the doorsteps of companies and their workers, especially for companies that are situated at industrial areas. This will help to reduce travelling time for workers when attending training. For the more enlightened employers who grant workers paid time-off to upskill, the Government should provide further subsidies to companies in the form of grants or outright absentee payroll. Singapore as a Smart Nation will position us well in the competitive global economy and, hence, we need to push everyone to step up the pace of industry transformation and push for productivity growth through automation and developing a skilled workforce.”
“One area to look at is to help our older workers to continue working for as long as they wish to and are able to. One way to do it is to raise the retirement age from 62 to 65, and the re-employment age from 67 to 70. I am glad a Tripartite Workgroup has been set up to look into this. Let us do more to help them. In fact, there are already more than 20 unionised companies which are at the forefront of this. Examples of such companies are ComfortDelgro, Gardens by the Bay, Hewlett Packard Singapore, among others. These companies have chosen to move the retirement age to 65 and beyond, with some of them having no contractual retirement age. From time to time, the Labour Movement also receives appeals from workers seeking assistance to extend their re-employment contracts. And I urge the Civil Service and other Government-linked companies to quickly take the lead. As the SEC is further extended to end 2020, it is perhaps timely to raise re-employment age so that both workers and employers can benefit. The extension of retirement and re-employment ages provides certainty to our workers who want to continue working and allows a longer runway for employers to plan for training and upskilling, as well as adapt to digital transformation holistically. Secondly, I will touch on skills upgrading and training. No worker should be left behind on our road to the development of a Smart Nation for Singapore. As such, I urge MOE to look into enabling continual education for our mature workers. Currently, companies are engaging IHLs to develop programmes for their workers. This approach only reaches out to a small number of workers. If MOE could step in, it can be further scaled up. It has been particularly challenging training workers in the SME sector.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, data from MOM indicated that our labour force, also known as the economically active population, was 67.7% in 2017 and 2018. Given the changes that have been made to our manpower policies and resources, perhaps it is time that the Ministry conduct an in-depth study of the data and find ways to increase the labour force participation rate. If more Singaporeans are gainfully employed, we will also be able to reduce the corresponding resources needed from the Government and channel it for other uses. Simplistically speaking, one more Singaporean worker joining the workforce equals to the same Singaporean depending less on Government resources. Sir, I will speak on two issues: retirement and re-employment, and skills upgrading and training. First, on retirement and re-employment. It is heartening that this year’s Budget will provide more support towards the older workers, with increased annual payouts from the WIS scheme, by topping up SEC to support employers in hiring older workers, and other initiatives that will help them save more for retirement. While these are helpful to older workers, the best support is ensuring that they have a good job. Many of the older workers have told us they are not ready to retire for good. Some need to continue working, as they are the sole breadwinners of their families. Some need to support their children’s education in universities, and others hope to build up the family's medical and retirement funds which, at 67 years old, many of them still felt were inadequate. But most importantly, many of them expressed the fact that they are still physically able, relatively healthy and want to continue to be gainfully employed.”
“Businesses here must transform and evolve in order to sustain and grow. It is critical that these latest enhancements continue as part of our ongoing journey in ensuring our employment laws stay relevant and updated so that workers are protected while business needs are addressed. With this, I move in support of the Bill.”
“At the same time, as businesses transform and move into higher automation and new technologies, there are employers who may conveniently hire foreigners who have "higher skills" and citing that our Singaporean workers do not have these skills. But what have these employers done to train our Singaporean workers to take on these jobs? Sir, I urge MOM to work with the tripartite partners and ensure proper dialogues take place between the employers and the unions when going into automation, and that tripartite guidelines be set in place to guide employers and companies when they move into automation. We should look at incentivising companies that train their workers to attain higher skills and, at the same time, pay closer attention to how we can enhance our Fair Consideration Framework. One of the core supporting pillars of Singapore's economy is our strong Tripartism. The parties involved must have a shared vision of wanting the nation to succeed. Only then can we all have a share in the success. Tripartism has contributed to us being ranked the top 10 most competitive economies in the world and ranked No 2 for being a business-friendly environment by the World Bank. A stable, transparent and conducive business environment has ensured that companies are willing to invest and set up business operations over here and thus ensuring better job prospects for Singaporeans. Tripartism can only succeed with strong bipartism between employers and unions with the support of the Government. Thus, I strongly urge employers to work with the unions. Let us not take labour relations for granted. Let us not forget the lessons learned from the volatile industrial climate of the 1950s and 1960s. In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, at the same time, I would like to urge all tripartite partners to acknowledge that workers have real fears and concerns, as the need to move into automation, digitalisation and embrace new technologies become critical for business competitiveness. Workers are worried that such changes might lead to job redundancies. I am very concerned that there will be employers who jump in without thoughts given to how its employees might be affected. These are the unenlightened employers who see workers as digits of cost and not as assets. I urge MOM to work with the tripartite partners to educate employers and management, and urge them to work with the unions from the onset of planned automation, to take care of their workers holistically, and ensure that they would not be affected as long they are able to upgrade their skills to handle new automation processes and necessary technologies. Ultimately, workers should not be worse off. At the recent 44th International Transport Workers Federation (ITWF) Congress held in Singapore, the subject of automation and its impact on workers were discussed. We heard from our foreign counterparts that automation has led to outsourcing of existing jobs, impacted their wages and caused displacement of the workers. We, on the other hand, are glad that the tripartite partners here agree on a pro-employability position. As we all understand and embrace the need to automate and digitalise, we need to ensure that companies engage its employees from the beginning and to find an effective role for them. We do not want to see jobs going to other countries due to automation as stated by a dockers union at the recent ITWF Congress.”
“The extension of the coverage of Part IV to cover more non-workmen will benefit another 100,000 more workers. While the unions welcome the move, we hope the tripartite partners will relook at the threshold for non-workmen to be increased further, as the roles and responsibilities of workers keep changing along with the constant evolving business environment. While not part of the proposed amendments, an issue of concern was that the tripartite partners deliberated extensively on whether to mandate retrenchment benefits and minimum retrenchment benefits packages. After lengthy discussions, it was agreed that retrenchment benefits are better left to negotiations between the employer and the union, and rightly so. A flexible approach would be more beneficial to workers and businesses. We want to avoid instances where a mandated minimum package becomes a norm, even when employers could pay more. Workers will not benefit this way. On the other hand, companies may not be able to afford it if the mandated minimum package is too high, considering the business circumstances they could be facing. Over-burdening of companies at such times could end up affecting workers even more. The subject of retrenchment is an emotional one and has financial impact on the workers. However, it might not be avoidable when companies experience difficulties while restructuring or face financial crunch. Hence, we should adopt the tripartite approach to instead: (a) issue an advisory stipulating the prevailing norms for retrenchment benefits quantum; and (b) support affected workers via programmes, such the Adapt and Grow and TechSkills Accelerator.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, let me state my interest as an NTUC Central Committee member and a unionist. Sir, the enhancements to the EA will be significant for our workers. These enhancements are a product of close collaboration among the tripartite partners, with the aim of ensuring reasonable labour standards for our workers while balancing employers' need to stay competitive so that they can continue to create good jobs for our workers. The most significant change in the proposed amended Act would be extending the coverage of the EA to PMEs earning above $4,500 per month. This will benefit 430,000 more workers. Those of us who are not involved in the lengthy and relentless tripartite discussions may not be fully aware that the EA has evolved and come a long way in a short time. As our nation's manpower and employment profiles evolve following industry development and changes, it is thus timely to extend core provisions under the EA to PMEs by removing the $4,500 salary cap. The proposed change recognised that PMEs should be accorded protection for core provisions. For far too long, they have been deprived of the Act's coverage and it is, indeed, a welcome move. These enhancements will further allow the unions to represent PMEs effectively and to increase the scope of coverage even higher. Today, rank and file workers are better protected than the PMEs, as core provisions are extended to all workmen and non-workmen. Part IV of the EA, the time-based provisions, are already extended to workmen earning up to $4,500 a month and non-workmen earning up to $2,500 a month. By extending the salary threshold for non-workmen to $2,600 a month and raising the overtime rate cap to $2,600 per month, it covers half of our workforce with additional protection.”