Patrick Tay Teck Guan
Singapore
“Will CPF Board also notify SDS holders with clear anti-scam advisories, whether via SMS or any other means, especially with emerging modus operandi by scammers? This is so that the message reaches them properly and reduces confusion. Mr Speaker, Sir, with these questions, I support the Bill.”
“We are not asking to oppose change but for clarity, contemporaneous communication, equitability and assurance so that impacted workers will not be left behind. In short, a fair and just transition. I hope today's debate helps move us in that right direction. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“I thank the Minister for sharing the response to the Parliamentary Question by the fellow Member of the House. I was wondering, and I think I have brought this up before on previous occasions, whether we can consider stricter penalties against those who do not comply, with this requirement.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have two questions for the Minister for Health. Firstly, the rise in energy and related costs will impact our public healthcare clusters.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the response. I have just one supplementary question for the Ministry of Manpower that in the light of these wage levels of our PMEs, in the course of reviewing some of our existing employment labour laws as well as regulations to factor this in, so that such PMEs are adequately represented,…”
“Stable psychiatric patients often remain at IMH simply because there are no community facilities to receive them. My third question is whether there are plans to develop more custodial care and step-down facilities – sheltered homes, supported living – so that IMH’s beds are reserved for those who need its full clinical expertise?”
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Every one of 915 lines we hold for Patrick Tay Teck Guan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 10 of 19.
“With the amendments to the definition of "public servant" to include persons who are employed by contractors engaged to perform certain duties on behalf of the Government or a Statutory Board, such as law enforcement functions and escorting persons in remand and prisoners, I wish to ask the Minister to clarify whether private security officers who are not Auxiliary Police Officers will be treated as "public servants" if they are engaged to carry out law enforcement duties, such as crowd control and access control, including issuing of summonses for offences and other law enforcement duties. Sir, in conclusion, the Criminal Law Reform Bill has significantly updated our criminal law regime to keep it current and relevant to our present-day society. Outmoded offences have been removed whilst gaps in the law pertaining to new offences brought about by societal changes as well as the gaps in the law pertaining to minors and vulnerable persons have been addressed. The amendments and new provisions have also codified the law relating to offences which were previously defined by separate pieces of legislation. This Bill has addressed offences thoroughly and comprehensively at this point of time and will help ensure that Singapore remains as one of the safest and most secure countries in the world. However, the changes are sweeping and massive. Police investigators, law enforcement professionals, prosecutors, lawyers, doctors, psychiatrists, domestic helpers and the layman will be directly or indirectly impacted by these changes.”
“Whilst it is agreed that a tough stance ought to be adopted in the punishment of perpetrators in order that minors below 14 years of age could be protected, it must be noted that punishment alone would not deter or reduce such crimes. Education of minors is essential to enable them to recognise criminal acts against them and, just as essential, is that the minors must know where they can go to immediately for help and support. Hence, a robust support system must be established and it is suggested that our schools step up their support system as teachers and school counsellors are usually who the minor will go to for help. Perpetrators must also be given help and treatment, especially if they are serial offenders. Rehabilitation and therapy, including psychiatric treatment or psychological counselling, could be made mandatory which should continue after the perpetrator’s release from prison, if assessed by a psychiatrist to be necessary for the perpetrator’s complete recovery. In addition, a support system for perpetrators after their release from prison would help to prevent re-offending. Serial offenders could be monitored either by regulators or their counsellors for a period assessed by their counsellors to be necessary and for a holistic approach towards rehabilitating such perpetrators, mandatory regular reporting to their counsellors could be directed. I applaud the enhancing of section 509 and making it gender-neutral to balance the protection of not just females but males as well. Even as I support the decriminalisation of attempted suicide, I hope this move will not be counter-productive and result in more people tempted to this, but more support mechanisms from a whole-of-Government and a whole-of-community approach to helping those in need.”
“Children used in the production and distribution of child abuse material suffer horrific immediate physical injuries as well as emotional, mental and psychological disorders with long-lasting repercussions. I, therefore, support the new provisions criminalising activities relating to child abuse material and which define very clearly offences relating to child abuse material. The new provisions have addressed the lacuna in the law concerning minors of or above 16 but below 18 years of age. It is now an offence when a perpetrator uses or procures minors in this age group for the production, distribution or sale and possession of child abuse material under section 377BL. However, this is an offence only if the minor and the perpetrator are in an exploitative relationship. It is a defence, by virtue of section 377BM, where the accused person is able to prove that he did not intentionally come into possession of or gain access to the intimate image or recording and, on becoming aware that he has in his possession or he has gained access to the intimate image or recording, he has, as soon as practicable, taken all reasonable steps to cease possession of or access to the intimate image or material. The same defence, by virtue of section 377BN, is available to an accused person charged with the offence of having possession of or gaining access to child abuse material under section 377BK. For the same reasons mentioned earlier, it is suggested that the accused be compelled to disclose the source from which he obtained or gained access to the offending material.”
“Whilst it is acknowledged that the new provisions to criminalise such offences are progressive and keep pace with the changing modes of commission of such offences, it cannot be denied that there is sometimes little comfort to the victims to have the perpetrators punished. The pivotal concern of the victim, especially the more vulnerable minor and young person, would be to have those images or recordings deleted immediately and to prevent further distribution. The laws and processes need to address this. One suggestion could be to empower the Courts to simultaneously make an order for the expunging of offending images or recordings when meting out punishments to the perpetrator. In the same vein, punishment of the perpetrator for the offence of possessing or distributing voyeuristic, intimate images or recordings might not end the distribution chain. It is suggested that the perpetrator be compelled by law to disclose the source from which access to the images or recordings was gained. This would enable the law enforcement agencies to trace the original source of the offending act and take the necessary action against the original perpetrator which would prevent the further distribution of the images or recordings. On the other side of the equation, the perpetrator should be helped and treated since voyeurism is often associated with a recognised psychiatric disorder. The Courts could be empowered to refer the perpetrator, upon the assessment of a psychiatrist, to psychiatric treatment. The appropriate punishments, coupled with psychiatric treatment, could well minimise recidivism. The global market for child abuse material is growing at an alarming speed, "aided" by advances in technology and the World Wide Web.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise in support of this Bill. With the wider use of technology, changing social norms and an evolving crime and criminal environment, it is timely and imperative to review and amend the Penal Code to ensure our criminal laws serve to deter and prevent crime. I will focus my speech on the new offences relating to voyeurism, crimes against children and a few other provisions. Rapid technological advancements have led to the development of sophisticated devices and equipment that a perpetrator could easily manipulate to record private acts and distribute recordings of such acts or images of the victim. The recent cases at our university's halls of residence are a timely reminder and further impetus for our laws to keep pace in tackling the rise of such criminal behaviour. The current law is inadequate to address the problems brought about by advancements in spy and hidden camera technology. The prosecution had to resort to the Films Act and section 509 of the Penal Code to take action against the perpetrator. An obvious lacuna is the absence of any provision to deal with the possession of voyeuristic still images, that is, not films nor videos. I, therefore, welcome the new provisions to tackle and overcome these pitfalls to better prevent and deter voyeurism. However, I am concerned that the offence might be too broad as to criminalise private investigators in the course of their work, or witnesses trying to make a recording for the purposes of reporting a crime, or caregivers checking on the safety of their charges.”
“I would like to thank Minister Josephine Teo, Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Low Yen Ling for more than two hours of responses and a lot of clarity given. If I may just sum up in three tag lines after hearing the last four-and-a-half hours of sharing. I think the first tag line is we want our workers to be not just employed, employable but also empowered, engaged and equally treated. And for employers to embrace transformation before transformation embraces them. And, finally, every worker matters and every tripartite partner matters, too. So, on that note, I would also like to place on record my thanks to Permanent Secretary Aubeck Kam, Deputy Secretaries Poon Hong Yuen and Augustin Lee, CPF Board Chief Executive Ng Chee Peng as well as WSG Chief Executive Tan Choon Shian, and the entire MOM team powering this COS, and, of course, my fellow Members of this House who have contributed in all their cuts and all the clarifications. On that note, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,910,685,500 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $67,940,200 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Chairman, there is a point of clarification for the Minister. Earlier in my cut, I mentioned about PME union representation, in particular, the review of section 17(3) of the Industrial Relations Act as well as the review of the Tripartite Guidelines. I wanted a response from the Minister whether the tripartite partners can look into this.”
“I hope that the tripartite work group will pay attention to the issue of ageism when preparing their recommendation report. Thirdly, workers who are being harassed. We aim to create workplaces that adopt "zero tolerance" towards harassment. Fourth, we should also pay attention to workers with special needs and give them opportunities to realise their potential. The fifth group are workers who are ex-offenders. I urge employers not to view these ex-offenders with tinted glasses and give them opportunities to reintegrate into the workplace. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“Can we study their successes so that we can build a similarly strong system and framework here in Singapore? I am aware the Open Door Programme supports companies to hire, train and integrate persons with special needs. How can we build on these efforts to help more persons with special needs to join the workforce? 1.45 pm The final group is those who are ex-offenders. I am aware the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) has been doing more to help their inmates transit and reintegrate back into society when they are released. Ex-offenders may require more help to reintegrate back in society, including finding employment. Career counselling, training, employment facilitation and reintegration should start whilst they are in prison so that they can seamlessly integrate back into the labour market and be gainfully employed. This includes those who are on tagged and on day release. How are we helping ex-offenders re-enter and remain in employment? Mr Chairman, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to call for more attention to be paid to five groups of vulnerable workers in Singapore. Firstly, more than 70% of workers retrenched in the past three years are senior PMETs. The re-employment rate and long-term unemployment rate of older PMETs are both higher than those of younger PMETs. I urge the tripartite partners to strengthen collaboration, understand the various needs of vulnerable PMETs and provide timely and effective assistance to these workers. The second group refers to workers who are being discriminated against. First, in terms of discrimination by nationality. It has been three years since the FCF was implemented and there is a need to assess its efficacy. Second is discrimination by age.”
“Age discrimination. Another form of discrimination is with respect to age, ageism, as they call it. There is an unconscious bias against older workers in general, although it is often difficult to detect such discrimination and gather evidence to prosecute and censure perpetrators. I hope the tripartite workgroup on older workers will also look into minimising, if not eradicating, this in the selection, recruitment, appraisal, promotion and even during retrenchments. Third, harassed workers. I have raised this at the Ministry of Law's Committee of Supply (COS), but I am raising this again, as anecdotally, harassment in the workplace, whether sexual or non-sexual in nature, is something that cannot be condoned or tolerated. Currently, we have a tripartite advisory and legislation, such as the Protection from Harassment Act and the Penal Code, which already empower the Police and the Courts to deal with egregious cases of harassment. For cases of workplace harassment that do not cross the threshold to constitute a criminal offence, it is still important that they are managed well. How can we provide more support to employers and employees to do so? How can we ensure those who whistleblow are not prejudiced against? Fourth, special needs workers. Another group of workers and jobseekers I am concerned about are those with special needs. Beyond those with disabilities, there are those with special needs, such as autism and attention deficit hyperactive disorder, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia and other medical and mental conditions, such as depression. We know many countries in the West have strong support systems and ecosystems to provide meaningful work and jobs for such jobseekers.”
“Second, discriminated workers. Nationality discrimination. I have been lobbying on strengthening the Singaporean Core, Fair and Progressive Hiring and the eradication of nationality bias since 2011. It has been an arduous but positive journey. We have seen the introduction of the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) and the National Jobs Bank in 2014. There are also greater focus and awareness of the move towards not just fair but progressive workplaces and employment practices. Anecdotally, the situation has improved when I speak to fellow PMEs. However, in this regard, I do still hear complaints that employment agencies and placement companies are also where some of these malpractices and nationality discrimination happen. In some cases, the nationality discrimination results in job losses of local PMEs and the hiring of foreign PMEs for jobs which local PMEs can fill. In this regard, I wish to ask MOM to provide an update on how effective the FCF has been in the past three years since implementation in levelling the playing field for our local PMEs and in eradicating "nationality" discrimination in hiring practices, including by employment and placement agencies. I know the Minister has shared that we have nailed more than 300 companies into what MOM calls the "watchlist" where we see the "Triple Weak". Has there been an improvement since the last time the Minister shared about this "watchlist" and what kinds of companies, whether multinational corporations or small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and what sectors are these companies from? MOM had also introduced the Capability Transfer Programme last year. This was to help and support the transfer of specialised knowledge to strengthen the Singaporean Core of talents for the future. How has been the progress thus far?”
“Thank you, Chairman. Some examples are, first, employees, such as sales executives or engineers who help to prepare project bids. We have come across cases where employers have refused to allow union representation simply because these employees have access to confidential information on the company's budget and finances. Second, executives who carry out the initial rounds of performance appraisals of employees whom they are supervising, though they do not make the final determination of the employee's performance grade or promotion. Employers have sometimes argued that such executives are not entitled to collective representation because they can influence decisions on other employees' performance. The unions' experience, therefore, is that the exclusions set out in section 17(3) are too broadly worded, thereby giving employers the opportunity to claim that even mid-level executive employees fall within them, whereas the intent behind the law was only to exclude those who are at senior management levels and carrying out functions which genuinely give rise to a conflict of interest if they are represented by a union. I would like to suggest that the wording of section 17(3) of the Industrial Relations Act and the Tripartite Guidelines be reviewed and amended to better reflect the true intent of the law. This will help employers and unions to reach a consensus on the extension of scope smoothly and expeditiously. Considering the above issues and challenges faced by PMETs in Singapore, I suggest the tripartite partners should work together to examine in detail the plight of PMETs in Singapore, the precarious and vulnerable PMETs, so that we can identify any blind spots and further strengthen our efforts to pre-emptively and proactively assist them.”
“On the ground, our unions have come across instances where employers cite section 17(3) to deny collective representation for executives who are not really in senior management grades or having access to information which would give rise to a genuine conflict of interest if they should be represented by the union.”
“Thank you, Chairman. Young PMETs. I have also met young PMETs who themselves have faced challenges in securing a job. The Career Starter Programme was first announced in May 2018. Can MOM share how the programme benefits graduating students? PMET underemployment. Then, there is the issue of underemployment of PMETs. MOM has data on time-based underemployment. However, I am more concerned about non-time-based underemployment. This is where PMETs do "smaller" and "lesser" jobs than what they are equipped, trained or competent for. I have been speaking about this the past few years and I recommend a comprehensive study to ascertain the severity of this amongst PMETs in Singapore. PME union representation is something that the Labour Movement has been pushing for. The Industrial Relations Act was amended in 2015 to permit rank-and-file unions to collectively represent executive employees. In order to avoid conflicts of interest and undermining management effectiveness, executives with senior management functions were excluded from collective representation. These functions are set out in section 17(3) of the Act. The tripartite partners have also issued the Tripartite Guidelines on Extending the Scope of Union Representation for Executives. In the years that have followed, unions which have sought to extend their scope of representation to include executives have met with some difficulties, mainly due to the overly general way in which the exclusions in section 17(3) have been worded.”
“Can MOM provide an update on these programmes and their efficacy in minimising job mismatches? In addition, for those who have been successfully placed, how have the retention rates been in the past one year? Jobs portal. The Minister also shared last year that MOM will also transform its employment services through technology. The "MyCareersFuture" portal will make job searches more personalised, smarter and faster to better help jobseekers and employers find suitable matches. Can MOM provide an update on how far this portal has been effective in reducing missed matches and getting more Singaporeans into quality jobs?”
“Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head S of the Estimates be reduced by $100". In my five cuts, I wish to highlight five groups of workers in Singapore whom I am concerned about and wish to speak up for. First, Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs). Second, those that have been discriminated against. Third, those that have been harassed. Fourth, those who have special needs and fifth, those who are ex-offenders. First, PMEs. The workforce profile in Singapore is changing rapidly. Today, 57% of our resident workforce are Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs). Although we have kept unemployment rates low and retrenchment declining the past three years, I am concerned with the fact that more than 70% of those retrenched the last three years were PMETs. This is coupled with the fact that the majority of those classified as long-term unemployed are PMETs, especially the mature ones, and this group also found it much harder to rejoin the workforce after losing their jobs. Unemployed and retrenched PMETs. Last year during the Debate on the President's Address, the Minister shared that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will step up support for mid-career jobseekers and the long-term unemployed. Till today, there are mature PMETs who have shared their difficulties and challenges in finding and landing in jobs. Have we been successful thus far in assisting these groups of workers? MOM shared that the enhanced Place-and-Train schemes and Professional Conversion Programmes will help more workers reskill and move into new occupations or sectors with progression. The new Career Trial will also enable more jobseekers to try out short-term work stints to facilitate their assessment of new jobs and careers.”
“Chairman, can I take all my five cuts together?”
“Ever wary of minimising burn rate, technology startups may be tempted to defer investments in IP protection. To those we have not tried to protect IP, it feels complex and expensive. Too often, startups end up forfeiting IP rights by neglecting to protect their hard work. 6.45 pm Some simple and cost-effective techniques can minimise the anxiety and yet help protect core assets. Can the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) consider extending and expanding the current funding and support mechanism for our local FinTech startups and provide a one-stop service to educate, advise and handhold our startups on this IP protection journey? This will range from advising on patent protection and taking cognisance of non-patent IP rights. IP Protection for Creative Sector Next, IP protection for the Creative Sector. There are more than 30,000 workers in Singapore’s creative sector workforce. This figure encompasses many freelance and self-employed workers in the creative sector. I have spoken to and engaged many of these professional freelancers in the past years through the Labour Movement. In fact, IPOS has worked closely with the Labour Movement as part of the Copyright Act review and has engaged the freelance professionals within the Labour Movement's network. The workers and the Labour Movement are thankful for the close partnerships. Speaking on behalf of the thousands of professional freelancers in the creative sector, from photographers to actors, actresses, scriptwriters, graphic designers or creative directors, can MinLaw explore to see how the copyright regime can be further strengthened to better protect the creative ideas and works of these many creative freelancers? Intellectual Property”
“To accelerate industry transformation efforts, we need to expand the value proposition of paraprofessionals. Some possible complementary roles that paraprofessionals can undertake are innovation managers or transformation project roles to drive legal innovation or transformation in the workplace; learning and development roles to grow legal and legal-tech skillsets; technology roles to enable adoption of legal technology to boost productivity, such as e-discovery, case management and legal research and analytics tools; business development roles to understand foreign legal jurisdictions to enable internationalisation. Second, continuous learning. To enable paraprofessionals to take on these expanded new roles, it must be provided with access to continuous learning opportunities provided by industry-recognised or endorsed training providers. Third, structured wage and skills pathways for progression. Structured wage and skills pathways can provide guidance to employers on how to maximise the potential and value-add of the paraprofessionals to their organisation and provide for paraprofessionals' progression and upward labour mobility.”
“The legal industry is not spared from the onslaught of disruptive forces. Technology, stiff global competition and growing commercialisation of the law will radically transform the depth and breadth of practice and traditional models of legal work. The report of the working group on legal and accounting services and the professional services industry transformation map advocate for the transformation of industry through development of high-growth areas, innovation, reskilling and upskilling the workforce boosting productivity and internationalisation of practices. However, much of the conversation has centred on firms and lawyers. I would like to ask the Minister of Law what plans are in the pipeline to develop legal paraprofessionals who are also significant contributors in the ecosystem. At the recent roundtable discussion with legal paraprofessionals jointly organised by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore Academy of Law, paraprofessionals shared that they faced pay limitations and career bottlenecks and encountered employers who were not able to fully appreciate the potential of paraprofessionals. Concerns were also raised on the viability of the paraprofessionals with the introduction of technology, such as artificial intelligence. While this roundtable discussion was only the first of the series of engagements to better understand the needs of paraprofessionals and the support they need in the workplace, the consensus was that more must be done to better recognise the potential of our paraprofessionals. I have three suggestions on how the potential of our paraprofessionals can be maximised in tandem with our industry transformation push. First, expand the value proposition.”
“Since coming into force in November 2014, can MinLaw provide an update on the number of cases filed, mediated and heard on an annual basis from 2014 to 2018 under the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA)? Among all POHA cases filed, what is the breakdown of the type of cases, for example, how many involved community, neighbours; how many are online harassment, how many are sexual harassment cases and how many are workplace harassment cases? If the State Courts have not started monitoring the type of cases, can I suggest it starts to do so, as this will give us a better appreciation of the different types of harassment happening on the ground. By the same token, I suggest that the decisions and judgment of the State Courts and selected POHA cases, particularly those cases of interest, be published so that complainants and perpetrators know and will keep within the boundaries of the law. Mediation for Commercial Disputes”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to thank the responses from Minister Chan Chun Sing on building a great Public Service; Minister Josephine Teo for sharing on how we are going to support families, parenthood and marriage; Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary on not just building a smarter nation, but really one on improving lives and livelihoods; Minister Ong Ye Kung on strengthening our financial markets and our regulatory system; Head (Civil Service) and the PSD team, as well as all our public servants, for putting us all at the heart of what they do and working hard to ensure we are top-notch and first-class. On that note, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $827,594,400 for Head U ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $196,666,600 for Head U ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“In one of my cuts on public sector transformation, I asked the Minister, in our drive towards upskilling and reskilling in the Public Service, whether the Public Service can partner the Labour Movement as well as the public sector unions in forming training committees to drive some of these training efforts that cross our Ministries and Statutory Boards. I wanted a response from Minister Chan.”
“Does the Public Service put in place reskilling programmes to help retrain officers to move from one job to another within the public sector as technology changes the way work is done? The Public Service should work closely with our public sector unions and the Labour Movement to encourage all officers to constantly reskill and retool in order to keep themselves relevant and employable. A good start will be forming dedicated training committees jointly with our public sector unions and union leaders. Beyond skills, the Public Service ethos lies at the heart of Public Service. While jobs and skills will change, the values of service, integrity and excellence should always remain. How is the Public Service developing its officers to ensure that they continue to remain grounded, that they are in touch rather than lose touch with the needs, aspirations and concerns of citizens and businesses? How do we develop public officers who are able to serve with heart, be able to connect with citizens and co-create new solutions with both the people and private sectors? [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Disruption in the Public Service”
“How is the public sector using technology to similarly transform the way it functions – from performing regulatory functions to enforcement, to delivering services to citizens? How can it bring related services together to help citizens or businesses, rather than have citizens or businesses go to different Government agencies to get what they need? How is the Public Service using technology to make service delivery more efficient and save time and effort on the part of citizens and businesses in transacting with the public sector? In fact, how is the Public Service using AI and data analytics to better anticipate citizens' needs and using robotics to complement its workforce? Of course, it is not and must not be just a tech push. Ultimately, Public Service delivery must be anchored on citizens' needs. Beyond delivering services efficiently and impartially, the Public Service must be able to put in place systems and processes to ensure that public officers do not just apply rules mechanically but always put citizens at the heart of Public Service delivery. They must be able to identify changes in the needs of citizens and be able to update policies, programmes and services in a timely manner. In short, the three "highs": not just high-tech but also high touch; and not just high touch but also high trust. To transform public services, therefore, requires public officers to take on new skills so that they can perform their jobs differently and effectively. Where work can be automated, it is also important for public officers to be able to take on new skills to perform new jobs. In short, SkillsFuture should apply equally to the Public Service. What is the progress of the Public Service in upgrading the digital skills of our public officers?”
“Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head U of the Estimates be reduced by $100." The global operating environment is evolving rapidly. There are many growth opportunities in Asia, but economic competition is also intensifying and technological changes are reshaping competitive advantages across economies. Domestically, we are faced with an ageing local workforce which can pose constraints on our growth. But not if we can enable our people to learn, unlearn and relearn to stay employable over a longer career span. Indeed, technology is a potential game changer that can allow us to overcome our resource constraints and embark on a new S curve in our growth trajectory. To stay competitive, we need to be able to innovate and leverage on technology, to do more with less, and to work smart. The same applies to the Public Service. The Public Service must be able, agile and adaptable. Able to stay at the forefront of technological advancement, agile to be able to work with the private and people sectors to build a competitive economy; and adaptable, as we embrace the journey towards being a Smart Nation. This means that the Public Service must be able to use technology to become more productive in its operations. This includes using technology to transform the way it delivers services. Citizens today are used to services like FoodPanda or Grab that crowdsource and bring different providers together to be accessible at the fingertips of customers in a high-tech way. Many companies, such as those in the retail sector, are also using artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to analyse and, in fact, anticipate customers' needs.”
“All stakeholders have a part to play in co-creating our future. We need to create wealth rather than focus on spending more. More wealth means more to spend. We are generating wealth by transforming our economy to higher value activities and constantly attracting such investments. Most importantly, we have to make sure our workers have the skills to do these jobs. We should be bolder in spending money on upgrading and retraining. Help our workers earn more, in better jobs. Regulate the training providers, not the trainees. What obstacles are there to prevent our workers from going for continuous training and education? We need to tackle those. If we argue about how to share a stagnant pie, we are fighting a losing battle. We should be working together to grow the pie. The Labour Movement is committed to serve as the workers' viewfinder in navigating the work landscape, by bringing stakeholders together to collectively make better skills, jobs and pay real for workers – I repeat, real for workers. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to propose a "five-core" strategy when we implement the Budget. First, the Singapore Core ‒ build a workforce with a Singaporean Core. Second, of one heart and mind ‒ the tripartite partners must work together with one heart and mind and adopt a worker-centric approach. Third, determination ‒ our workers must be determined to learn new skills, pick up a second skill and develop a lifelong learning mindset. Fourth, confidence – face the future challenges with full confidence. Fifth, ambition – we must have the ambition to fulfil greater objectives.”
“Such concerted efforts are needed to ensure that our workers upskill in tandem with transformation efforts. While PWM is associated with low-wage, rank and file workers, PMETs, too, can benefit from PWM, especially PMETs earning between $2,500 and $3,500 per month in highly impacted jobs. Beyond the mandatory PWM, our unions have been implementing structured wage and skills ladders benefiting all workers, including PMETs. It is timely to scale these efforts on a national level and extend PWM to lower-wage PMETs to provide for their progression and upward labour mobility. Our Future Workers will increasingly participate in new ways of work and employment models. With flexible and digital-enabled work, we can tap on sources of untapped labour supply to expand our workforce. To expand the potential of our ageing workforce, I have called for the SEC, CSP and WorkPro to be extended and enhanced to maximise our workforce's productive longevity and am glad that the Budget this year has responded positively. I want to also call for more pre-emptive and proactive training, and we can only do this with strong support from our tripartite partners. To enable workers to take charge and expand their potential, workers can tap on their SkillsFuture Credits to upskill. Utilisation has increased and it is the time for a top-up of another $500 so that workers can go further in their personal growth through individual, initiated training. These credits have helped to seed and catalyse lifelong learning. Our unions have also been working with employers to set aside time for workers' upskilling. Some companies have even voluntarily provided a top-up of employees' SkillsFuture Credits to fund their training, and more companies are encouraged to do so.”
“The Labour Movement also welcomed the Singapore FinTech Association, which helps workers to reskill to take up financial technology (FinTech) roles, as an affiliated U Associate partner. As work evolves, the line between the rank and file and PMETs is increasingly blurred, the share of PMETs among employed residents has also increased to 57% in 2018. Under the Employment Act and other labour legislation, there remains distinctions between our rank and file and PMEs, and "manual" and "non-manual" work. These distinctions influence the treatment and protection of these workers. It is particularly challenging today to make these distinctions as many jobs involve a mix of both manual and non-manual work. There are also workers who have been wrongly classified as "managers and executives", excluding them from protection under Part IV of the Employment Act. Some employers have also tried to exclude workers from union protection under the pretext that the worker is in a conflicted position as he wields "managerial" powers. The relevance of these dichotomies needs to be examined to ensure that our workers continue to be adequately protected. The Future of Work is fast-paced and the half-life of skills is shortening. Much like our Formula 1 drivers, we must have quick and effective pitstops to retool and get back in the race. Training providers must have speed-to-market and move away from traditional certifications to peer network approval systems and industry crowdsourced on-the-go learning. An example of such a "pitstop" is the Healthcare Academy, set up by the Healthcare Services Employees' Union and NTUC Learning Hub, which upskills workers through industry co-created programmes, delivered through varied modes of learning.”
“In 2018, professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) continued to be more affected by retrenchments with higher skilled, mature PMETs the hardest hit. Older PMETs also face greater difficulty in the job market with the long-term unemployment rate for resident PMETs aged above 50 higher than younger age groups. With technologies, such as AI, middle-income jobs can potentially be hollowed out, at the risk of workers' downward labour mobility. These are real concerns I have heard from PMEs I have met and spoken to. Our skilled workforce is our competitive advantage and Every Worker Matters. Investing in our workforce enables us to grow the pie collectively and reap the fruits of labour together. I propose three key thrusts to do so. First, enhancing protection in the future workplace; second, enabling progression in the future of work; and third, expanding potential for our future workers. The future workplace must take pre-emptive steps to redesign jobs and future-proof workers' skillsets. Stakeholders must strengthen information flow, overcome information asymmetry and collaborate on transformation. At the recent NTUC Future Jobs, Skills and Training Forum, industry and union leaders, employers and workers shared actionable keys for industry transformation based on early successes. For example, in the financial services industry, the Tripartite Advisory on Human Capital Practices for Banking, adopted by 160 banks, calls on banks to proactively identify impacted jobs and redeploy workers into areas of job growth through PCPs. Our unions are also evolving in tandem. Last month, the Singapore Bank Officer's Association, now renamed the Banking and Financial Services Union, repositioned its mission to serve more workers to cope with disruption.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this year's Budget. Today, we are facing the headwinds of stiff global competition and a rapidly changing economy. Protectionism is on the rise and globalisation is giving way to "slowbalisation". As a small and open economy, these geopolitical forces impact Singapore. Last year, our economy expanded 3.2% while growth is forecast to be in the range of 1.5% to 3.5% in 2019. While there are challenges, we must maintain our sights on the bright spots. Businesses are turning to ASEAN to diversify risks and Singapore can play a pivotal role as a regional hub. Technology and innovation can unearth new opportunities for our growth. Singapore must continue to sharpen our strengths as a trusted brand and a skilled workforce, and I am glad that this Budget provides a strategic plan to help Singapore and Singaporeans to do so. Key to this plan is our workers. Our labour market is tight with lower birth rates, an ageing population and tightening foreign labour inflows. Work will be disrupted. A study says 44% of work activities in Singapore today can be automated with current technologies, with a third of the skillsets required to perform today’s jobs wholly new by 2020. Rapid skills churn will require workers to swiftly adapt and cope with frequent career transitions. We must not leave our workers behind. I am heartened that come April 2020, all transformation efforts supported by ESG’s EDG must include positive outcomes for workers, such as wage increases. I am also glad that NTUC's call for the extension of the CSP and SEC have been heeded. This Budget is pro-worker and has put workers at the heart of it. I strongly believe that Every Worker Matters and this Budget can do more for PMEs because every PME matters.”
“As we push on with efforts to build an age-friendly and age-inclusive workforce and society, I would like to end off with a quote from Mr Harbhajan, as he shares how being able to contribute and learn through his work enables him to age with dignity and purpose and the value of having an age-diverse workforce. He says, "I feel healthy because I am working. I come to work, meet people, socialise with them, I do tasks assigned to me and fulfil my function. This keeps me physically and mentally fit. The knowledge I have can be used to guide the next generation of nurses and benefit them. At the same time, I also learn from them. We must go on with continuing our education. We cannot just stop at one level if we want to progress." I join my fellow Members of this House to support the Motion.”
“Under WorkPro, companies can receive grants to support initiatives to implement age management practices via the Age Management Grant, redesign workplaces and processes to create easier, safer and smarter jobs for older workers under the Job Redesign Grant, and implement and sustain FWAs for all workers. However, the Age Management Grant and Job Redesign Grant will be coming to an end on 30 June this year. The WorkPro programme ought to be extended and enhanced as we recognise the value of every worker and take steps to increase inclusivity of our workplaces to cater to a more age-diverse workforce. The Work, Workers and Workplaces which I have mentioned are interdependent and must be looked into and addressed in a holistic manner. We must also recognise that efforts to support active and productive ageing in the workplace must be made in parallel with efforts to improve the lived experience of older Singaporeans, such as through measures to help them to age healthily, age well, and have adequate resources to enable them to pursue their aspirations in their golden years. The Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers which was set up last year has been looking at the issues and concerns of our mature workers, focusing on four key areas: one, ensuring older workers are valued; two, reviewing the retirement and re-employment age; three, considering Singapore’s next moves on retirement and re-employment age; and four, examining CPF contribution rates for older workers and its impact on retirement adequacy. The recommendations of the Tripartite Workgroup must address the multifaceted aspirations, challenges and needs of our older Singaporeans holistically to enable our older Singaporeans to age with purpose and dignity.”
“7% in 2017 to 40% in 2018, the participation rate in this age group is the lowest compared to the younger groups of workers as the perceived returns on training for this group is lower. Employers can do more to provide our older workers with training opportunities at the workplace to enhance their productive longevity in the workforce. As our industries transform, the half-life of skills is decreasing. Workers, including our mature workers, need to constantly upskill and reskill to stay relevant and employable and must be willing and open to explore new career opportunities. Workers can take charge of their skills development and lifelong learning by tapping on their SkillsFuture Credits which were introduced in 2016. As we encourage workers to adopt lifelong learning, it is timely for a top-up of the SkillsFuture Credits now so that workers, especially our mature workers, can take charge of their learning in pursuit of their personal growth. On workplaces. Our workplaces must be age-friendly to allow our mature workers to continue to contribute as they progress in their years. Employers need to redesign jobs and adapt workplace practices to take into consideration the needs of our older workers. Under the current WorkPro programme, we have seen real-life examples of how employers have redesigned jobs to reduce labour-intensive processes to make the job more age-friendly for mature workers. These improvements are a win for both the employer and workers as business productivity is also raised through the job redesign.”
“Employers must recognise that the growing pool of experienced and skilled mature employees in Singapore can help them maintain a competitive edge in the market. To encourage employers to see the value of mature workers, the tripartite partners and industry stakeholders must continue to build on the close partnerships to support mature workers through the advocating and adoption of fair employment practices to ensure those mature workers are not subject to discrimination in the workplace. At the same time, the following existing schemes aimed at raising older workers' employability, which are coming to an end in 2019, should be enhanced and extended. One, the Special Employment Credit (SEC) is coming to an end on 31 December 2019. First introduced in 2011 to raise the employability of older Singaporeans, the SEC today provides a wage-offset to employers to hire Singaporean workers aged 55 and above and earning up to $4,000 a month. Two, the Career Support Programme (CSP) is coming to an end on 31 March this year. The CSP encourages employers to hire Singaporean PMETs aged 40 years and above who have been laid off or have been unemployed and actively looking for work for six months or more. NTUC is calling for a three-year extension of the SEC scheme and a two-year extension of the CSP to boost employment prospects of older workers, especially PMETs. On workers. We must continue to upskill our mature workers, in tandem with industry and business transformation, to enable them to keep pace with the new and in-demand skills in their respective industries. While the training participation rate for our resident labour force for those in the 50-64 age group has increased from 33.”
“Two, while the number of retrenchments declined in 2018, from 14,720 in 2017 to 11,020 in 2018, PMETs continue to be more affected by retrenchments, compared to the other occupational groups. Higher skilled, middle-aged PMETs, being deemed too costly to retain and perceived as too old to be hired, are the hardest hit and most vulnerable. Three, while the non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for PMETs decreased for the second successive year to 2.9% in 2018, from 3% a year ago, older PMETs continue to face greater difficulty in the job market. The long-term unemployment rate for resident PMETs aged 50 and above was at 1.5%, higher than the younger age groups, reflecting greater difficulties faced by older jobseekers in securing employment. I am concerned and worried that this may be exacerbated by the structural challenges in the labour market. To encourage active and productive ageing in the workplace, especially in our tight labour market where it is imperative that we maximise our human capital potential to secure Singapore’s competitiveness, all stakeholders have to take a harder look at the areas of work, workplaces and workers. On work. Employers need to look beyond stereotypes and ageist perceptions and see the value of mature workers to draw out this group’s fullest potential in their organisations. This group of workers not only have extensive work experience, but they are also likely to have a strong understanding of the organisation after many years with the organisation. Workers in the older age brackets are more likely to have worked at least 10 years in their current job. In the same vein, they would also have strong and deep domain expertise and are gems for adjacent and new sectors as well as startups.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion, "Ageing with Purpose". At the recent Future Jobs, Skills and Training Forum organised by NTUC, I met Mr Harbhajan Singh, who is an inspiring role model of active and productive ageing in the workplace. Mr Harbhajan is 78 years old, but age does not stop him from contributing his experience, skills and expertise as a Senior Nurse Manager and Emeritus Fellow at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. In fact, at the age when most have retired, Mr Harbhajan, at 63, was on the frontline when the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) hit Singapore, applying his almost 40 years of nursing experience in battling the communicable disease and caring for SARS patients. Now at 78, Mr Harbhajan says that as long as he can still contribute, he will keep working at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Indeed, our mature workers, who are able and want to continue to contribute in the workplace, are treasure troves of experience and expertise, and more must be done to ensure that they are not overlooked or passed over due to ageist perceptions and discrimination. I have three observations from the recent MOM Labour Market Advance Release 2018 and MOM's Report on Labour Force in Singapore 2018. One, while the employment rate for older residents aged 55 and over rose from 57.2% in 2008 to 66.8% in 2018, this is attributed to a tight labour market coupled with an ageing population and declining birth rates. Forty-five percent of residents who were outside the labour force in 2018 were aged 60 and over. These residents who are outside the labour force could be a potential source of labour, given the right conditions.”
“I have two questions for the Minister for Health. Firstly, I wish to ask the Minister for Health if IHiS, which is a unionised company of the Healthcare Services Employees' Union, has notified and heard the union before taking action and meting out punishments to the affected employees because this is to be done regardless of whether they are or not union members. Secondly, with regard to the financial penalty of $1 million imposed by PDPC on SingHealth and IHiS, I urge and appeal that the salaries and bonus of the workers in both organisations will not be affected as a result.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I just wanted to give a suggestion. As TAFEP flags out annually the kind of complaints it receives, is it possible to outline it? If the Minister of State cannot pinpoint a company and name a company, then perhaps the type of companies, that is, the sectors, the nature of the complaints, what kinds of discriminatory practices or unfair practices and as well as the size of the company.”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. I just wanted to ask a further supplementary question on the restraint policy for those with intellectual disabilities.”
“Just two points of clarification with the Minister. I thank the Minister for a very long debate. I know it is taking our time but there are two points. Firstly, on the enforcement of ECT claims. I hope the Ministry and the tripartite partners can look at the enforcement of the ECT judgments so that we have expedient and also speedy resolution and ease of resolution. That is one. The second one is on section 18A. I spoke about it and I hope the tripartite partners will work together to come up with a set of frequently asked questions and guidelines to give greater clarity before the Act is rolled out.”
“First, to ensure that measures included in clause 4 to protect the employee are effective, could the Minister confirm that the written consent must be obtained from the employee at the point of time when the deduction is to be made, and the employers will not be deemed to have met this requirement through practices, such as incorporating clauses in employment contract stating that the employee agrees that the employer may make deductions as and when considered necessary. Second, if an employee is penalised by the employer for withdrawing his/her consent, what recourse can the employee seek from the Ministry and what actions will the Ministry take against an errant employer? For payments to credit cooperatives, it should still be specifically mentioned in the EA as an authorised deduction. This is the best assurance of regular collections and ensures sustainability of credit cooperatives. Such cooperatives serve an important social purpose to encourage savings and provide affordable loans to working people while they are members. This helps to steer people away from loansharks and moneylenders in a vicious cycle of permanent indebtedness. To conclude, while we have made good progress in advancing workers' protection under this Bill and the Bill embodies our spirit of tripartism in striking a balance among our tripartite partners' concerns, we must continue to take a proactive approach to ensure that our labour legislation stays current and relevant in a maturing economy and workforce. With that, I support the Bill.”
“There are situations where the employees being treated by a doctor in private practice was accredited to the hospital. Could the Minister confirm that the certification by such accredited doctors can be recognised for purposes of granting paid hospitalisation leave? (b) With the proposed amendments to section 89, the employer will recognise outpatient sick leave which is certified by any medical practitioner. Could the Minister confirm that the law does not prohibit employers from recognising hospital leave certified by medical practitioners as well? (c) With regard to infectious diseases, clause 15 provides that an employee who is under quarantine under any written law will be deemed to be hospitalised. There are, however, some infectious diseases, such as chicken pox and Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD), which are not covered under the Infectious Diseases Act. Will the Minister consider allowing employees who come down with such illnesses be granted hospitalisation leave under the Act? Fifth, clause 4 of the Act has streamlined the list of specified deductions which an employer may make from the employee's salary and introduce a catch-all provision allowing employers to make any other deductions to which the employee has given written consent. I would like to seek clarification from the Minister on the following.”
“In cases where employers are unable to pay due to financial difficulties, employers will have to submit evidence for their inability to pay and the ECT can assess and determine if this is truly the case; (b) a short-term relief fund targeted at the bottom 20th percentile of the workforce funded by MOM and operated by the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) for workers who have successfully made ECT claims against their companies but failed to recover payment can be expanded to assist more vulnerable worker groups; (c) where the employer has become insolvent, MOM can also advance money to pay part of the worker's unpaid wages and stand in place of the workers as a preferred creditor of the same level of priority the workers would have had for paid or unpaid wages to recover the advance monies upon distribution of the insolvent companies' assets. This will reduce the waiting time for workers to be paid and eliminate the hassle and stress of having to take additional administrative steps within the insolvency framework to recover their unpaid wages. Fourth, clause 15 of the Bill seeks to define the circumstances in which an employee is eligible for paid hospitalisation leave. I welcome the amendment to the clause which clarifies that an employee who is certified to be ill enough to require hospitalisation will qualify even if not warded in the hospital. This reflects more accurately the position under section 89(3) as it is currently worded. In this respect, I would like to seek clarification from the Minister on the following points. (a) Clause 15 states that the certification must be done by a medical practitioner employed by a hospital approved by the Minister. I understand that private hospitals may also be approved for this purpose.”
“Third, now that there is a one-stop service at the ECT for salary-related and wrongful dismissal claims, it is timely to consider having simplified enforcement proceedings of these claims which are under the purview of the ECT. I have come across quite a number of cases where the worker has sought recourse at the ECT and has successfully obtained an order for the employer to pay him his unpaid wages, but the employer fails to pay up. Workers who are unfamiliar with the legal system will be surprised or dismayed to find out that they would have to take additional steps and expend more time and cost to enforce the order with no guaranteed outcomes. At this stage, the worker may not have been paid his salary for a few months or may be even out of work. Some workers may have taken out enforcement proceedings but these efforts are later thwarted in cases when the employer is wound up. Some possible interventions that could be explored include (a) the provision of simplified enforcement mechanisms to the ECT which can help to see through employers' satisfaction of orders for which no appeals have been filed.”
“The Bill also provides that the ECT and the Labour Court are to have regard to the tripartite guidelines on wrongful dismissals when deciding any claim involving wrongful dismissals. Such transparency will help to ensure that employees are adequately protected from wrongful dismissal while employers are not saddled by frivolous allegations. I have some issues of concern, however. While good progress has been made in the Bill under these two broad thrusts, I have a number of concerns to which I opine clarifications or enhancements are needed in the furtherance of the objectives of the Act. First, with increased volatility and streamlining of businesses, I am particularly concerned about the need to provide greater clarity on the ambit of section 18(a) of the Act which allows employers to transfer employees in the transfer of business undertaking. There is a need for the formulation of a set of tripartite guidelines as well as FAQs on the scope of application of section 18(a). I urge the tripartite partners to work on this urgently, especially since this section now applies to all workers, including PMEs earning more than $4,500. Second, I would like to ask the Minister what support has been put in place to facilitate the transfer of jurisdiction of wrongful dismissals to the ECT to ensure their access to justice is not hampered. When the jurisdiction of salary claims was transferred from the Labour Court to the ECT, some workers experienced difficulties in filing their claims, as the ECT processes required the submission of more forms and documentation. Support must be provided to ensure workers' access to justice can be done easily and expediently by the ECT.”
“Second, a series of enhancements have been made to enable better protection of workers' welfare. In view of the rapidly changing needs of the workforce, flexibility has been provided under the Bill for the Manpower Minister to address undesirable employment practices through the making of regulations. This will allow the Minister to respond quickly to curb undesirable employment practices and protect the well-being of workers. The Commissioner for Labour's powers have also been strengthened to inquire into retrenchment practices. Employers will have to furnish information on retrenchment of any employee, if they are required to do so by the Commissioner. I believe this will further complement the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower which stipulates the norms for retrenchment benefits and fair retrenchment practices as well as a mandatory reporting requirement for retrenchments and assistance provided by the task force responsible for retrenchment and employment facilitation. Another enhancement is the transfer of adjudication of wrongful dismissal claims to the ECT. Today, when an employee considers that he has been dismissed without just cause or excused by his employer, he may make representations in writing to the Manpower Minister to be reinstated. With the passing of the Bill, the ECT will serve as a one-stop service for salary-related and wrongful dismissal claims. I thank the tripartite partners on agreeing to work out a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and guidelines before the Bill comes into effect to provide clarity on what amounts to wrongful dismissal which may include forced resignations without just cause.”
“I call upon all employers to take this opportunity to work with our unions and the Labour Movement to review their employment practices and make concerted efforts to get all their staff, especially PMEs, within their companies to become union members and be part of the tripartite relationship and framework. Protection under Part IV of the Act has also been extended to more rank-and-file workers. The increase in the salary cap for non-workmen from $2,500 to $2,600 and overtime rate payable for non-workmen from a salary level of $2,250 to $2,600 under Part IV of the Act will benefit more than 100,000 non-workmen. Having come across incidents where rogue employers have excluded workers from Part IV protection by giving workers inflated managerial and executive titles and paying them just above the salary cap of $2,500 a month, I strongly urge employers to scrutinise their employment practices to ensure the workers are not unfairly excluded from Part IV protection. I also appeal to workers to come forward to seek the union's assistance if they are of the view they have been unfairly excluded from the Part IV protection. While there is clearly a need to accord stronger protection for a select group of vulnerable workers under Part IV, there is increasing difficulty on the ground to clearly determine if a worker is a workman or a non-workman. This is particularly challenging as many forms of work now involve a mix of both manual and non-manual work. And jobs will continue to be transformed. There is a need to keep watch on this issue to ensure that Part IV of the Act retains its relevancy in the changing nature of work. Perhaps, there may come a day when we will do away with this PME, non-PME, PME bargainable dichotomy.”
“It is a watershed moment for Singapore's labour legislation and extends key statutory benefits to an additional number of 430,000 workers. Today, PMEs form about 36% of our local workforce and this rises to 56% if we include technicians, PMETs for short. This figure is growing quickly and PMETs will make up two-thirds of our local workforce by 2030. As companies push forward with transformation efforts, we must ensure that the EA provides adequate coverage for a changing workforce. I have been lobbying since 2011 for the expansion of the EA to cover all PMEs. I am glad we have moved the needle in 2014 and now to all PMEs, including those earning more than $4,500 a month. This is important as there remain cases where aggrieved PMEs earning more than $4,500 a month did not have recourse under the EA. Having a salary cap meant that there was a deliberate delineation of workers covered under the EA and those who were not. Some rogue employers tried to game the EA by making use of the salary cap to exclude workers from the EA. Others tried to cause confusion by referencing the salary cap to deny PMEs from collective representation by unions, and for unions who tried to extend and to expand the scope of representation to cover PMEs, although this is allowed under the Industrial Relations Act. The removal of the salary cap signals the raising of employment standards in Singapore by according all workers with protection under the core provisions of the EA and with access to ECT. This is a radical step forward, given that just a decade ago, PMEs were not even covered under the EA. With the removal of the salary cap, companies should have no excuse to prevent unions from representing and organising PMEs earning more than $4,500 a month.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this amendment Bill. I declare my interest as a member of the tripartite workgroup which was involved in working out the areas of enhancements to this Bill. The EA was first enacted in 1968 to address the urgent need to accelerate economic growth and ensure a steady flow of foreign investments to Singapore in anticipation of labour market disruptions. The EA created more systematic and stable employment conditions to increase labour productivity and business efficiency to achieve these aims. Indeed, the EA is instrumental in ensuring a stable labour market, a major contributing factor of Singapore's economic growth. The EA has been revised regularly and it is an embodiment of the delicate balancing of tripartite concerns to maximise labour force participation while ensuring that workers' rights are protected and balanced against employers' need to stay competitive to create good jobs for workers. To ensure its relevance, this balancing act also takes into account the changing demographics of our workforce and the disruptive forces impacting work in our economy. Since the last amendment of the EA which took effect on 1 April 2014, I made calls in and outside the Parliament to review the EA in light of the changing workforce profile, rising median wages and issues that needed redress. And I am heartened that the Bill addresses a number of these issues through two broad thrusts. First, the expansion of coverage of workers under the Bill; and two, enhancements made to better protect workers' welfare. First, the inclusion of all, I repeat, all professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) under the Bill.”