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 15 of 19.
“I wanted to ask the Minister of State, bearing in mind that we have the RRA, the EA, as well as the CDCA, would MOM look at implementing specific workplace-related anti-discrimination laws as a final option, if and when cases of discrimination do increase in the coming years?”
“Just one point of clarification for the Senior Minister of State. I noticed that clause 9(1)(b) of the Bill specifically or explicitly excludes employment contracts and collective agreements. I am aware the Hague Convention has likewise in pari materia. However, may I know, just to understand the rationale behind it, as well the reasons? Increasingly, we see employees being subjected to multi-jurisdictional kinds of arrangements. 3.28 pm”
“I am glad when Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean recently announced that the Government is hiring 1,000 engineers for the public sector. Can Deputy Prime Minister Teo share with us which Ministries and Statutory Boards these 1,000 jobs come from? Also, what kind of engineering jobs are these? What levels of the hierarchy are these jobs and what are the skills and experience required? I also hope the Deputy Prime Minister will look at the career progression of engineers, both current and future, in the public sector and beyond, and how we can upgrade them. We need to ensure that the public sector is able to attract and retain the best engineering and technology capability. What investments is the public sector making to attract, develop and retain these talents? This is critical in giving the increasing role that technology is playing in all aspects of our economy, society and life, and our focus towards a Smart Nation. What efforts and plans does the public sector have to ensure we have both the skills base and capacity to support the transformation of Singapore towards a Smart Nation?”
“Sir, in closing, I thank my fellow Parliamentary colleagues who have filed 27 cuts and shared their thoughts, views, suggestions, ideas and recommendations. I believe this MOM COS debate has thrown greater light on the manpower challenges that we face as a country and the right things we must do to stay ready, relevant and resilient. We know the workforce has to adapt and grow. Companies not just have to stay lean and productive but also have to be "triple strong". If I may quote Minister Lim Swee Say's famous proverb: "You need to be not just better but betterer and betterest" in terms of our tripartite relationship, labour management relationship and building a Singaporean Core. I would like to thank Minister Lim Swee Say and Ministers of State Mr Teo Ser Luck and Mr Sam Tan as well as the Permanent Secretary, Deputy Secretaries and the MOM staff, including the Statutory Boards, who have been busy doing a lot of the work behind the scenes. So, thank you very much. With that, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,779,000,700 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $13,324,200 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)] Page: 128”
“I thank the Minister and Ministers of State for their replies. I had in my cut earlier raised the plight of workers when companies are entering into liquidation, judicial management and various winding-up proceedings. I hope MOM would partner the other Ministries to look into and review this area to see how best we can provide more safety nets for our workers.”
“Not a small group and I expect it to grow with the advent of the sharing economy and the nature of work, workforce, workplaces and work relationships. I have had many engagements with freelance professionals via our PME Unit's events. Their top three complaints are late payment or non-payment, no provision of outpatient medical privileges and work injury compensation coverage. The problem we face is that nowhere in the world are there specific laws protecting freelancers and that many freelancers are unable to even band together to form an association. They are not allowed to be represented by unions and their only recourse is to the Small Claims Tribunal with a jurisdictional cap. NTUC has been trying to assist these freelance professionals and we have started a freelance and self-employed unit and the U-Associate programme. Since 2013, NTUC, in partnership with the Law Society, has started legal clinics, conducted legal primers and even did up a pocket series booklet for them, such as this, to equip them with an understanding of their rights, privileges and responsibilities in partnership. I submit that we should do a serious study on what we can do for them through a dedicated piece of legislation like a recent Bill that was tabled in California to protect freelancers, especially when the sharing economy and crowdsourcing are happening.”
“There are about 100 workers still there and many have already left. In many ways, this is a case where the law provides no recourse for these aggrieved workers who may work for months for free and not paid. I am not sure how long this case will drag on and the end is definitely not soon. Besides some of the financial assistance schemes by unions and the community, can there be specific legislative provisions or regulations in place or exceptions made to help these workers who are left in the lurch? By the same token, I know of another company which is planning to wind up later this year and has started to prepare for it. Yet, when asked to negotiate for an agreement on retrenchment payouts, it is simply dragging its feet and waiting for the time to come so that they need not pay a single cent. Can the laws be amended such that for disputes on wages and retrenchment benefits, the case can be allowed to proceed for an Industrial Arbitration Court hearing during the period of "moratorium" so as to obtain a judgment or order before the company actually folds. The third area, unlike traditional contract of service where there is an employer-employee relationship and labour legislation providing protection, there are currently no laws or regulations to help the growing group of freelance professionals in Singapore who are in a contract for service situation. Even the Trade Unions Act prohibit NTUC and our unions to represent them or formally organise them except through the formation of associations which are not unions per se and not vested with powers provided in the Industrial Relations Act. The number of freelance professionals in Singapore as of June last year stands at 170,000.”
“Second, recently, I had an encounter with a unionised company which is in trouble and had been trying to obtain a scheme of arrangement but failed and now applying to Court for judicial management. It is provided in law that a moratorium is imposed when a company files for insolvency proceedings. This means no proceedings can be taken against that company, unless with the leave of Court. My concern and frustration are with the plight of the workers there. What is horrifying is that the workers have been left unpaid their monthly wages since late last year when the insolvency proceedings started. They are hanging on to the company hoping that some form of retrenchment benefit can be paid to them or that there are monies to be obtained when the company winds up after a proof of debt is filed. In reality, there are many other secured creditors and the workers may well be unlikely to obtain any retrenchment benefit as the union is unable to take the company to the Industrial Arbitration Court to obtain an order for retrenchment benefits. There may also not be any monies left for distribution via section 328 of the Companies Act after the company winds up. In any case, the maximum amount they can get is $12,500 under section 328. Such is the plight of the workers. They will also get nothing if they leave their jobs now. Many have been with the company for years. I am told their Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions are also unpaid for this year and partially for those months late last year. The workers feel helpless. The union has also engaged legal counsel but there is still nothing which can be done. Is there Page: 86 really nothing which the authorities can do against the company or help the workers?”
“Mdm Chair, we have a rapidly changing employment landscape with job losses, changing workforce profile with more PMEs, changing work arrangements with Page: 85 more freelance professionals and a sombre economic and market condition. These scenarios have given rise to several concerns amongst the working population. I am highlighting three areas of concern and offering three suggestions. The first is the rise in the number of PMEs who are facing workplace disputes and issues. From 1 April 2014 to February this year, the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC's) U PME Centre saw 1,420 PMEs coming to us for our placement, protection, progression and privileges (4P) services. Of the total, about 500 were on workplace issues. I am aware MOM has started public consultation on the proposed ECT. On this note, I am asking, with the setting up of the ECT, how can MOM ensure that the sanctity of tripartism is preserved and that the role of unions in grievance handling, advisory, providing representation for our members are not diluted? 5.00 pm I therefore, suggest and submit that the Tripartite Mediation Framework provided under the Industrial Relations Act, which avails union members to resolve three heads of claim, must also consequently have its rules amended and have even greater, wider, deeper ambit, scope and jurisdiction than the ECT which avails all, including PMEs, and with no salary cap. Can there also be a one-stop facility similar to our U PME Centre, or can we use our existing U PME Centre as a front-facing one-stop facility for all PMEs when they require workplace advice or consultation on workplace issues?”
“Our older workers are also worried about the current economic slowdown, as they feel that they are the ones that are going to be affected the most. May I know how is the Ministry going to help older workers to save their jobs? Madam, I have also come across discussions about the balance between Singaporean and foreign workers. There are companies which have the locals' interest in their hearts, although they have a regular EP inflow. However, there are also companies whose hearts are not with our locals, where I received feedback that they use the locals in filling up the numbers and are not particularly interested in developing our local workers. I would like to ask the Minister what is being done to manage the EP inflow and ensure that the EPs complement rather than compete with locals, and what more can we do for our people. Allow me to continue my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Madam, in my interactions with the Malay community in Nee Soon and in events organised by Malay/Muslim bodies, just like other Singaporeans, they expressed concern about an economic slowdown. They are worried that their jobs, as well as the jobs of their family members and friends, will be affected by an economic slowdown. Madam, we must provide more support to our local workers. I would like to ask the Minister what types of support will the Ministry provide to help displaced local workers when businesses have to downsize or close down. In addition, how will the Ministry help older workers save their jobs? Related to that, what is being done to manage the EP inflow and ensure that they complement, instead of competing with locals? Manpower-lean Enterprises and Industries”
“Stricter criteria are to be applied when they apply for EPs. At Level 2, if those companies identified at Level 1 turn a deaf ear to warnings, we will suspend the application of their EPs. At Level 3, should the companies remain recalcitrant, a PME dependency ratio can be imposed. Second, prescribe in the outsourced contract certain rules and regulations to make sure that contractors build a team of staff with Singaporeans as their core. The public sector can take the lead in this. Third, make sure employment agencies advertise job vacancies according to the legal requirements. In addition, their frontline staff should undergo training so that they better understand FCF and the Jobs Bank. Conversely, MOM can also consider rewarding those companies whose staff have a Singaporean Core. Page: 75 More Support for Singaporean Workers Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Nee Soon): Madam, since late last year, going around the coffeeshops and local events in my constituency, I could sense that my residents have started seeing and feeling the impact of an economic slowdown. Firstly, they observed the slowdown in international markets and, they have being observing such signs in Singapore. They are worried for fellow Singaporean workers, especially their family members, neighbours and friends. I would like to ask the Minister, given the current economic slowdown, what will the Government do to help displaced local workers when companies have to downsize or close down. For example, is there scope to increase the number of Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) to help retrenched professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) to find jobs in growth sectors?”
“Suggestion two – to encourage building a strong Singaporean Core, companies which outsource some of their services, such as information technology (IT), human resource (HR) or accounting and even construction projects, can, within the terms of the tender or contract prescribe that there must be a Singaporean Core in the workforce of that entity bidding for the contract or tender. I suggest the public sector can take the lead in this. 4.15 pm Suggestion three – over and above existing requirements under the law, there could be tighter regulation and accreditation of employment and placement agencies to weed out biased and unfair hiring-of-own-kind practices and ensuring a strong Singaporean Core. By the same token, these agencies, recruitment companies and even company HR departments should not and must not treat the advertising requirement as mere window dressing and their practices should be closely monitored. Their frontline and placement staff should undergo mandatory training and accreditation to understand the concept of building the Singaporean Core and the objectives of both FCF and the Jobs Bank. On the converse, I suggest that MOM also recognise and offer carrots to those companies and businesses which demonstrate an exemplary and progressive Singaporean Core and a resolute commitment to hire and develop Singaporeans. In short, I submit that MOM must make it "tougher for the weaker and better for the stronger". Mdm Chair, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I have three suggestions regarding how to strengthen the Singaporean Core of our workforce. First, for individual companies, I propose a company-specific approach to eliminate the discriminatory practices. Level 1 involves those companies that have the double "weaks".”
“I know the Minister shared that he has nailed 150 companies into what he calls the "watch list" where he sees the "double weak". I also know he has been having coffee with some of these employers and businesses on the "watch list". Has there been an improvement since the last time he shared about this "watch list" and can he share who these companies are? In the same vein, I wish to ask about the progress of the National Jobs Bank and how MOM and the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) have been able to make use of the data to extrapolate the job openings and identify the skills gap to better facilitate job matching and employment, especially for PMEs. As I am also very concerned with the placement rate from the Jobs Banks, I have three concrete suggestions for MOM, in respect of what we can do to tackle those companies with the "double weaks", to better strengthen the Singaporean Core. Suggestion one – to put a clamp on companies with discriminatory practices, I propose a company-specific and tiered approach which can be scaled up to the industry level, if needed. Level 1 involves stringent scrutiny of companies which display the two "weaks". Those with a weak Singaporean Core and a weak commitment to hire and develop Singaporeans will be identified and differentiated. Stricter Employment Pass (EP) application conditions and requirements are to be enforced on these companies. Page: 74 Level 2 involves suspending all EP applications of the companies identified at Level 1 which continue to show a disregard or weak commitment to hire and develop a Singaporean Core and turn a deaf ear to warnings. Level 3 involves imposing a PME dependency ratio. Should companies remain recalcitrant, a company-specific PME dependency ratio can be put in place as a final option.”
“Madam, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head S of the Estimates be reduced by $100." I have been lobbying on Labour market testing, strengthening the Singaporean Core and greater protection for our local professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) 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 is also greater focus and awareness of the move towards not just fair, but progressive workplaces and employment practices by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) and our tripartite partners. However, anecdotally, when I meet fellow PMEs, I am still hearing complaints of two kinds. First, the hiring-of-own-kind practices and companies advertising in the Jobs Bank for the sake of advertising and treating FCF and the Jobs Bank as mere window dressing. This happens not just in big multinational companies (MNCs), but also small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Some also share with me that employment agencies and placement companies are also where some of these malpractices happen. The general concern is over the glaring disproportionate number of foreign PMEs in certain sectors and companies. In some cases, the nationality bias results in job losses of local PMEs and hiring of foreign PMEs for jobs which local PMEs can fill. In this regard, I wish to ask the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to provide an update on how effective FCF has been the past 18 months since the implementation in levelling the playing field for our local PMEs and in eradicating "nationality bias" discrimination in hiring practices, including by employment and placement agencies.”
“I just wish to ask the Senior Minister of State, earlier on, she shared, for POHA claims – since coming into force in November 2014 – a total of 171 orders were given. I just wonder if she can share how many were cases of workplace harassment and, out of these 171, how many were sexual harassment cases?”
“Mr Chairman, I have spoken on this before and am raising this again. I hope MinLaw will seriously look into reviewing the jurisdiction of the Small Claims Tribunal in raising the limits, so that more people can have economical and expedient orders and judgment to their contractual claims. In particular, I know many professional freelancers who are on a contract for service and they use the Small Claims Tribunal when they are not paid or when their payments are delayed, especially for their work rendered. A raising of the claims limits will be a boon for claimants and freelance workers alike. Protection from Harassment Act My second cut is on the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA). And since the Act has come into force in 2015, can Ministry of Law provide an update on the number of cases filed and mediated and orders given? Among all the cases filed, what is the breakdown on the types, that is, how many involved community neighbours, how many are online harassment, how many are sexual harassment and how many are workplace harassment cases? Page: 93 Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal My third cut is on the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT). Since the set-up of CDRT, I wish to ask the Minister how many cases have been filed, how many heard, how many cases mediated and how many resolved. And also what actions, if any, have the Courts or complainants taken when offending parties, after the tribunal order, still continue to perpetrate and breach the order? Ex-gratia Payment for Workers”
“Sir, the hon Member Mr Lim Biow Chuan and myself raised two cuts on traffic safety: in his case, heavy vehicles; and myself, traffic safety near schools. Can I ask the Minister or the Senior Minister of State to give a reply as the topic was not responded to?”
“Mdm Chair, I am aware both Traffic Police and LTA have been mounting efforts to enhance traffic safety near schools and raise safety awareness amongst the young. Besides school zones, enforcement rounds, education efforts, parent volunteers and red regulating and warning strips, what more can SPF, in particular, Traffic Police, do to mitigate the risk and dangers as it is not just schools that are of concern but also roads within close proximity of places where children gather and wander, such as childcare centres, enrichment centres and play facilities? This also happens in my constituency, Boon Lay, and I am particularly concerned as well.”
“Mdm Chair, the Singapore Prison service and SCORE have been rolling out the Yellow Ribbon Project for a while. Can SCORE and the Singapore Prison Service share what is the placement rate of ex-offenders the past five years when they are released from incarceration? I ask this because, with a very tight labour market situation and as we look at how to minimise our unemployment rate, what more is MHA doing to help in the employment facilitation of these ex-offenders! Different inmates spend different periods of time incarcerated and, as such, different employment facilitation and skills acquisition strategies are needed to better place them in meaningful employment when they are released from prison or DRCs.”
“Mdm Chair, as our country faces increasing threats and SPF wanting to enhance and stretch their capabilities to make Singapore safe and secure, there will be a need for more resources and manpower. However, with the tight labour market situation, I have four suggestions to make to alleviate this challenge. First, I suggest we further extend the re-employment of Police officers from their current retirement and pensionable ages. I say this because there are officers I have spoken to who are eager to carry on but not given re-employment. Second, we should invite back our ex-officers who have resigned and who may be keen to rejoin the service. These officers can perform a variety of roles, from investigation to intelligence work, as they are already trained and have experience. Third, we can further enhance the productivity and effectiveness of the private security sector as they are the additional eyes and ears on the ground. Can we mandate the use of technology, analytics and biometrics, and MHA grant them full funding support to roll these out. Fourth, given the nature of recent terrorist attacks and the difficulty in detecting lone wolves and, since both public and private organisations collate data, can the Government tap on such existing data platforms to enhance intelligence operations and investigations to tackle terrorism and heighten and increase productivity?”
“Mdm Chair, with SG Secure and the many initiatives being rolled out, I submit that building and commercial properties, such as shopping malls, which attract crowds and are of high risk for terrorist attacks, do more in the areas of building security. Currently, there are building safety codes as well as requirements by the Fire Safety Bureau. But can MHA, via appropriate legislation or regulations, mandate regular security and threat assessments and audits of such commercial premises and properties so that both safety and security are looked into? Terrorism Threat”
“Third, we can also go beyond Professional Conversion Programmes to any tailored targeted programmes with flexibility of interventions which can help minimise skills mismatch, jobs mismatch and expectation mismatch. Fourth, set up a support network for these unemployed and retrenched PMEs so that they do not fall into a deadly spiral of despair and depression. NTUC's U PME Centre has piloted this for one year and is called the Career Activation Programme. The programme is supported by a team of career activists who are volunteer PMEs who have faced job losses and who have been through the school of hard knocks and have now succeeded. We have achieved small but steady successes but, more importantly, this support network has helped to boost the self-esteem and morale of the dejected and pessimistic, making them more positive and career-ready. To conclude, Mdm Speaker, I support the Motion and look forward to specific details of the policies and programmes by the respective Ministries, especially MOM, during the COS, to help my fellow workers especially the PMEs.”
“We cannot just be ready for now but ready for the future. I recently had a dialogue with a group of 40 PMEs to ask them what they define as being future-ready. The answers actually vary, depending on their life stages. For the young PMEs, future-ready means being equipped to progress, develop and move up in their careers. They are not looking at 10-year time-frames. It is much shorter than that. For the not-so-young PMEs, they consider job stability and security, that is, employment and employability, as crucial tenets of being future-ready. In short, we need to be ready to Do More, Grow More and Be More! On the part of the Government, the Adapt and Grow initiative should address our current challenges and the pressing needs of our workers, especially our PMEs, as we row across choppy waters. I have three suggestions. First, enhancing the existing Career Support Programme (CSP) to give a boost to hiring our Singaporean PMEs. This can be done by widening its outreach, stretching its coverage and deepening its assistance to all PMEs, especially the mature PMEs as well as all PMEs regardless of age who have been retrenched or are unemployed. I say this because many employers are unaware of CSP. The current criteria also do not address those PMEs who are under 40 years of age and have lost their jobs. In short, the wage support can be more generous during this rough patch. Second, strengthening the Singaporean Core by wielding a heavy hand against recalcitrant companies with the ‘"double weak" and which turn a deaf ear to scrutiny and warnings. Take to task, with more robust measures, those who treat the Fair Consideration Framework job advertising requirement in the jobs bank as mere lip service and window dressing.”
“It is a workforce which is relevant, resilient and ready; not just the workforce but also our unions and the Labour Movement. The first "R", relevant. Relevant amid the rapidly changing employment, economic and global landscape of change and development. Relevant to the needs of the company, profession and industry. Relevant in the new economy of future jobs, future skills and future careers. Relevance can be achieved through a spirit of lifelong learning and continuing education. To learn, unlearn and relearn. To deep-skill, second-skill and develop pi-shaped skills. Unions and the Labour Movement must stay relevant to workers of yesterday, today and tomorrow. This can be achieved through our unions stretching the scope of representation and expanding our membership base to PMEs so that we can look after their interests and welfare. However, we need all employers to support us on this front. We also need to expand our reach and build bridges with professional associations, such as our current 32 U-Associate partners, to build a stronger value proposition to PMEs, helping them progress in their careers and profession and creating a network of excellence and building our U-circle of friends. We are also exploring ways to be the voice of professional freelancers. Page: 78 The second "R", resilient. We also need to stay resilient. This is especially crucial during this period of uncertainty and rough patches in certain sectors. Our workers must stay resilient to ride through the global transformation of work, economic restructuring and industry transformation efforts. Resilient also to weather through greater uncertainty in terms of employment and to move into new jobs and new sectors. We need both new mindsets and new skillsets. Lastly, we need to be ready.”
“So, what are "3R" employers? They are employers who are revolutionary, responsible and ready. The first "R", revolutionary. We must move from evolution to revolution. Employers and businesses need to be revolutionary in incubating and executing ideas to embrace change, technology and innovation to achieve breakthroughs, enhance and develop new capabilities to stay ahead of the game. An example would be the use of drones to access hard to reach areas instead of risking human life and yet achieve time, cost and manpower savings. The second "R", responsible. Employers must be responsible and go beyond that to be progressive in human resource practices and harnessing our human capital. It is imperative for them to establish good and sound employment and industrial relations. In unionised companies, they must foster strong union management relations through trust and openness. Responsible such that when they restructure and need to lay off workers, they do it responsibly and in accordance with accepted codes and tripartite guidelines. A good example is not laying off workers just before a festive period, such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya or Deepavali. Another would be the payment of retrenchment benefits when there is an industry practice to do so. Hiring such that they focus on developing a strong Singaporean Core, they must eradicate all forms of discrimination or biasness, especially with regard to age and the attitude towards both mature and older workers. The third "R", ready. Ready to redesign work processes and recreate good quality jobs to attract and retain the people and navigate the new labour and employment landscape. Ready to overcome the new norms, challenges and competition that lie ahead. What is a "3R" workforce?”
“Some used to say that globalisation destroyed many blue-collar jobs but, these days, technology is threatening the PMEs, otherwise known as the middle class or sandwiched class. They are no longer immune because of job obsolescence, disruptive technology, shared economy, crowd sourcing and the Internet of Things. I am glad that strategic plans and measures have been rolled out via SkillsFuture last year and the relentless efforts this year to transform our economy through enterprise and innovation via the Industry Transformation Programme. I support the Budget and applaud the Adapt and Grow initiatives announced by Minister Heng. However, I am particularly concerned about how we can support our people through this rough patch of change and uncertainty. I would also like to thank hon Member Ms Sylvia Lim who earlier reiterated the call which I made in this House over the past few years to further examine and relook underemployment as well as unemployment insurance. The Government can spend tons of resources and come up with a buffet of programmes but at the end of the day, it takes two hands to clap but more than just two hands to make a resounding applause. Employers and businesses across various sectors and industries must believe in the same cause and embrace change before change embraces them. Our workers and unions need to stay future-ready so as to navigate, weather through and rise above the storm. The Government needs to provide the systems and supporting structures to facilitate, encourage and catalyse. Page: 77 Society, too, must be receptive to changes, abandon old paradigms and adopt major mental model shifts. In these uncertain times and as we navigate through the peaks and troughs, we need to develop what I call "3R" employers and a "3R" workforce.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Budget. Just this morning, I caught up with 24 Barclays' staff who are professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), both young and not so young, who are going to be retrenched in the next few months. I share their fears and concerns. In fact, in the past weeks during my weekly house visits, many Boon Lay residents, including PMEs, I spoke to are troubled by the outlook in their companies. They lament that there is a sharp slowdown in orders and the amount of work to be done. Unions and union leaders, too, are concerned as some are seeing companies fold while some are negotiating retrenchment settlements. The mood is, generally, one of uncertainty and doubt. The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) unemployment statistics are clear. PME unemployment stands at about 2.7%. In fact, last year, we saw a record of more than 15,000 retrenchments and layoffs, and 71% of them were PMETs. I am expecting things not to get rosier this year; well, at least for the first half of this year. What is so unique this round is that it will not just be cyclical forces alone but also structural. Worse still, it is coming at a point when Singapore is embarking on economic transformation and restructuring, having a relatively flat-line productivity the past few years, an ageing workforce, a tight labour market and slower employment growth. Not every industry or sector is hurt and bleeding, but some sectors are already bearing the brunt of low oil prices, currency fluctuations, market uncertainties, recalibration, consolidation and a generally weaker global demand. Unless we do something resolutely and proactively, we may have to face the worst before it gets better.”
“I thank the Minister for the reply. For the IT sector, the Labour Movement has been receiving a lot of feedback from the ground, about concerns in terms of visuals and the proportion. And I am glad that the Minister shared that there is a two-third/one-third kind of proportion in the sector. But of course, there are specific companies, as what the hon Member Desmond Choo has shared, that they are "double weak"; sometimes even "triple weak". So, I suggest that MOM take this seriously and be more rigorous as well as more resolute in measures against those companies which really demonstrate themselves to be "double weak" and are still recalcitrant.”
“I thank the Acting Minister for the reply. I just wanted to add some points. Firstly, to congratulate the SkillsFuture team for including programmes that are online, like Coursera and Udemy, which are very useful. I would like to suggest to the Acting Minister to consider reviewing the list of courses and programmes in the SkillsFuture list of approved courses more regularly, for example, like quarterly, not just for employability courses but also courses to encourage continuing education, lifelong learning and second-skilling.”
“Madam, let me add to the points made by the hon Member Melvin Yong and the Parliamentary Secretary Low Yen Ling. Ms Low mentioned that the history of the Labour Movement is mentioned and talked about in the Social Studies and History subjects. But a lot has morphed and transformed in the past decade. A lot of current issues and new legislations have been rolled out. It is important that the young are also acquainted with some of these new developments; not just the history but the significant and transformational development of the Labour Movement and tripartism in the past 10 years. Likewise, the definition in the word tripartism. Many young people I engage do not know what tripartism means in our Singapore context. Just these two points for the Parliamentary Secretary to take away.”
“As one of the top financial hubs that thrive in the region, it is crucial for the Singapore financial sector workforce to remain relevant, resilient and ready so as to stay ahead of the competition. The financial sector has to ensure that the workforce continues to enhance its competency level, capabilities and professionalism by acquiring work skills in new or developing business areas, or in developing more sophisticated or specialist skill-sets. Only then can we effectively stay future-ready to serve markets not just locally, but regionally and globally.”
“FSTC will also set up a financial sector-specific one-stop career advisory facility in April this year, leveraging the U PME Centre's operational experiences and infrastructure at NTUC Centre in One Marina Boulevard. This Financial Industry Career Advisory Centre (FiCAC) will provide guidance to those keen to join the financial industry as well as those looking to move to new jobs within the industry. MAS, the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), IBF, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), U PME Centre and NTUC e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) will provide the expertise and resources to support FiCAC in its work. With the support of ABS and U PME Centre, FiCAC will also organise talks on job opportunities in the financial sector. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, to achieve our desired outcome of building a 3R financial sector workforce, one which is ready, resilient and relevant and become co-creators of SG100 and beyond, we need to remind all that the single and collective effort of our tripartite partners is paramount. I urge our tripartite partners to leverage one another's strengths, continue to partner closely to drive our collective efforts for the sector and stay ahead of the game through innovation and shared goals. Page: 116 It requires not just individual responsibility, proactiveness and initiative by our workers and unions but the conviction, commitment and tenacity of employers to develop their human capital and build a strong Singaporean Core; and finally, strong support, promotion and assistance from the Government, so that we stay on the right course of this journey.”
“And if there are opportunities to take on short-term global projects, do not just give to specialists to be posted for those overseas projects. Let our local talent be given those overseas projects as well and gradually assimilate and progress into the job. So, with the current letting go of banking talent, can we redeploy the talent displaced to other areas and can they be given "Earn and Learn" opportunities as well? They can be sent for accredited programmes whilst being deployed in areas in the bank or other parts of the bank where they can be utilised. All said, I am glad to share that, reflecting the spirit of tripartism and as a key SkillsFuture initiative for the financial sector, we have formed last year and recently officially launched the Financial Sector Tripartite Committee (FSTC) which brings together the industry associations, employers, financial cluster unions/Labour Movement and the Government to work in unison to build a common future by fostering a financial workforce that can meet the changing needs of the industry. As part of the broader SkillsFuture agenda, it is important to equip financial sector professionals with information and knowledge to continuously upgrade themselves and better align their training efforts with their career development. We will be embarking on the collaboration with the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) to continually review the IBF Standards and identify new cross-functional competencies needed, such as in data analytics and risk management. Structured progression pathways will also be developed for evolving job segments, including consumer banking, to encourage continuous learning and upskilling.”
“Many global businesses are creating jobs of the future at breakneck pace and we need to ensure that Singaporean employees in the financial sector have the right skills to fill them. If you are ready to work, you should be able to find a job that fits your skills. And if you want to move up within your field into a better job, you should have access to training to get the skills you need. For the financial sector, as many are global companies not based in Singapore, to take on bigger roles, we need to provide the much needed regional and international exposure and not just skills alone. The Government plays a vital role in minimising job mismatch, skills mismatch and expectation mismatch. We should go back to basics. Many of the curricula in finance courses in polytechnics and universities do not really teach banking. We should link our Pre-Employment Training courses with in depth Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes so that our talent can be job-ready even before they enter the industry. So, if finance majors intend to build a career in banking, their internships should be coupled with certification programmes whilst attached to banks and learn as they earn, and not just limited to polytechnic but also for university students, and taking certification programmes with financial training institutes which are currently Page: 115 offering CET programmes. Many of our banking talent, too, have become specialists and not given the opportunity to learn about other areas in banking. They are not encouraged to move through different areas or departments. I believe we should have an adult "Earn and Learn" as well. Give our local talent the opportunities to be attached or move across different areas of banking – front office, middle office and back office.”
“The recent rise in layoffs in the banking sector affects PMEs the hardest. Anecdotally, many of those laid off are the mature, above 40 age group, experienced staff, including some well-performing frontline bankers who met their key performance indicators, yet had to be let go to cut costs. After all, younger, less experienced staff are cheaper to retain on the payroll. These displaced mature PMEs above 40 have families and children to support. Many are locals working in foreign banks. How is Singapore to develop a resilient core of local talent if the first in line to be retrenched are these mature PMEs, ostensibly because the ones at the top making the decision are anxious to protect their own jobs? Have banks adequately considered the additional risk they potentially face by letting go experienced staff? Even if employers need to lay off workers, I call out to them to do it fairly and responsibly. We have the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) guidelines on Managing Excess Manpower and the Tripartite Code of Good Industrial Relations Practice which are instructive documents and guidelines on how and what to do before a retrenchment is carried out. What avenues to exhaust before retrenching? Can we redeploy? Who are to be retrenched? Who are entitled to retrenchment benefits? When should retrenchment exercises be carried out? Amount of retrenchment benefits to be paid to PMEs? How much notice must I give the worker or union? What is good industrial relations practice? What is the industry and market practice? These are questions I hope employers, in particular, those non-unionised ones, will give serious thought to and be fair and progressive in their practices.”
“Proactive to reskill if old jobs are gone and new technology and ways of doing things are introduced. Proactive to second-skill themselves in case they need to move out or across to a new job. Positive to embrace change, stay in control and ahead of the challenges coming their way and overcome any adversity. We want to ensure careers do not plateau because workers have stopped growing, stopped learning and stopped adapting. Unions, too, need to support, assist and encourage fellow workers and secure a positive environment and system for the worker to stay employed and employable. During this time of economic restructuring and transformation and amidst cyclical and structural challenges, besides ensuring that workers in this sector are protected and represented, unions need to strive to stay relevant, progressive and ahead in light of the changing workforce profile and employment landscape. Many in this sector are not aware of the latest and upcoming changes to Page: 114 labour legislation and that PMEs, too, can be union members and enjoy the protection and the entire host of services which NTUC and our affiliated unions can provide. In the same vein, employers in the financial sector play a vital role in building a 3R workforce. It is imperative for employers to ensure they are progressive in practice and create progression pathways and build the Singaporean Core. Employers need to pay close attention to training, exposure and coaching to equip workers with skills to advance to better jobs. Employers need to motivate and empower more uptake of training opportunities. Employers also need to provide a clear progression path upward for employees who develop and demonstrate skills, capabilities and competencies.”
“Staying ready, resilient and relevant involves not just individuals and workers per se but includes our unions, employers, the Government, regulators and key stakeholders partnering in the journey. What do we mean by "ready"? "Ready" means that we are prepared for anything that comes our way. It also means we can change and adapt in fluid, volatile, new and changing environment and circumstances. What does "resilient" mean? It does not mean that a person does not experience difficulty or distress but that he or she has the power and ability to "bounce back" and recover quickly after weathering any challenges or adversity. "Relevant" means staying abreast and even ahead of current developments and possessing the needed skills, learning and mindset to remain updated, current and both employed and employable. How to build a 3R workforce in the financial sector? Building a ready, resilient and relevant workforce – a 3R workforce – requires beyond individual efforts to collective efforts by every individual and each of the tripartite partners. NTUC's Financial and Business Services cluster of unions recently ran a series of focus group sessions and engaged more than 100 employees working in the financial sector from various financial institutions and in various job roles and grades. Workers and unions all agree that the financial sector landscape is changing rapidly. New jobs are being created with the advent of digital age and disruptive technology. They are what are now called 3G jobs; "3G" meaning "going, going, gone". Workers in this sector need to stay proactive and positive. Proactive to upskill to move up and stay ahead. Proactive to deep-skill to attain personal mastery.”
“In Singapore alone, Standard Chartered employs 7,000 workers, many of whom are Singaporeans. HSBC had also announced it would slash 50,000 jobs worldwide through 2017 as part of a global overhaul. Credit Suisse also announced 4,000 job cuts globally after the Swiss bank reported its first annual loss since the Global Financial Crisis just weeks ago. In January, Barclays also had to let go some of its employees as part of its move to exit the global institutional cash equities, equity research and equities capital market businesses. In fact, two weeks ago, I met up with 10 of those who were retrenched in January. I share their worries, fears and concerns. Why is this happening in the financial sector? There are many answers to that question: too rapid expansion; too high cost of manpower and rent; restructuring and recalibration; product consolidation, hence, the closure of major product lines; technological disruption of financial technology (fintech) and the overall global economic outlook. Page: 113 These are just some of the reasons why foreign financial institutions are hitting rough patches. Notwithstanding, jobs were being created in the financial industry, especially in growth areas within the sector, such as in the areas of compliance, risk management and information technology (IT). It is heartening to note from the recent financial results of our three local banks – United Overseas Bank, DBS and Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation – that they are profitable in 2015 and are still healthy, stable and are reportedly still hiring and not expected to undertake drastic headcount cuts.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for this opportunity to raise a current topic of importance. I wish to declare my interest as Co-Chairperson of the Financial Sector Tripartite Committee (FSTC) which was launched a fortnight ago as part of the national SkillsFuture initiative. Building a ready, resilient and relevant financial sector workforce is of importance because the financial sector is a strong contributor to our economic growth, our productivity growth and our growing influence and impact as a regional and global financial hub and centre. This is further accentuated by the fact that the sector is powered by a 170,000-strong workforce and whose productivity is one of the highest across various sectors and where Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) form the majority of the workforce. All the recent announcements about layoffs, wage freezes and lacklustre performance of global banking giants in the financial sector have fuelled global and local fears, uncertainties and doubts in the financial sector. This is further exacerbated by the plunge in crude oil prices, currency fluctuations and stock markets at new lows in the first two months of this year which all have ripple effects on the financial sector, whether it is demand on banking, finance, insurance, asset management services as well as stresses on loans and loan repayments. National retrenchment figures have also crept up in 2015, compared with 2014. At the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), we are also seeing more PMEs from the financial sector visit our U PME Centre to seek assistance since the last quarter of 2015. Standard Chartered announced in November last year that it plans to lay off 15,000 workers from its 86,000-strong global workforce by 2018.”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. I will ask this particular question, I think he is very familiar to the Boon Lay constituency, certain parts of the constituency where there are some commercial premises in which the roads which are publicly accessible are actually in disrepair. I hope the Ministry will take action to ensure that these potholes and other disrepair would be rectified so that the senior citizens and those who make use of those private areas, but publicly accessible roads, are not in any danger.”
“Today, it is about providing each individual with the tools to navigate an increasingly uncertain, volatile world. One answer would be promoting skills-oriented learning throughout workers' lives and integrate it into the workplace and outside the workplace. It has to be a continuum from Primary education to work and adult learning. It is not just to up-skill but to deep-skill, second-skill, to stay future-ready and future-proof themselves and also reskill if old jobs are gone and new jobs created. Training and lifelong learning needs to be both employer-supported and individually initiated and will require the involvement of every sector of society, from tripartite partners to various stakeholders. All said, the future will depend on individuals and their willingness to take advantage of the opportunities and invest in their own futures to stay future-ready. To conclude, we can overcome the ups and the downs and better match the three mismatches by: strengthening the Singaporean Core; strengthening the connection to jobs; and strengthening the careers of every worker, especially PMEs. As we move into an increasingly unstable, unpredictable and uncertain economic landscape, our workers need to re-calibrate ourselves and re-set our mental models. Employers and businesses must not be content with just re-adjusting but need to re-innovate and restructure. The Government needs to rethink and recreate. We need to triple our collective efforts to retool ourselves to be ready, relevant and resilient. On this note, I support the Motion of thanks to the President. 5.28 pm”
“How much and for how long should the monthly payouts be? At the end of the day, it all boils down to whether we can ensure the livelihood of the individual. Instead of a short-term and temporary fix like an unemployment insurance, why not give our PMEs the best insurance – that of a decent-paying job with a decent pay? Many employers and PMEs I speak to are not aware of the Career Support Programme (CSP) which was rolled out on 1 October last year. I urge all to take a closer look. The CSP provides subsidies to employers who hire mature PMEs 40 years and above for jobs paying $4,000 and Page: 61 above. Whether in peacetime or in the event of a downturn, the CSP not just helps PMEs land a job through direct wage subsidy to their employers, it ensures all PMEs affected have a job, a monthly salary, for the longer term. Better still, no premiums need to be paid. And if you ask how long it can sustain the PME, I would say it is for as long as you do your job and do it well. I suggest we should further promote, position and expand the CSP to provide targeted help to all PMEs. The CSP must drive and alter the behaviour of our companies and businesses and the mindsets of employers to seriously consider our mature PMEs. It will also provide our PMEs more options and opportunities in a challenging landscape. Third, strengthening the careers of PMEs. We need to arm our people with the right skills, put them in the right jobs with the right experience and expectations so that they can embark on a right career. As part of SkillsFuture, we must focus on the skills required for our PMEs to progress and prosper in a rapidly changing world. In the past, training was about imparting knowledge.”
“However, they may not know that with their experience and skills, there are other jobs, other sectors, that they can move across to. Hence, we need to strengthen the connection of jobs to our people and minimise the information gap. We need to know where the in-demand jobs are and the gaps in supply. We have the National Jobs Bank and other job portals where we can easily aggregate the job openings, mine the data and get a good sensing and greater insights. Our national programmes and agencies would be the best source of sussing out the demand and supply, particularly now, with SkillsFuture and the sectoral manpower plans and EDB/MOM data. With all this information, we can strengthen our employment facilitation. There are lots of analysis, synthesis, forecasting and analytics involved. It is hard work and it has to be a joint and collective effort by all, across agencies, tripartite partners and different stakeholders. In the same vein, even as we recreate current jobs and create new jobs, we should provide diversity and variety so that we can marry aspirations, passions, skills with good jobs and quality jobs. PMEs are increasingly more vulnerable to job losses and retrenchments. With the uncertain economic outlook, I worry for them. I, therefore, recently revisited the idea of better protecting our PMEs through unemployment insurance. I do not think unemployment insurance is an impossibility, whether privately-run or publicly-run and universally administered, but it needs closer study and scrutiny. We have to ask ourselves some important questions, such as: who can, should or shall be on the scheme? How much premium does one pay? What if you are in an industry which is more vulnerable or, in the converse, one which is more secure?”
“I still hear murmurings about certain sectors, the IT sector and the financial sector, in particular. The feedback is that there are still companies in these two sectors where there is a weak Singaporean Core and a weak commitment to create a Singaporean Core. The employment data fleshed out this morning seemed to have confirmed the ground feedback about the IT sector. We should and must take more resolute steps. However, it should not be a broad sweep. We should target at specific sectors and companies which remain recalcitrant and show a disregard or weak commitment to forming a Singaporean Core. Mr Cedric Foo and Ms Foo Mee Har had, on Tuesday, sounded the same concern. I am now putting forward two Page: 60 suggestions. The first is to impose a PME dependency ratio, similar to that for Work Permits and S Passes, for problem sectors which display the two "weaks" – weak Singaporean Core and a weak commitment to hire and develop Singaporeans. The second is to impose stricter Employment Pass application conditions and requirements for companies with the two "weaks". We need to move not just from a manpower-led to manpower-lean economy, but a Singaporean PME-led and foreigner PME-lean economy for our locals to fully exploit the labour market and, yet, be able to fully realise their potential and skills. As we have seen in recent weeks, certain sectors have started laying off PMEs. This may well be just the tip of the iceberg. We need to brace ourselves and, when employers do downsize and retrench, we urge them to let go of our Singaporean PMEs last. Second, strengthening the connection of PMEs to jobs. Many of the PMEs who come to the U PME Centres are experienced, knowledgeable and skilled.”
“Third, the mismatch of jobs. There are cases where PMEs are not well-matched with their current jobs. They do jobs which they have neither passion nor interest for. Sometimes, the job size is too small or quality of the job is not good. They become less motivated and less productive. There are those whose characters or personalities do not quite fit or match the kind of requirements the job entails. So, with these ups and downs and three mismatches, how can we help our future workforce of PMEs grapple with the Future Landscape and land themselves in Future Jobs? Is there a way to help us overcome the challenges of the employment landscape in the months and years ahead? Can we do more to minimise the gaps? I strongly believe we can and we can do so through strengthening what I call the 3Cs. What are these three Cs? They are: (a) strengthening the Core – the Singaporean Core; (b) strengthening the Connection – the Connection between PMEs and jobs; and (c) strengthening Careers – the Careers of PMEs to ensure they stay future-ready. First, strengthening the Singaporean Core. PMEs I speak to highlight the issue of nationality bias in the workplace. Two situations arise. One is where the entire workplace is filled with PMEs of a particular nationality. The grouse is not with their presence but the excessive presence and stark visuals. Second, is where foreign PMEs take jobs which Singaporean PMEs can fill, such as hiring a foreign PME to handle our local SME market or doing support or administrative functions, including basic HR functions. The Fair Consideration Framework and National Jobs Bank had been rolled out in 2014. This is a good start. However, the test now is whether it has helped create a Singaporean Core in all sectors and all companies.”
“We are also likely to see a dip in employment creation and, subsequently, a drop in the hiring of locals. In short, in the next couple of years, the likely reality will be that workers and, in particular, PMEs, may need to brace themselves for redundancies, unemployment, slower employment growth and, possibly, under-employment. So, what can we do for our PMEs? We must, first, recognise the three mismatches or challenges our PMEs face. What are these three mismatches? They are the mismatch of skills, mismatch of jobs and mismatch of expectations. First, mismatch of skills. I often hear complaints from some employers that our local PMEs lack the skills and experience for certain jobs and, therefore. they have to look elsewhere. Some employers feel our workers lack the regional and global experience and so cannot promote them or Page: 59 fill them up with our local PMEs. Then again, there are those who are over-skilled or over-qualified for the jobs, resulting in an under-employment situation. Second, mismatch of expectations. My colleagues at our U PME Centre and e2i have highlighted that there are some PMEs who go to them with unrealistic expectations in terms of the type of jobs and conditions. Then, I also hear of employers who lament and do not hire mature PMEs because they claim many of them cannot change, they cannot adapt to the new requirements expected of them and a host of other ageist remarks. There are some PMEs who may not be able to keep pace with the new job demands. There are also companies which do not take proactive steps to re-design, re-create or re-size the jobs or manage the change. Our society, too, must recognise and expect that we have a growing ageing workforce and that there will be an ever-increasing number of PMEs, mature ones, in our midst.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion to thank the President for his Address and to join in this debate. Just this morning, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) released a set of manpower and employment data for 2015. There are critical ups and downs that I would like to bring to this House. Employment growth in 2015 is down and the lowest in 13 years. Redundancy is up in 2015. Unemployment is flat but we must not assume it will stay flat or low. I expect an uptrend, especially for PMEs. Indeed, a timely reminder to all of us of the pressing need to redouble our efforts to restructure and find breakthroughs, lest we run the risk of having many of our fellow workers, especially PMEs, left behind or, worse still, left in the lurch. The data reflect a worrying trend that I have been seeing in the increasing cases of PMEs coming to the Labour Movement for help. Allow me to elaborate. There are PMEs entering the workforce who want to land a job or are looking to move up within their jobs; there are also female PMEs who have left the workforce to look after their family and now want to re-enter the workforce; and then there are the mature PMEs, many of whom are above 40 years of age, who may be out of job or are vulnerable to job loss or returned from an overseas job role and looking for jobs to move across or move into. I personally know some of them and have spoken to those who visit our U PME Centre. Some are demoralised, some are resigned, some are fearful and some dejected. I strongly feel we can do more and do better in this area of jobs and job security for our fellow Singaporean PMEs because, if we do not, we will run the risk of more ups and downs. We run the risk of an increase in the unemployment of PMEs and PME redundancy.”
“The enforcement capability of MOM has to be augmented and enhanced in this respect to ensure strict compliance of this new set of laws. I wish to ask the Minister whether there are specific sectors or industries, type of companies or businesses and any particular category of workers which MOM will target at for a start in relation to the compliance of this new set of mandatory requirements. Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The amendment to the Employment Act will enable the workers to have the legal basis to fight for their rights and to have better protection and fairer treatment. But the key is not having a piece of law, but enforcement and education. I urge MOM to "treat the symptom with the right medicine" and pay particular attention to the companies that have low-wage workers when implementing the law. I also urge MOM to promote this new regulation more actively so that the workers, especially the low-wage workers, can know that they will have these new rights. (In English): In conclusion, I welcome this set of amendments for the better protection of workers of Singapore, including PMEs. It will also further enhance our local employment laws, ensure its currency and relevance and inculcate an environment and system of fairer treatment of workers. However, all this can only be achieved with proper education of employers and employees, and effective enforcement. With this, I support the Bill.”
“This is a great boon to all workers as they can more easily overcome the need to carry out discovery, resolve and gather the evidence and facts in the course of a disagreement or dispute. It will also help build strong labour-management ties and ensure harmonious industrial relations as well as the employee relations landscape in Singapore. Although the provisions augeur well for workers of Singapore at all levels, including PMEs, I have two areas which I urge MOM to pay particular attention to. They are the two "E"s of education and enforcement. With the majority of Singaporean companies being SMEs, it is imperative for MOM to ensure good outreach and publicity to ensure this set of amendments and mandatory requirements are cascaded to all employers, be they big or small companies. Employees and workers also need to know their rights. This will not be an easy task and will require MOM Page: 87 to work closely with our tripartite partners to ensure that all employers are well equipped and supported to institutionalise the systems and HR practices to comply. Furthermore, employees also need to know their new entitlements and rights. Besides those initiatives shared by the Minister, I would like to urge MOM to work out handy guides in a variety of languages, set up a hotline, operate one-stop service centres and undertake various channels of outreach to ensure that all employers as well as employees and workers are correctly educated. Rules and laws are only as effective as when they translate to compliance and best practices on the ground. I will not be surprised that some employers will just pay lip service or do the minimum to window-dress. Such rogue employers should be taken to task and recalcitrant ones dealt with severely with penal sanctions.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Employment Amendment Bill. The first phase of changes to the Employment Act took place last year with the expansion of the scope to PMEs within its ambit. I am glad that this second phase of change is taking place promptly a year later. There are three key amendments this round which will positively impact workers in Singapore. I particularly welcome the move to mandate employers to provide itemised payslips to all their employees together with their salary payments. Secondly, MOM will also require employers to provide written KET to all employees with continuous employment of at least 14 days with the company. Thirdly, employers will be required to keep complete and accurate employee records for a prescribed period of time. As a union leader, I have encountered many workers at all levels of the hierarchy who enter into disputes with their employers often because they are shortchanged or compromised in the course of work or when terminated or retrenched. This can happen intentionally or sometimes through innocent mistakes by the employers or due to sheer ignorance of their right and the best practices. This is particularly prevalent in cases of temporary or contract employment and often involves lower-wage industries. Mandating these three requirements will pave the way towards a fairer workplace and employment relationship for the workers of Singapore. With a clear itemised payslip, written employment contract with key provisions and well-kept employee records, it will help minimise acrimonious disputes, long legal tussles, miscommunication, stress, time and cost.”