Following the National Budget announcement on 18 February 2019, Members of Parliament took to the stand to debate the Budget announcements made by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat. We recount what our Labour Members of Parliament had to say.
[Read More: Here's what Budget 2019 meant to workers.]
NTUC Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) Heng Chee How
Help caregivers return to work with better eldercare and flexible work arrangements
Singapore’s local workforce will plateau from around 2020. There will be zero net growth in local workforce as those coming into the workforce will only be enough to replace those retiring.
In his speech, DSG Heng said that besides school-leavers, productivity growth and foreign manpower, there is a fourth manpower tap – making the best of the local population in the working ages, both currently at work as well as those who are not working.
DSG Heng cited that there are 33,000 female residents between 40 to 59 who are not working due to caregiving commitments.
“The total latent pool of Singaporeans who can and want to work is significant. This leakage of national potential will grow as the Singapore population ages further, and more caregiving needs emerge with families,” he said.
He also said that there is a structural mismatch between supply and demand for manpower, as many companies are facing a tight labour market.
DSG Heng called for a tripartite effort to examine and ascertain the requirements for sustainable senior care provisions to “enable the activation of the latent mature manpower pool.”
DSG Heng also cited a survey done by NTUC U Family which found that many stay-home women between the ages of 25 to 54 were keen on returning to the workforce should they find suitable part-time work.
He added that despite tripartite efforts to promote flexible work arrangements (FWAs) over the years, companies have still yet to integrate them into their manpower model.
“Therefore, a thorough review of how part-time and flexi-work options can become integral to the mainstream staffing models of Singapore companies, alongside full-time work model, is needed,” said DSG Heng.
He shared that more than 40 per cent of jobseekers at NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) are successfully placed into mainly full-time jobs.
Meanwhile, for those returning to the workforce, higher placement rates will only be achieved if they are trained and matched properly.
Tripartite partners must determine how training, retraining and job matching methods should be adapted to achieve significant improvement in the placement rates into part-time jobs, he said.
Read DSG Heng's full Budget Debate speech here.
NTUC Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) Koh Poh Koon
All to play a part in building tripartism and helping all workers grasp new opportunities
Older workers are assets to the workforce due to their experience and wisdom, said DSG Koh in his speech. He encouraged companies to increase the employment and employability of older workers through training.
“With our transition to a knowledge-based economy and the wider use of enabling technology, our workers rely less on physical strength and work experience becomes an even more important asset. Our older workers with their years of industry experience are well-placed to leverage technological tools to maximise their productivity potential. Successful Industry 4.0 transformation must be complemented by a competent Worker 4.0,” said DSG Koh.
To transform, the Government, businesses and workers must all adjust mindsets and adapt, and employers must take the lead.
“With supportive employers coming onboard the transformation journey, workers will also be encouraged to pick up the relevant skills,” said DSG Koh.
He urged companies to focus on placing emphasis on job redesign to ensure older workers can adapt to new technology and work environments and to provide better training for older workers to upskill and leverage technology.
In 2018, more than 40 per cent of clients served at NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) were above the age of 50, with professionals, managers, executives and technicians making half that number.
He also cited NTUC’s successful efforts to upskill and re-skill older workers through the Professional Conversion Programmes, Place-and-Train-Programmes and Professional Development Programmes.
DSG Koh said that NTUC will be keen to continue to work with the Government on implementing the changes to the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) and the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) to ensure a good outcome for workers.
“Government grants for transformation must partner the Labour Movement and result in better outcomes for our workers. We need to continue helping Singaporean workers keep pace with economic transformation so that they can continue to have better wages, career prospects, progression, protection and privileges,” he said.
To make Industry Transformation real for workers, NTUC will firstly become a viewfinder for the training of workers, and second work, with companies on the setting up of company training committees.
Working with learning institutes and professional institutions, e2i will be rolling out enhancements to the U Leap training app, and introduce more certifiable modules, said DSG Koh. U Leap will also work with Human Capital Singapore to launch a community network for bosses in March this year.
On the training committees, DSG Koh said: “The Training Exco, through the promulgation of company training committees in the companies, will enable the Labour Movement, employers and government to work together more closely to operationalise the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs), and support future skills development and job placement strategies under the various ITMs. We must ensure that Industry Transformation leads to real outcomes for our workers.”
Read DSG Koh's full Budget Debate speech here.
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) Patrick Tay
Building a pro-worker foundation
Describing the social and economic challenges facing Singapore, ASG Tay expressed the need for workers to be able to adapt and cope with career transitions and a rapid skills churn.
With a focus on professionals, managers, and executives (PMEs), especially older PMEs, ASG Tay proposed three key thrusts to better support them.
The first is the need to enhance protection in the workplace, particularly in the re-design of jobs and the future-proofing of workers’ skillsets. He said that stakeholders must strengthen information flow, overcome information asymmetry and collaborate on transformation.
To illustrate his point, he cited the examples of how industry and union leaders, employers and workers had come together to share knowledge and experiences for transformation during NTUC’s recent Future Jobs, Skills and Training Forum.
He added that as the line between PMEs and rank-and-file workers get increasingly blurred, more must be done to look after the welfare of workers.
The second thrust is enabling progression. Using the metaphor of workers as Formula One drivers and training providers as pit crew, ASG Tay said that training providers must prioritise the speed-to-market of their training offerings so that workers will be able to quickly pick up relevant skills and get back into the career race.
He also shared how the Labour Movement has been focused on these efforts by citing the example of NTUC’s Healthcare Academy and its range of programmes that have been co-created by the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU) and NTUC LearningHub for healthcare workers.
Referencing the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) and its structured wage and skills ladders for workers, ASG Tay said that the efforts should be scaled on a national level to better support low-wage PMEs progress in their careers.
The final thrust is in expanding the potential of our future workers.
“I want to also call for more pre-emptive and proactive training as we can only do this with support from our tripartite partners,” he said.
While SkillsFuture Credit utilisation has increased, ASG Tay hopes that the Government will consider making another top-up of $500 to enable workers to further their personal growth with more training.
Read ASG Tay's full Budget Debate speech here.
NTUC Assistant Director-General (ADG) Ang Hin Kee
A level playing field and fair opportunities for freelancers
Focused on freelancers and self-employed in Singapore, NTUC Assistant Director-General (ADG) Ang Hin Kee said that more can still be done to help them deepen their capabilities and enjoy better career opportunities.
Addressing the issue of loss of income, a leading concern of freelancers, ADG Ang shared how the new National Instructors and Coaches Association has collaborated with insurers to offer Prolonged Medical Leave (PML) insurance for freelance members who teach sports, enrichment and wellness, at a subsidised rate. NTUC’s National Private Hire Vehicles Association has also worked with ride-hailing company Grab to give their active drivers free PML insurance coverage.
As part of PML, insured freelancers can receive a payout in the event of prolonged medical leave, enabling him or her to still receive an income during the period of recuperation.
Given these benefits, ADG Ang hopes that the Government can take the lead in encouraging freelancers bidders for projects to be protected by such insurance coverage.
Another area of support for freelancers is the provision of training support to deepen their competencies. ADG Ang shared that while NTUC has been doing its part to organise masterclasses and workshops for freelancers, even those in niche sectors such as rigging, he hopes to be able to partner government agencies to develop skills frameworks for this group of workers.
Additionally, freelancers can also get opportunities to participate in the recently announced Global Ready Talent and Professional Conversion Programmes.
“We hope that the Government can consider partnering freelancer associations and the NTUC to send young Singaporean freelancers to key regional markers. We also stand ready to select and prepare young workers from among unionised companies, especially those who have displayed leadership skills, to gain such overseas exposure so that they can develop new skills to better support our firms’ overseas expansion,” he said.
Referencing the Ministry of Manpower’s report where 500 companies have adopted the Tripartite Standards for Contracting With Self-Employed Persons, ADG Ang is glad that the joint efforts have seen some initial success and is looking forward to being able to encourage more enterprises to do the same.
He also touched on the impact of diesel tax, which has caused much concern among taxi drivers as it means higher operating costs to them. As he related the drivers’ calls for more support in helping them manage higher operating costs, ADG Ang also asked if it could be possible for the licensing criteria for taxi licence operators to include positive outcomes for workers.
Read ADG Ang's full Budget Debate speech here.
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) Zainal Sapari
Uplifting the lives of low-wage workers
Everyone in society has a part to play to help low-wage workers, said ASG Zainal in his speech.
He commended the Government for its continued efforts to help low-wage workers in this year’s Budget and added that NTUC welcomes the enhancements to the Workfare income supplement scheme.
To help low-wage workers further, he suggested the Government consider increasing the cash-to-CPF ratio as this would “put more cash in the hands of low-wage workers to help them better meet their immediate needs.”
As NTUC continues to rally workers to upskill, ASG Zainal urged for Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses to be reviewed.
“NTUC stands ready to work with the industry stakeholders, training providers and SkillsFuture Singapore to ensure WSQ courses are comprehensive and flexible to suit the needs of the industry,” he said.
Touching on the Progressive Wage Model, ASG Zainal hopes to see more industry stakeholders come forward to work with the Government and NTUC to develop PWMs for their industries.
“Coupled with WSQ modules being made more relevant, this would be a sustainable way to raise the wages of our workers,” said ASG Zainal.
He highlighted that service buyers play a key role in uplifting the lives of low-wage workers. NTUC has been encouraging them to adopt Outcome-Based Contracting and to place greater emphasis on quality than price.
Examples of progressive procurement practices include specifying service outcomes rather than headcounts in contracts, considering longer contract periods, treating service providers as partners rather than contractors, and considering the experience of incumbent workers.
“NTUC hopes to see more government bodies take the lead to adopt these Outcome-Based Contracting and progressive procurement practices. Our unions have been working closely with the industry associations to engage buyers and catalyse this on the ground,” said ASG Zainal.
He added that service buyers have a moral responsibility to look after the welfare of outsourced workers. This includes training, by allowing providers to send their workers for training and workplace welfare such as providing designated rest areas.
He also hoped that the Government will only award contracts to service providers that have adopted tripartite guidelines and standards that promote fair and progressive employment practices.
At the same time, low-wage workers must help themselves earn better wages through upskilling and knowing their employment rights, urged ASG Zainal.
“As a society, we are judged by how we care for the less fortunate. Helping low-wage workers earn better wages, gain better welfare and be shown greater respect is not the Government’s responsibility alone. It is our collective responsibility to create a better society,” said ASG Zainal.
Read ASG Zainal's full Budget Debate speech here.
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) Desmond Choo
Helping youths and prioritising lifelong learning
In his budget debate speech, ASG Choo discussed how we can help youths succeed in a mature economy and the importance of lifelong learning.
He said that youths today face more disruptions in their work lives, and can be expected to need multiple career and skill trampolines.
This is where job facilitation is crucial for fresh graduates, especially those from private educational institutions (PEIs). The latest PEI Graduate Employment Survey found that only 47 per cent of these graduates managed to find a job within six months of their graduation. These students also earned a median salary of $2,650 compared to $3,400 by their peers from local autonomous universities.
“We must continually review the PEIs to either enhance the skills and job value of these qualifications or to increase the students’ awareness of alternative options. NTUC is prepared to assist with career navigation via its Youth Career Network platforms.
ASG Choo also emphasised the importance of regional work experience for youths as the knowledge of overseas markets is now a requirement for senior executive roles in major companies.
“While programmes such as NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) and the Global Ready Talent Programme (GRTP) allow for meaningful internships, we need our youths to also pursue full-time jobs overseas. I hope that we can start to take the first step in harnessing the strength of our overseas trade offices and larger Singaporean companies with regional presence to build employment networks,” he said.
Discussing the subject of lifelong learning, ASG Choo said that while workers today are aware of training and upgrading as a necessity, it is easier said than done as many workers have to straddle the demands of work and training with financial and family commitments.
This is where he hopes that workers, especially younger ones, can be supported in their bid to pick up additional qualifications that can help them in making career transitions. This could be undertaken through various means, such as a Reskilling Incentive Scheme, and courses that are versatile in their application.
“Creating a culture of reskilling is not just a Government’s duty but the duty of unions and employers. Learning agility is the key to building a modern workforce capable of navigating and leveraging opportunities arising from disruptions,” he said.
Read ASG Choo's full Budget Debate speech here.
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) Melvin Yong
Take no chances with workplace safety and health because everyone matters
Singapore can do more when it comes to training and workplace safety and health (WSH), said ASG Yong.
Touching on training, he said: “With the ever-increasing speed of technological advancement, we must ensure that workers – be it those in multi-national companies or those in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – are able to tap on training opportunities and ensure that they continue to stay relevant amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
He identified three key challenges when it comes to training – course, cost, time. To address these challenges, ASG Yong proposed three strategies, which are building depth, bringing training closer to workers and formalising the importance of training with management.
On building depth, he proposed the Government allows the SkillsFuture Credit to be used to offset polytechnic and university courses. These should apply to all types of courses, from part-time diplomas to specialist certificates.
Tripartite partners should also work together to help identify training needs and craft in-depth training courses. ASG Yong cited the example of how the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) worked with the Land Transport Authority and public transport operators to set up the Singapore Bus Academy and the Singapore Rail Academy.
On bringing training closer to workers, he conceded that some courses cannot be online and would require a physical premise. He suggested that schools and institutes of higher learning be used as locations for workers to upgrade.
The United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI) has signed agreements with polytechnics in the west, east and north to provide training courses at locations close to their workplaces, cited ASG Yong.
He also said that management needs to formalise and recognise the importance of training towards the company’s transformation. He also urged every company to work with the Labour Movement to establish a formal training committee in their company.
On WSH, ASG Yong said that there are four areas Singapore can look at to safeguard workers’ safety and health at the workplace.
First, place more emphasis on workplace health by mandating initiatives such as a yearly health-check up for workers to detect and prevent chronic occupational disease. Second, have a differentiated insurance premium, such as increased insurance cost for companies with poor WSH track records. The third is to have a WSH representative in all companies to make WSH pervasive in every workplace.
Finally, ASG Yong suggested a National WSH training Academy as this will ensure high and consistent WSH standards.
“It is imperative that we continue to invest in WSH practices to ensure that our workers can return home to their families, safe and healthy, every day. Our closely coordinated tripartite efforts in recent years have started to bear fruit … However, more can be done, as despite the decrease in fatalities, the number of major and minor injuries have actually increased,” said ASG Yong.
Read ASG Yong's full Budget Debate speech here.
Labour Member of Parliament Seah Kian Peng
Developing workers in line with technological advancements
Technological advancements may have positives for a business, such as greater cost effectiveness and more efficient processes, said Labour Member of Parliament and NTUC FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng.
But it doesn’t come without its concerns. From a worker’s perspective, which Mr Seah described as Industrial Relations 4.0, the concerns cover issues such as infringement of personal privacy because smart technologies can determine an employee’s whereabouts. Working life is also becoming more precarious for workers with no laws to protect them. It affects the way workers process information, their working time and workplace relationships.
Citing the example of NTUC FairPrice, he said that the company’s transformation journey is a multifaceted one, with automated distribution centres, online platforms, adopting technology to improve processes in stores.
Together with the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU), FairPrice’s human resources team is working to retrain the company’s staff to take on new jobs and work with new machines and technology.
“This is important so that our staff, especially the older ones, are not left behind… This is not a walk in the park, but we are committed to this journey. In this age of technological advancement, the human resource divisions need to rise to the call – to remember that we are dealing with humans, and to ensure that our regulatory regime keeps up with human needs and wants,” said Mr Seah.
He said that stakeholders have to guard against being technology-centric over being people-centric because it is still about the user. This is where it is important to centre investment on humans just as investment is being made in technology.
“We talk about industrial revolution, but the quieter yet more violent one lies in the companion revolution in the way we work and relate to each other.
“Technology allows us to do more. The humanities allow us to know why and how we ought to deploy our new powers,” said Mr Seah, who added that this is why we need to think about the way investment in education is being made, and what policy makers can do in Government.
As technology continues to develop and be advanced, Mr Seah is also making a case for a National Committee for Ethics in Science and Technology to think about ethical issues in the fields of science and technology, and how it affects our humans relationships.
Read Mr Seah's full Budget Debate speech here.
Labour Nominated Member of Parliament Arasu Duraisamy
Support mature workers with work and training opportunities
In his maiden Budget 2019 speech, Mr Arasu suggested the retirement age be raised to 65 from the current 62 and the re-employment age be raised to 70 from the current 67.
He said that 20 unionised companies have already raised their retirement age or do not have a contractual retirement age.
“Many older workers have told us that they are not ready to retire for good. Some need to continue working as they are the sole breadwinners of their families. Some need to support their children’s education in universities and others hope to build up the family’s medical and retirement funds which at 67 years old, many of them still felt was inadequate.
“But most importantly, many of them expressed the fact that they are still physically able, relatively healthy and want to continue to be gainfully employed,” said Mr Arasu.
He added that extending the retirement and re-employment age provides certainty to workers who want to continue working and allows them time to plan for training, upskilling and adapting to digital transformation.
Mr Arasu also urged the Government to recognise companies who are willing to send their workers for training and automate job processes and make it easier for them to tap on grants as opposed to companies who do not do so.
“Singapore as a Smart Nation will position us well in the competitive global economy and hence, we need to push everyone to step up the pace of industry transformation and push for productivity growth through automation and developing a skilled workforce. If our workers are all gainfully employed, it will benefit employers, the Government and the nation overall as Every Worker Matters,” he said.
Read Mr Arasu's full Budget Debate speech here.
[Read More: Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng hopes that our national leaders will have workers at the heart of everything they do.]
