Mr Speaker, COVID-19 has impacted economies worldwide. Singapore is also not spared. With supply chains being impacted, the transport and logistic sector will also be affected. As the General Secretary of the Singapore Port Workers’ Union, I too am worried for my brothers and sisters in the sector.
As compared to the four sectors worst hit by COVID-19, the impact on the transport and logistics sectors are not as pronounced yet. However, workers are concerned that they might soon be the “next in line” as they see telling signs of businesses slowing down, a reduction in overtime and incentive earnings as well as being asked to clear their vocational leaves due to the low activities. It is not just our local workers who are worried about losing their jobs or having a reduction in their take-home pay; our migrant workers in the transport and logistics sectors are also concerned.
Leveraging labour-management relations to tide through this difficult period
It is in the time of crisis where we must leverage the existing labour-management relations or LMR in short, to help workers and companies through this challenging period.
I recalled, when Malaysia first announced the Movement Control Order, the union and PSA management quickly came together to make arrangements to house our Malaysian counterparts in PSA-operated dormitories. Issues raised by these members were resolved quickly and amicably. When the Singapore Government imposed movement restrictions on workers staying at dormitories, once again, the union and the management partners moved quickly to ensure the workers' needs are taken care of. Union leaders and members volunteered their help to support the management in the distribution of meals, daily essentials to these workers in the dormitories. Some even stepped up to be safe distancing ambassadors at the dorms and workplace.
Leveraging labour-management relations to implement safe management measures
These are just some of my personal experiences of how LMR has come to play an essential role during this challenging period. Even as Singapore gradually reopens our economy, LMR can continue to play a crucial role to ensure that workers can return to work safely and businesses can continue to operate.
For companies to resume operations, safe management measures must be put in place to minimise the re-emergence of COVID-19 community cases. While it might bring about some inconveniences, we all know that these measures are necessary. Due to this necessity, NTUC has worked with Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute and NTUC LearningHub to facilitate the training of union leaders, management partners and union staff as Safe Management Officers. Having knowledge of safe management measures, union leaders will then be able to work with their management partners to coordinate and implement these measures on the ground. Each one of us must do our part in adhering to these measures, and I hope that more companies can come on board and get trained so that businesses can continue to operate safely and workers can work in a safe environment.
Leveraging labour-management relations to drive workers’ training
Another area that we could leverage LMR is workers’ training. As compared to pre-COVID times, business activity might not be as high during this period, and we should make use of this time to retrain workers. In the port sector, our unions are working with the company to train workers to have dual skills so that they can be cross deployed across roles. One example is how we are encouraging our crane operators and drivers to be reskilled as reefer and equipment maintenance technicians. This will not only give the company the flexibility to deploy these workers, but this will also increase the value-add the workers bring to the company. I believe we can also explore similar cross-training opportunities in other sectors.
Our unions and management must work even more closely during this challenging period to give confidence to our workers. In the areas such as workers’ safety and workers’ training, we should take proactive steps to reassure our workers that we are still doing our utmost best to improve their wages, welfare and work prospects.
Moving forward, what else can we do to keep our workers' jobs and livelihoods? At a recent dialogue with PSA Group CEO Tan Chong Meng, our union leaders and PSA’s senior management partners, he shared with us four steps which we can take to help the organisation move forward in post-COVID times. Taking a page out of that, I feel these steps are very much relevant to us as a nation.
Be prepared for recession
First, be prepared for recession. In the most recent estimate by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore’s GDP (Global Domestic Product) is projected to be between -7% to -4%. Job losses and retrenchments are inevitable. In a typical business environment, it takes a retrenched worker about three to six months to secure a new job. But the current climate has exacerbated these norms.
In light of this possible impact on workers, can the Government explore making COVID-19 Support Grant a long-term help to provide workers facing short-term unemployment? For example, can the Government consider extending the length of support beyond three months, with each applicant reassessed every three months based on their past training and job search efforts? Can we also increase the quantum of assistance to $1,000 per month, aligning with SIRS (Self-
Employed Person Income Relief Scheme), because both employees and self-employed face the same pressure during the periods of unemployment? Can the scheme be more favourable to workers who are sole breadwinners of their families, as they would be under great financial pressure as compared to dual-income families?
Be resilient
Second, be resilient. As a country, we need to be resilient. Businesses can use this time to relook at work processes and business strategies while workers can review their training needs. Take this opportunity to reflect and learn from our past experiences, and hopefully, this will bring about new and innovative solutions which we can leverage when the economy recovers. Let’s work together as a country to develop more win-win solutions for both companies and workers, to enable us to be more resilient in the face of future adversities.
While there might be some short-term pains, it is not all doom and gloom as the recovery will eventually come. Therefore, we must use this downtime strategically to transform our economy and accelerate the push for Industry 4.0 in the various sectors. If we can take this period to leverage and adopt technology, increase productivity, reduce our reliance on foreign workforce and reskill our workers to take up new jobs, I believe Singapore is well-poised to take advantage of the new opportunities when the global economy recovers.
Be prepared to go regional
Third, be prepared to go regional. As supply chain and global manufacturing start to shift away from China, we need to refocus on regional manufacturing zones such as Central and Eastern Europe or CEE for Europe, Mexico for the Americas as well as India and South-East Asia countries for Asia. These shifts in the supply
chain will cause inter-regional trade to slow down but intra-regional trade will likely grow at a faster pace. We must support our businesses to venture into these countries and prepare our workforce to work in these regions.
Be prepared to reform
Four, be prepared to reform. While Singapore has embarked on transforming our economy and our businesses to adopt Industry 4.0 technological advances, the progress is not as fast as we expected it to be. However, with COVID-19, it has accelerated some of these transformations, particularly in the area of digital transformation. Adoption of digital solutions has increased exponentially. This calls for reformation, a change in our convictions or perhaps, a rewiring of our professional DNA, to open up to transformation or reforms. Within the last six weeks, we have learned how to work and study from home, shop online, pay via e-payment, entertain and socially interact online. Online shopping, ordering of foods and services via apps, telecommuting and virtual meetings have become the new norm. It has changed the way we look at everything, including the way we transformed and the speed of transformation. Thus, I applaud the Government for sustaining the momentum of digitalisation but can we do more by extending this support to all sectors?
Conclusion
Sir, in conclusion, never in the history of this nation has this house approved four budgets within four months, so let us not let these efforts go to waste and press ahead with the transformation. Let us be prepared for recession, be resilient, be prepared to go regional and be prepared to reform.
These assistances cannot go on indefinitely, and we cannot keep drawing down on our reserves. Whether you’re a worker, a business owner or even a citizen of Singapore, let us all do our part to support one another through this challenging period. Let us unite in solidarity, as one people, one nation, one Singapore and with resilience and fortitude, we shall prevail.
I support the Budget, thank you.
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