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Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Fortitude Budget. Just to chime in on what NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said earlier – I particularly like and applaud the Budget because of its focus on workers. I can’t help but emphasise that this Budget focuses on the lives and livelihoods of workers, and that struck me very hard. Today, I would like to use my speech to highlight three important areas, which we should look at.
Firstly, I will use this opportunity to share some of the horror stories happening in the workplace in light of COVID-19, circuit breaker and all the measures that I've been hearing and seeing the past couple of weeks. Secondly, I would like to share a bit about the Singaporean core. And thirdly, to highlight the plight of mid-career workers, in particular the Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs).
On some of the horror stories, I wrote an opinion piece, which was published last Saturday in The Straits Times. This opinion piece, and these horror stories, came about because of many engagements that I had in the last eight weeks of circuit breaker – with many union leaders, unionists, residents, including fellow workers through various platforms. In fact, it has been quite a learning journey; using Zoom, WebEx, Big Marker, Microsoft Teams and various platforms including Facebook Live and LinkedIn Live. So, it was a good opportunity to learn those skills but also a fantastic opportunity to engage fellow workers that I've never had an opportunity to do so in normal times because of various constraints and situations.
Unfair employment practices
Firstly, I’ve heard of workers being shortchanged, in the sense that, unilaterally, employers have reduced their work hours and reduced their salaries. I think this is a startling wake up call, particularly because in these situations there was no consultation with the worker, and no agreement with the worker. That's one example – a unilateral withdrawal or reduction of salaries.
A second horror story that often plays out that I’ve also heard from workers, is a situation during this particular period, a worker suddenly gets a very poor performance rating, where previously in the past couple of years, he has always had a satisfactory or better rating. In this situation, his exit from the company is expedited. The third scenario that I’ve also heard is where the employee is given a new job scope, to do something very different from what he/she used to, or sometimes is even excluded for meetings and important company events. Therefore, in a way, the worker is forced to exit the company. The fourth scenario (which I also shared earlier during question time) happens when a worker is contractually terminated, whether with or without notice. Sometimes, this is a disguised retrenchment scenario, ie the worker may be contractually terminated without reason. Subsequently, after he or she has left the company, he/she realises that the particular slot was left vacant and was not filled up. This means that there was a redundancy situation and they were not adequately compensated with retrenchment benefits or severance pay.
Another scenario or horror story I have also heard of, is on the issue of safe workplaces. Just as we reopened a couple of days ago, I’ve also heard of workers, who actually in the course of work, can and are able to work from home, are forced to go back to the companies by the management or employers. That's another horror story. Finally, another horror story will be a situation where employers, although after they have terminated workers in March or April or even earlier, still contribute employers’ CPF to workers, resulting in workers enjoying employer-contributed CPF and of course, companies abusing public funds in that while they contribute employees CPF, they can also enjoy the Jobs Support scheme. These are some of the horror stories I have come across. Fortunately, these are not rampant. Many of these cases where workers have shared, through the various platforms, whether private messages, emails or even conversation, happen in many of these non-unionised companies. In unionised companies, we have a collective agreement as well as a lot of negotiation and discussion with companies.
My suggestions are three-fold: Firstly, I am glad that Minister Josephine Teo earlier on during question time, has addressed this point on some of the unfair workplace practices. I am glad that the Ministry of Manpower, where they detect such cases would take resolute steps to enforce against such errant or recalcitrant employers. I am glad that is happening.
Secondly, I think it is important that employers are aware of the various tripartite advisories and guidelines that have been issued. There are a few that were rolled out, in particular to address COVID-19 scenarios. As we reopen and go into phase one, phase two or phase three, the various scenarios and new normal or next normal, so to speak, that will happen. I urge employers to watch out for all these various advisories, to ensure that workplaces are safe for their workers, as well as for their customers and clients that visit their workplaces or offices. More importantly, the tripartite partners should, and will, use this opportunity to work even more closely together – particularly with all these practices, and the rules and advisories that are coming down hard and fast, we want to work very, very closely together.
At the company level, it is also important for employee and employer to maintain regular, open and transparent communication. I think this is the best time to build that trust. Especially as workers, even those who are not affected, are looking at how the employer is treating their employees. I think that's one area.
I also hope that employers will work doubly hard, in particular, looking out for all these various schemes, latching on them, and of course not flouting any of the rules and advisories that have already been fleshed out and promulgated.
I can't emphasise more – as what Sec-Gen Ng Chee Meng mentioned earlier – the need for tripartism and the ability to work as a tripartite front, as a tripartite relationship. I can’t emphasise more the importance for us to work together, in particular to review some of these advisories, be it the National Wages Council recommendations or other advisories and guidelines. Perhaps even moving ahead to review some of these employment laws because of the new normal that we are having to operate in, and some of the new rules and that fact that more people are working from home.
With this Fortitude Budget, and with the past three Budgets as well, I think it's also a good time for us to reinforce the message of forging and strengthening the Singaporean core. I can’t emphasise more and I'm glad that we have the SGUnited programme, as well as the whole plethora of programmes. The fact is, we are faced with many challenges – global lockdowns across various parts of the world and even with our neighbors. Hence, I think it very important for us to relook at not just self-sufficiency in many fronts, but also to build and strengthen a Singaporean Core. I think this is a great opportunity for us to work together to build and strengthen, and hire and develop a Singaporean core, which has always been the agenda the last couple of years. I think we have rolled out quite a series of measures in this area. We have the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices and we will continue those efforts. More importantly, employers must keep their minds open, and be open to strengthening the Singaporean core in all areas, particularly in the space where there are many PMEs.
The third area that I would just like to highlight, is on the plight, anxieties and fears of many of our mid-career workers, in particular the PMEs. If you look at the global financial crisis during SARS, and even before COVID-19, if you look at the labour market statistics, in terms of the increase in unemployment rate, this particular group, especially the mid-career workers, including PMETs are the most vulnerable and most affected. And therefore, I can't emphasise more the many fears and anxieties that this group have. Even prior to COVID-19 they're already a very vulnerable, very susceptible group of workers, and with this whole game change and this next normal, I really fear and worry for them. I hope with all the measures, and I'm glad that in this Fortitude budget as well as the other Budgets, we focused a lot on mid-career workers, particularly the PMEs through the Career Support Programme, Adapt and Grow and the whole slew of measures.
To that end, I would really like to give my thanks for some of the things that have been rolled out in this Fortitude Budget, besides the SGUnited traineeship programme, the SkillsFuture initiatives, but also in the hiring of local workers - where employers will receive hiring incentives of 20% for six months for eligible employees under 40, and 40% for six months for eligible employees above 40. These are good measures and resolute measures to help and encourage companies because not all companies are laying off people. They may be a small group, but there are still opportunities. I hope through this Budget and all these measures, coupled with the close partnership among tripartite partners and of course the newly formed National Jobs Council, that more employers will step forward to embrace some of these schemes – not just the traineeship programmes, but at the same time, if they have the opportunity, to latch on some of these useful schemes and support measures. I urge the Government as well: for companies that have this strong hiring or strengthening of Singaporean core, and at the same time, employ good, responsible and progressive practices, I hope the Government can give these companies a pat on their back, and extend more and greater support so that these companies will be encouraged to do even more.
Finally, I can't emphasise more during this particular period, as we overcome COVID-19 and all the ramifications, be it from the economy or the labour market, I hope we can eradicate some of these horror stories, one by one. I hope we can build a Singaporean core. I hope also that we can pay particular attention to the mid-career workers, because even before the pandemic, they were already very vulnerable. Therefore, I hope more emphasis and more support can be given for this particular group, so that they able to rise up to the challenge.
As we reopened these past few days – and as we renew, restart, refresh and even rejuvenate ourselves during the circuit breaker for some, let us also reinvent ourselves. Let us reinvigorate, rejuvenate ourselves, so that we are able to reposition ourselves and ensure that in all things that we do, we can refocus that trust between the employee and employer, but also the employer and his industry. The industry needs to work together and hunt as a pack. Of course, on a bigger picture on a national front, the tripartite partners must and will work together, Government, NTUC and all the employers, so that we are able to pivot, rise to the challenge and at the same time grasp the new opportunities that come before us.
On this note, I would like to emphasise that every worker matters and every job counts. I support the Budget.
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