Story and Photo by Shukry Rashid
Mabel Low’s journey with IRAS Staff Union (IRASSU) is as old as the union itself. In 1993, fresh out of polytechnic, she joined the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) as a tax officer and subsequently became part of the IRASSU’s membership committee in the same year the union was formed. IRAS was established as a statutory board in 1992 under the Ministry of Finance. The 43-year-old is currently the general secretary (GS), a position she has held since 2005. She shares with us the priorities and challenges of the union, and what is being done to tackle them.
NTUC This Week: What were your priorities when you first took over as GS?
Mabel Low: We were struggling with our membership numbers – it was only about 46–47 per cent unionisation rate. It was something that needed immediate attention. In the public sector, it’s hard to sell union membership based on the importance of workplace protection. Many people regard this place as an iron rice bowl, and our management takes good care of the workers. We focused on other things to bring members in, like emphasising on benefits and privileges but we also had to think about its sustainability. The union started doing more activities and events, and any staff of IRAS could come and join. From there, they had a taste of what our union does and could decide if union membership was for them.
What else was done to recruit more members?
We also introduced another initiative for IRASSU members called the Lifelong Employability Training Grant Scheme or LETGS, which works like NTUC’s UTAP [Union Training Assistance Programme]. IRASSU members will receive $250 worth of LETGS credit to help co-pay a third of the cost of upgrading courses, while the management will pay the other two-third. LETGS is on top of UTAP. Our members above 40 years old will get $400 worth of LETGS credit. If the courses are conducted during office hours, they will also get unrecorded leave. Thanks to the support of the management, our members have been able to enhance their employability. Currently, our unionisation rate stands at almost 60 per cent.
With the current wave of disruption and digitalisation, how are you helping your members cope with the times?
We are trying to create more awareness of these changes and the need for lifelong learning. The union has identified a group of members who we think are more vulnerable to be displaced. We have talked to them since the beginning of the year on being aware of these changes and their mindsets towards upskilling.
You seem to have built good labour-management relations (LMR) with the management. In fact, they recently gave you a commendation award. Tell us about that.
The award was given to me on 31 August 2017 during the IRAS Day. I guess I was given this award not only in my capacity as a good worker but also because of our good LMR. Of course, the main objective is to benefit our members and staff. The union emphasises on teamwork and how we can move the ground in supporting the organisation’s initiatives. As union leaders, we have a better feel of the ground. There are certain initiatives that the management has and we will value-add by giving them our views.
Insider’s Guide
Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Staff Union
Date of Registration: 12 June 1993
Date of Affiliation to NTUC: 1 September 1993
Membership: 1,100 members
Did You Know: IRASSU strives to promote good industrial relations between its members and IRAS, improve the working conditions of its members and enhance their economic and social status, as well as raise work productivity for the benefit of its members, IRAS and the economy of Singapore.
