By Shukry Rashid
Unions and companies in Singapore must maintain the competitive drive and “work closely with each other” to stay in the game. This comes after the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) released its Labour Market Advance Release First Quarter 2017 on 28 April 2017, which reflected that the overall unemployment rate has increased for the first quarter of 2017.
PM Lee made this call at NTUC’s May Day Rally held at Our Tampines Hub which saw the attendance of over 1,500 union leaders, workers, management and association partners and members of parliament.
Taking A Proactive Approach
Even though the unemployment rate has increased and is expected to creep up further in the future, PM Lee said he is still "cautiously optimistic" about the economy while Singapore's unemployment is still lower than the rates in other developed countries.
He added: “We have to understand this trend, but at the same time work hard to resist it, and keep our workers in jobs.”
Moving forward, PM Lee said that Singapore must do three things: Help businesses create new jobs, place displaced workers in alternative jobs and train workers to grow in their current jobs.
Creating New Jobs
Bringing in new businesses and investments, and upgrading existing companies have been a winning formula for Singapore for the last 50 years, but new jobs will not be created if businesses do not grow, said PM Lee.
He cited examples of companies from various industries, such as Evonik from chemicals, Google from IT, and Micron from electronics, which have set up in Singapore recently and created jobs for Singaporeans.
PM Lee also said that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a part to play in ensuring jobs for Singaporeans. With SMEs making up of 99 per cent of enterprises in Singapore and employing 70 per cent of the resident workforce, he added that the Government has been helping SMEs upgrade, expand and build capabilities.
Helping Workers Find New Jobs
With the ongoing economic restructuring and disruption, PM Lee said that redundancies will happen even as the economy grows. In response, he added that the Government will be “helping workers who lose their jobs find alternative jobs, especially PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians)”.
He is also particularly concerned about the sectors that are not doing well, such as marine and shipping, and iterated the Government’s help avenue in the form of Adapt and Grow for workers in such sectors.
These include initiatives such as the Professional Conversion Programmes, Career Support Programmes, and enhanced work trials.
PM Lee said that unions and partners from NTUC’s U Associates (UA) have been working to help workers from struggling sectors find jobs in growing sectors.
Besides helping workers stay in jobs, PM Lee also lauded NTUC’s Unusual Labour Movement (LM), which has helped Singapore’s youth unemployment rate remains low. This was done through engagements such as NTUC’s Youth Career Network and the NTUC-People’s Association (PA) Youth Career Network Skills Marketplace for students and graduates from ITEs, polytechnics and universities.
He said: “Unions elsewhere don’t think about the jobless, and especially the young who have yet to enter the job market.”
He advised workers to be open-minded and flexible.
He said: “Be willing to try something new – not just new jobs with new employers, but also new careers in different industries. Take up courses and reskill. If you receive a job offer, consider it carefully. It will not be an easy process, but the LM is with you.”
He also urged employers to work with the Government and NTUC, to not just recruit new workers but employ the mature ones as well.
“Unions are doing their part, so must you … If the tripartite partners work together, we will transform together, adapt together and grow together.”
Growing in Jobs
PM Lee said that Singapore should take workers’ upgrading very seriously and the SkillsFuture initiative is a start.
He added that the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) will continue to help businesses stay viable and thrive, which will also help to keep jobs and create new ones. He cited the transport and logistics industry which currently employ 250,000 workers.
With robotics and data analytics, PM Lee said that the logistics and transport sector is expected to create another 2,000 PMET jobs in the next five years. He added that ITMs are an example of tripartism in action, with the Labour Movement represented in all 23 ITMs for the interest of workers.
Future Economy Council
Moving forward, the Council for Skills, Innovation and Productivity – a tripartite council launched by the Government last year – will be renamed to become the Future Economy Council (FEC) with Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat as its chairman.
PM Lee said that the FEC will work with NTUC Secretary General (SG) Chan Chun Sing and other ministers – including the younger ministers – in a strategic effort to transform the economy beyond the current term of Government.
“It is an opportunity for the young ministers to work closely together as a team, strengthen their bonds with employers and unions, and show Singaporeans what they can do,” he emphasised.
Mr Heng said that the recommendations from the Committee on the Future Economy have been valuable and that it provided strategies the FEC can put forward for the future.
He added that the next two work phases for the FEC are to tackle issues that can lift the entire economy such as skills and productivity, and innovation and internalisation; and tailored responses from the needs of different industries.
Mr Heng explained: “To transform the economy, we will need everyone – workers, employers and the Government – to work closely together. I intend, in the work of the council, to work closely together with industry, business and union leaders as well as government agencies so that together, we can achieve more than what each of us can do alone.”
