For the first time in Singapore’s Labour Movement (LM) history, the LM Oil, Petrochemical, Energy and Chemicals (OPEC) Cluster of unions has banded together with several related NTUC U Associates (UAs), leveraging their individual areas of expertise and networks to bring greater synergies as a collective LM-led effort to help workers remain relevant and prepare for their future careers in OPEC.
Strengthening the backbone of OPEC industries
The Energy & Chemicals (E&C) sector in Singapore is poised for change, with significant industry growth and transformation initiatives expected to be rolled out in the coming years as outlined in the E&C Industry Transformation Map (ITM) launched recently on 21 October 2017.
Workers will be increasingly required to perform higher-value roles, and need to be digitally confident and be trained for in-demand skills such as analysing and interpreting data meaningfully, automation management, and Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure management.
As a key LM initiative to operationalise the E&C ITM, this multi-Union, multi-UA Alliance aims to boost two key areas that form the foundation of the OPEC industries:
1. Uplift standards of Process Technicians (PTs) and Engineers
2. Raise safety standards towards Total Workplace Safety and Health (WSH)
Commenting on the Alliance, LM OPEC Cluster Chairman and General Secretary of United Workers of Petroleum Industry Mr K Karthikeyan said, “The OPEC industries are seeing a lot of changes and it is important that the Labour Movement moves a few steps ahead so that we can ensure our workers are ready and not left behind. OPEC unions working together with NTUC U Associates to leverage each other’s strengths is a win-win collaboration. There are a few areas impacting some groups of workers that are of urgent importance now, such as the careers of technicians. As a larger collective voice, the Alliance will be able to address such issues in a more effective manner.”
Uplifting standards of process technicians and engineers
The Alliance has collectively highlighted the need to certify and recognise PTs, many of whom have amassed decades’ worth of skills and experience but do not possess certifications that showcase their deep technical expertise. Such PTs are often in limbo when their companies face business difficulties, and their jobs may be at risk due to restructuring and outplacements.
The Alliance will bring forward a joint collaboration with the unions and Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Singapore to create accreditation of the PT trade, thereby raising the standards of such PTs and boosting the transferability of their skill sets. This also prepares PTs for future changes in their careers both locally and internationally.
The LM OPEC Cluster and IChemE Singapore will co-develop professional standards for local companies in the OPEC industries to adopt for their PTs. IChemE Singapore Chairman Mr Joe Eades shared, “Thousands of Process Technicians and Engineers will now be able to demonstrate to their peers and employers their experience, judgement and commitment to the profession through an internationally peer reviewed professional qualification framework. This will allow Process Technicians and Engineers greater opportunities for career progression within their organisation and throughout the OPEC cluster”.
Other collaborative efforts that are in the pipeline to uplift the standards of PTs and Engineers are included in Annex B.
Towards Total WSH
Safety is another cornerstone of the OPEC industries. It is an ongoing effort to boost WSH so that workers can work safely and return to their families at the end of the day. LM OPEC Cluster and Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO) will continue to conduct talks and in-depth workshops for workers and management, to reinforce the mindset of Total WSH and achieve the goal of Vision Zero.
The Alliance has also identified the area of process safety to be of continued importance, and more needs to be done to improve safety standards in this area. Emphasising on this point, SISO President Mr Bernard Soh said, “The scope of Process Safety can be very wide-ranging and it is also very dynamic. Indeed, Process Safety is constantly changing as technology, equipment, safety management systems, workforce demographics, and other factors change and evolve. Because of the scope and dynamism of process safety, we believe that the training methodology for process safety is best implemented through timely, modular training where the latest process safety development and knowledge is imparted to the trainees in bite-sized learning modules.”
The LM OPEC Cluster has also pledged to SISO’s WSH Professional Standard supported by the SISO Career Progression Pathway (CPP), with customised programmes for safety officers in OPEC industries. The WSH CPP is a five-tier competency pathway that provides a career roadmap and identifies new and additional professional skills for continuous improvement and to elevate their competencies and capabilities through a self-evaluation tool, enabling safety officers to stay employable, effective and relevant beyond basic qualifications.
Labour Movement preparing OPEC workers to be future-ready
Members of the Alliance will continue to exchange latest industry information and future trends. This includes facilitating early discussions on carbon tax with management and workers, led by the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore.
Commenting on the Labour Movement’s efforts to be by the side of working people, NTUC Assistant Director-General and NTUC U Associate Director Mr Vivek Kumar said, “As Singapore’s economy and our workplaces transform, it is critical that different wings of the Labour Movement work together to effectively assist our members to stay future-ready. In this regard, it is great to see leaders of our Unions and U Associates take the lead in forming a dynamic alliance to together address some of the key challenges faced by our working people in the OPEC industries.”
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