Some 14,757 employees have lodged salary claims with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) from 1 April 2017 to 31 December 2018.
The figure was released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and TADM in the inaugural Employment Standards Report on 11 October 2019.
The report covered Singapore’s employment standards situation since TADM was set up on 1 April 2017 to 31 December 2018. It highlighted their joint efforts in improving workplace practices and resolving employment practices.
Overall there were 2.42 salary claims for every 1,000 employees in 2018 and 2.49 salary claims for every 1,000 employees in 2017.
Salary claims were low among local employees, which stood at 1.43 salary claims per 1000 employees in 2018, down from 1.55 salary claims per 1000 employees in 2017. MOM and TADM cited right business conditions in 2017 and 2018.
The bulk of local salary claims came from the manufacturing and services sector.
Among foreign employees, there were 4.45 salary claims for every 1,000 employees in 2018, about three times of that for local employees. Most of the claims came from foreign workers in the construction industry.
Amongst the claimants, the majority lodged for payment of basic salary against their employers. Some 85 per cent of cases were completed within two months, with the remaining concluding between two and six months.
Additionally, 88 per cent of employees whose employers agreed or were ordered to make payment, fully recovered their salaries at TADM or the Employment Claims Tribunal.
The recovered sum totalled $29 million.
Responding to the report, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Cham Hui Fongs reiterated that union members can approach NTUC staff at TADM to seek immediate assistance for any employment-related issues, while non-members must make online appointments in advance.
Ms Cham also reported that NTUC attended to a total of 4691 members from 1 April 2017 to 31 December 2018. Half of these members are Professionals, Managers and Executives.
Some 70 percent of the cases were promptly resolved within four weeks, without the need to escalate them for mediation, she added.
TADM General Manager Kandhavel Periyasamy said: “Businesses will continue to be affected by economic uncertainty. This is why it is important for both employer and employee to play their part to build trust and strengthen their relationship. When disputes occur, TADM is ready to help both parties by offering advice and mediation so that they can reach an agreement and resolve their disputes amicably.”
