There will be economic challenges ahead, even as we stabilise the COVID-19 situation in Singapore.
As we speak, many companies and workers are struggling.
And today, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng stood in Parliament to address this concern.
The Government has pledged a total Budget of $100 billion this year to help workers and businesses stay afloat – not a small amount by any means.
Although Mr Ng said he welcomes the Fortitude Budget and the three others, money alone “cannot replace economic activities to secure livelihoods.”
He urged everyone, no matter if we are company owners or workers, to brace ourselves for tougher times, wage cuts and inevitable job losses.
But during tough times, as history has shown – especially with the Asian and Global Financial Crises – NTUC has always mobilised the ground to take a stand in helping workers survive and eventually thrive.
It will be no different this time.
A delicate balance is needed to ensure livelihoods are secure and lives are safe during this pandemic.
Mr Ng laid out three key things the nation “can and must do to protect our jobs and keep workers safe.”
First, all of us need to practise safe management measures as the economy reopens and we return to work.
It would be no good if we go all out to work and do our part to boost the economy, without care and concern for our safety, only to have another community outbreak in a few weeks. It would all be for nought.
Second, the nation needs to preserve and create jobs, even temporary ones, highlighted Mr Ng.
He added that there is a need to work to help match workers to these jobs as they lose their old ones.
“Make sure that at-risk groups are taken care of. This is an immediate track of things we must do,” he said.
The third is to take the situation that the nation is in as an opportunity to transform jobs, and as an extension, the economy.
“Ironically, COVID-19 has sped up disruption and moved us towards Industry 4.0 in double-quick time. Businesses are on a burning platform – it is now ‘adopt new technologies or die’. Workers have taken to digital technology to do their work, order their food and even to keep in touch with family. We must use this transformative track to redesign jobs and create new, Industry 4.0, jobs so that workers, with the appropriate training, can take up these new jobs,” he said.
“The key now is to implement this strategy well. It is not sufficient for us to simply know what to do, but to do it well,” said Mr Ng in Parliament.
He pledged that NTUC will do its part. In fact, work has already begun on the ground.
A Recap in Numbers:
Put a face to these numbers by reading real-life examples here:
To be able to implement these strategies in helping workers, NTUC also needs its partners, especially the Government and employers.
That is why NTUC is giving its full weight in support of the National Jobs Council to make sure workers have the opportunity to be employed and remain employable.
And that is also why NTUC is working with employers to set up Company Training Committees to prepare workers for the future industry.
All in the name of giving workers a fighting chance to survive and thrive.
Mr Ng said: “The key is to implement this plan well. In the immediate term – Preserve Jobs, Create Jobs and Match workers to Jobs. But we must keep an eye too on strengthening our economy. We must make use of this crisis to push for industry transformation and continue developing quality jobs for quality workers.
“NTUC will continue to work with our tripartite partners to support our workers because every worker matters. And only when there is trust amongst partners can we overcome.”
