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The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) supports the recommendations laid out by the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers, which are a step in the right direction in enhancing the protection of our platform workers. As a member of the Advisory Committee, we are heartened by the emphasis placed on platform workers’ protection.
At the sidelines of a National Day cheer pack distribution that NTUC and its affiliated associations held in August 2021, National Taxi Association (NTA), National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA) made the call for stronger legislative backing for platform workers to better protect them in recognition of the need to represent them and play an active role to advocate and advance their interests. We identified three key areas that need urgent attention: (a) work terms and conditions (e.g. transparency and adequate notice of adjustments in compensation and incentives); (b) better working conditions (e.g. timely support from platforms); and (c) medical and injury coverage. In his National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong acknowledged the lack of basic job protection that platform workers had and that the Ministry of Manpower was studying these issues. The Government then set up the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers which first convened in September 2021. We have been in close discussions with tripartite partners on key issues that affect platform workers, such as their long-term retirement and housing adequacy, medical and injury coverage, and representing their interests.
Retirement and housing adequacy
To build up platform workers’ long-term retirement and housing adequacy, in the long term, we hope for as many workers as possible to opt in to contribute to their Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts. To mitigate the impact on their take-home pay when the recommendations are implemented, the phased in approach of CPF contributions will be helpful to smoothen the impact on all stakeholders. We have called on the Government to provide sufficient support to platform workers when they contribute to their CPF and we stand ready to work with the Government on this.
Peace of mind with work injury coverage
On strengthening financial protection in case of work injury, as platform workers are vulnerable in terms of not being able to claim under the under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA), there is a need for adequate and consistent coverage to be provided by all platform operators for all platform workers. We are
supportive of the Advisory Committee’s recommendations to require platform companies to provide the same scope and level of work injury compensation as employees’ entitlement under WICA.
A voice for workers
In terms of representation, our associations have been representing the interests of platform workers. We are committed to being the voice of platform workers in the areas of fair structures, fair terms and fair processes to ensure that they are treated fairly. Today, platform workers do not have any legal right to representation. We are heartened by the recommendations by the Advisory Committee which recognise that platform workers have a fundamental right to representation. The formation of the Tripartite Workgroup (TWG) on Representation of Platform Workers in August this year, which NTUC is a member of, provides a platform for stakeholders to agree on workers representation and to set in place an enhanced framework that will close the imbalance between platforms and platform workers. We look forward to the outcome from discussions within the TWG and remain focused in ensuring that our platform workers are not adversely affected by the implementation of the recommendations, which must not be at the expense of fair earnings to platform workers.
Recommendations must not be at the expense of fair earnings for platform workers
Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Advisor to the NTA, NPHVA and NDCA, said, “The roll out of the recommendations is a significant step forward in advancing the protection of platform workers and we are pleased with the progress made. Nonetheless, more work lies ahead to operationalise the recommendations, which we are committed in ensuring that these are not at the expense of our workers’ fair earnings. Our associations will monitor the upcoming implementation of recommendations and continue engaging our platform workers to ensure that their concerns and queries are addressed.”
More details on the implementation of the recommendations will be released by the government in due course. We invite platform workers to share their questions and concerns with our NTUC-affiliated associations – NTA, NPHVA and NDCA. Our associations will surface these concerns to the Government and we encourage more platform workers to join our associations so that we can be a stronger voice.
