Good morning.
Chief Executive Officer, NUH (National University Hospital),
Mr. Joe Sim
President, HSEU (Healthcare Services Employees’ Union),
Mr. Mahmood Idrose
Executive Secretary, Mr. Patrick Tay
General Secretary, HSEU, Ms. Diana Chia
Chairman, HSEU-NUH Branch Union, Ms. K.Thanaletchimi
Union Leaders, Invited Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.
A Happy 46th National Day to you.
I am happy to be here at your National Day Observance Ceremony.
This event reaffirms our loyalty to the nation and the commitment of the unions and management to embrace good labour management relations.
1 We celebrate this year’s National Day against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty. Singapore’s economic growth for 2011 has been revised downwards to 5 to 6%. On the domestic front, the higher Consumer Price Index of more than 5% has been a matter of concern.
2 One way to cushion the rising cost of living is the need to increase real wages. This can only materialise if companies improve productivity. To this end, the National Productivity Council has outlined its target of improving productivity by 30% over the next 10 years so as to grow the real wages of Singaporeans, and low -wage workers in particular. The unions are also working closely with companies to discuss how to enhance productivity and boost wages through job redesign, automation and improving the skill sets of workers.
3 In NUH, I am happy to learn about the joint Union and Management Productivity Committee and your job redesign initiative for health attendants and porters.
4 In addition to these efforts, we also need to look at providing fair and equitable compensation that is cognizant of the value of the scope of work. The healthcare sector is one area of great growth and employment opportunities. But despite this, recent media reports have revealed that nurses’ salaries, especially in step-down care and nursing homes, tend to be less competitive. I am optimistic that the review in nurses’ salary in the public healthcare sector will help resolve this issue.
5 Step-down and nursing care for elders is an aspect that is of particular concern to me. With the gradual ageing of our population, measures to help our mature workers maintain their quality of life in old age must be accompanied by a more sophisticated eldercare sector which today experiences a shortage of good workers. While specific details must first be worked out, there might be scope for NTUC, and the Migrant Workers' Centre, which I chair, to play the role of facilitator in ensuring a reliable supply of trained, experienced foreign workers entering the sector at the work permit level, while enhancing the professionalism and profile of eldercare institutions within the community. One possible source might even be domestic workers already taking care of elderly employers, who complete their employment contracts. With their valuable experience and training, some feel it is a waste to require them to return home if they are willing and able to extend their contribution as healthcare assistants in step-down or eldercare institutions.
6 I understand that NUH has also made a concerted proactive effort to look into the compensation and welfare of its staff. I am happy to hear this. Without rising healthcare needs, it is in the interest of every hospital to ensure market competitiveness to recruit and retain staff.
7 It is notable that the NUH a Level 4 NTUC Exemplary Employer. I applaud NUH for its pro-mature worker policies and for being one of the few organisations to have implemented the reemployment law a year ahead of the legislative implementation in January 2012.
8 I am also pleased to hear that NUH will be sending its executives and line managers for the Human Resource Workforce Skills Qualifications in Industrial Relations offered at the Ong Teng Cheong Leadership Institute. This underscores NUH’s commitment on the need for good labour management. I hope that the exposure and experience sharing in this programme will highlight workplace issues and challenges so that they can be mitigated in a proactive way.
9 In all these years, the NUH in partnership with the Union (HSEU) has been a first mover in many of the new initiatives such as Productivity, Job Redesign and Wage restructuring. In light of this, I would encourage NUH to consider Union involvement in the Workplace Safety and Health Committee. The hospital has implemented several initiatives to promote a safe work environment in NUH. Coupled with those, efforts have been made to protect the interest of staff from patient or public abuse. This can be further enhanced with the joint effort and partnership with the Union. Our healthcare workers are doing a noble and sacrificial job. The Hospitals have always the interest and well being of the staff to ensure they are respected and their work being appreciated by the public.
10 In the areas of hospital staff medical benefits, the Portable Medical Benefit System can be a new possible initiative to explore and discuss in the coming years. The hospital can explore this option, discuss at an appropriate time during the renewal of collective agreement. It is for the long-term interest of all workers beyond the individual employment in NUH, rewarding workers for continuing to be healthy and providing health security to older workers especially after their retirement.
I wish NUH every success in its endeavour to make NUH, the Employer of Choice.
In closing, I wish everyone a fruitful year ahead and all the best for your pro-patients and pro-workers systems, processes and initiatives.
Thank you
