The Labour Movement expects the labour market in Singapore to remain tight in 2016. As the global economy slows down, more businesses were impacted by related cyclical or structural challenges. Specifically, weaker sectors like marine engineering, specialty chemicals, and printing bore the brunt of these challenges. Naturally, workers were not spared.
BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY SLOWING ECONOMIC GROWTH
Annual Increment and Bonus
Based on a survey done on unionised companies from sectors such as electronics and electrical, pharmaceutical, chemical, oil and gas, engineering, transport, banking, healthcare etc, the unionised sector witnessed a slight dip in employment benefits as compared to the year before.
Workers in unionised companies took home an annual increment of 4 per cent on average compared to 4.3 per cent in 2014. In terms of bonus payout, unionised companies are expected to give out an average of 2.98 months in 2015, a marginal increase from 2.89 months in 2014.
Some 80 per cent of the unionised companies who responded to the survey had adopted the National Wages Council (NWC) guidelines by paying at least $60 built-in wage increases to our workers earning $1,100 and below. For companies which did not adopt the guidelines, most provide outsource services in the cleaning and landscape sectors. For the low-wage workers who earned between $1,100 to 1,300, their average pay increment was 5.4 per cent.
Retrenchment Figures Creep Up
In the unionised sector, some 2,512 workers from 45 unionised companies were displaced from their jobs in 2015. This represents a 11.8 per cent increase as compared to 2,246 workers who were displaced in 2014. The manufacturing sector accounted for 93 per cent of the workers displaced. The key retrenchment reasons cited by companies were company restructuring, poor business and closure of operations or discontinuation of production lines.
However, the Labour Movement was able to help the displaced workers through securing of retrenchment benefits and working with NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) to provide career counselling and job placement assistance. Unions also negotiated for training grants paid by companies to support workers to pick up new skillsets.
In the first quarter of 2016, unionised companies may see retrenchment affecting some 234 workers, a 31 per cent increase from the same period in 2015. The Labour Movement will continue its efforts to ensure that workers who are affected by retrenchment are able to enjoy smooth transitions.
Some 2,098 workers from nine companies went on shorter workweek in 2015 due to low business volume. This is an increase of 59 per cent compared to 1,323 from five companies in 2014.
CONTINUED EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT WORKERS REMAIN PROTECTED
Collective Representation of Workers
Based on the 900 active collective agreements (CAs), the Labour Movement continues to see a healthy proportion of unionised companies implementing good workplace benefits in 2015. 99 per cent stipulated compassionate leave for death of immediate family member (2014: 98 per cent), 91 per cent gave marriage leave (2014: 88 per cent), 11 per cent provided children sick leave (2014: 10 per cent), 11 per cent provided eldercare leave (2014: 8 per cent), 9 per cent provided family-care leave (2014: 5 per cent)and 6 per cent provided additional paternity leave on top of the one week Government-paid paternity leave (2014: 0 per cent).
320 CAs also stipulated provision for training/examination leave. These unionised companies provided five days of such leave on average, to support workers on self-development courses that are relevant to their work and approved by the company.
More PMEs Seeking Help from NTUC
Protecting workers at workplaces remains as the core of what Labour Movement does. In 2015, there were 2,851 industrial relations cases as compared to 1,953 cases in 2014.
(Ordinary Branch) For members in unionised companies who experience workplace issues or unfair treatment, they can approach their union leaders who provide assistance in resolving their challenges. 90 per cent of these cases were referred to and settled at the union-management level, with the rest referred to the Manpower Ministry or the Industrial Arbitration Court. The types of cases are primarily on individual grievance, wage and CA dispute.
(General Branch) For members in non-unionised companies, NTUC also provides advisory services on workplace issues and other employment-related matters. The number of Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) enquiries increased by 72 per cent, from 424 in 2014 to 729 in 2015 as a result of greater awareness of NTUC’s outreach to PMEs. The types of cases are primarily related to queries on labour laws, non-payment of salary, and work termination.
LABOUR MOVEMENT NEEDS TO ENHANCE ITS RELEVANCY TO PMEs
With the changes to the Employment Act and the Industrial Relations Act, the Labour Movement continues to gear itself towards better representation of PMEs, and to enhance and customise its services to PMEs at different career stages.
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Cham Hui Fong said, “The slowing growth of the economy and the tightening of the labour market are major concerns, and we foresee that businesses and workers will continue to be impacted. It is important to ensure that our workers taken care of, and are given fair opportunities to be trained and re-trained to remain relevant and adaptable.”
“Also, as the pool of PMEs continues to grow, the Labour Movement will ensure that the way we serve our workers remains relevant so that we stay inclusive, and that the job security of all our workers is always taken care of," she added.
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