“I know that in normal times, many of you don't have NTUC in your mind, except for maybe our supermarket. But we are a key partner in the economy, and we are there for our workers.”
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng shared these sentiments in one of his recent dialogues.
In today’s climate of uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, NTUC’s efforts to secure workers’ jobs and livelihoods are more crucial than ever.
And it is through job preservation, job matching, job advocacy, and job creation and training, that NTUC plans to achieve what it has set out to do.
Read more on Mr Ng's speech at the Fortitude Budget Debate
Labour Members of Parliament also stood to speak in Parliament on behalf of all workers in Singapore regarding what we can and must do to help workers keep their jobs, help match at-risk workers to jobs, help workers have jobs with progressive practices, and help workers get good jobs.
Speaking on Behalf of Older Workers
What is the situation now?
Older workers are at higher risk of losing their jobs. And if that happens, it will be harder for an older worker versus a younger worker of an otherwise similar profile to find a new job.
What is he calling for?
Mr Heng proposes incentivising employers with re-channeling of intended earmarked budgets.
For example, now that the planned increase in CPF contribution rates for senior workers has been deferred, the $80 million set aside for wage offsets meant to help employers shoulder half the cost of the CPF changes could be used to strengthen the Senior Employment Credit for the next year.
This Senior Employment Grant was set up to encourage companies to hire older workers age 55 and above.
And because every percentage of savings count, doing this will show that the Government is sending a strong signal to both employers and older workers that it is determined to keep older workers employed in this crisis.
He also suggested more areas linked to our security should also be considered in job creation and traineeships.
He also called on employers to take a progressive mindset by tapping on available grants to redesign jobs and invest in training and retraining of older workers to keep them employable.
Why is he calling for this?
All this is aimed at minimising the risk of retrenchment for older workers. We must preserve their jobs during this difficult time.
Speaking on Behalf of Workers on Preserving Jobs Through Training
What is the situation now?
The rise in unemployment, retrenchment, and job losses due to the measures taken to curb the COVID-19 pandemic will be inevitable.
What is he calling for?
Mr Koh advised workers to continually upgrade themselves through training, value-adding to their companies and thus, securing their jobs.
To do so, he called for unionised and non-unionised companies to take advantage of this downtime to send workers for training.
Mr Koh concluded by encouraging companies, both unionised and non-unionised, to approach NTUC, to set up Company Training Committees (CTCs), and tap into the additional funding support that would allow them to send their workers for training.
To help the increasing number of affected workers and ensure that training costs to companies are further reduced during this period, NTUC has increased the training support funding cap of NTUC-Education and Training Fund Collaborative Fund (NCF) from $30,000 to $50,000 per unionised company.
To speed up business recovery, NTUC will also introduce NETF Collaborative Fund Lite (NCF-Lite) for non-unionised companies with 50 or more NTUC union members, with training support of up to $8,000 per company.
Why is he calling for this?
It is important for workers to upgrade themselves in order to continually value-add to the company and to secure their jobs.
NTUC has increased the training support cap for NTUC-Education and Training Fund Collaborative Fund (NCF) to incentivise companies to undertake skills upgrading for their workers as training related costs may deter employers who are already facing cashflow challenges.
Speaking on Behalf of Essential Workers
What is the situation now?
Currently, most of the companies in the outsourced industries where the Progressive Wage Model is made mandatory are characterised by an older workforce; limited use of technology; relatively low productivity; heavy reliance on foreign manpower; and workers’ gross monthly salaries hover at the bottom fifth percentile of the resident workforce.
What is he calling for?
Mr Zainal wants to see a change in perception of essential service workers in a post COVID-19 world, especially for workers in the outsourced sector.
He stated that ways to narrow the income gap and ensure the average wage growth of workers in these sectors needed to be found, and that the growth continues to be higher than the median.
He said that we need to change how we do things by leveraging technology and digitalisation to support higher productivity, while sustaining higher wages to attract younger Singaporeans to be essential service workers.
Why is he calling for this?
Only with higher skills and greater productivity can these environmental services workers, security officers and landscape workers be regarded as specialists in their respective areas, and not be seen or regarded as low-wage workers.
Only then perhaps can younger Singaporeans see this as a viable career.
Speaking on Behalf of PMEs
What is the situation now?
COVID-19 has brought about cases of unfair employment practices.
Mr Tay cited examples such as disguised retrenchments, wrongful termination, adjusted working hours and salaries, as well as forced resignation.
He also cited cases of unsafe workplaces and companies abusing public funds.
What is he calling for?
Mr Tay supported a point brought up earlier in Parliament by Manpower Minister Josephine Teo, in which the Ministry of Manpower will take resolute steps to enforce against such errant or recalcitrant employers.
He also wanted employers to be aware of the various tripartite advisories and guidelines that have been issued, so that workplaces would be safe for workers, as well as for customers and clients.
Lastly, he felt that it was important for both employee and employer to maintain regular, open and transparent communication.
Why is he calling for this?
Mr Tay hopes that employers will work hard and look out for all the various schemes to help their employees, and not flouting any of the rules and advisories that have already been fleshed out and promulgated.
Speaking on Behalf of Workers with Families
What is the situation now?
For a very long time, we have often framed flexible work arrangements (FWA) as a support to caregivers, especially women on maternity or with young children.
We have framed it as such that women need more support, but COVID-19 has torn up such a frame.
It is still true that they need more support. But that support must be a family-based one with men strongly leaning in and making that change.
What is he calling for?
Mr Choo shared that more can be done to ensure families can achieve new family-work harmony, through greater job advocacy in making FWA a right for all workers.
We must now consider institutionalising this right to FWA for families.
At the same time, not all businesses have the resources to allow for full telecommuting and FWA.
Mr Choo thus asked to consider enhancing the Work-Life grant so that we can entrench telecommuting and FWA for the smaller companies
He also proposed ways to help graduating students and young workers, such as job creation and support in training for better job prospects.
Why is he calling for this?
We will need to consider changing the traditional work structure which is incompatible with the modern workforce.
The traditional work structure assumes that there is a spouse at home or childcare centre that allows that employee to work nine to 12 hours at the shop floor or office.
The new work structure prioritises caregiving and equips an employee to work away from the office.
Speaking on Behalf of Self-Employed Persons
What is the situation now?
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the livelihood of over 200,000 freelancers and Self-Employed Persons (SEPs).
Though many have received support in various forms during this period, their income continues to be severely affected.
What is he calling for?
Mr Ang had three proposals to make to help this group.
For part-time point-to-point transport providers, he hopes that the Ministry of Transport can consider giving eligible part-time private hire drivers a second tranche of Driver Care Fund and to review the eligibility criteria.
He also proposed that the Ministry of Manpower spearhead a whole-of-Government approach to have more groups of SEPs issued with a vocation licence, or to form accredited professional guilds.
Lastly, Mr Ang repeated his call for a one-off co-funding by the Government to SEPs who make voluntary Medisave contributions.
Why is he calling for this?
Mr Ang believes that his first proposal would allow more drivers, especially part-time ones, to qualify for the Driver Care Fund.
He felt that the issuance of the vocation licence would allow for proper assessment of SEP’s professional needs and thus, providing them with the relevant support during a downturn.
As for the co-funding by the Government for SEPs who make voluntary Medisave contributions, this would go towards ensuring that more SEPs can save up for their immediate and future medical needs.
Speaking on Behalf of Workers Concerned About Workplace Safety and Health
What is the situation now?
As we ease out of the circuit breaker measures, we need to focus on keeping our jobs and workplaces safe. The onus is on each of us to take care of ourselves and to take care of each other as we resume “Business Unusual”.
What is he calling for?
Many businesses are already reeling from the increasing costs of putting in place the protective measures to keep workplaces safe, such as providing thermometers and masks, increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfection, employing additional staff to control access and monitor temperature.
Coupled with a sharp decline in revenue, businesses are hit with a double whammy.
Mr Yong asked for assistance to be provided for businesses to adopt safe management measures, enabling workers to go back to their jobs safely.
He also advocated for more financial support and resources to be invested into mental healthcare so as to build up the mental well-being and resilience of our workers.
This is especially so for those who struggle with job concerns, especially mid-career PMEs who are worried about their jobs and graduating cohorts who are seeking employment.
Why is he calling for this?
We want our workplaces to be safer, and our workers to be healthier. Failing to do so may result in the undoing of all our efforts to tide our nation over this crisis.
Speaking on Behalf of Workers Concerned About Being Displaced
What is the situation now?
With supply chains being impacted, there are concerns in the transport and logistic sector that they might soon be the “next in line” as business have started slowing down; overtime and incentive earnings have been reduced; and some have been asked to clear their vocational leaves on days where there are low activities.
What is he calling for?
To help workers stay in their jobs and keep their livelihoods, Mr Arasu calls to leverage labour-management relations to implement safe management measures and drive workers’ training.
In the short-term, he suggests extending and increasing the COVID-19 Support Grant to further help displaced workers.
In the longer-term, he states the need to hasten the push towards Industry 4.0 and transform businesses, so that they can take advantage of new opportunities when the economy recovers.
Why is he calling for this?
As supply chain and global manufacturing shifts away from China, we need to refocus on regional manufacturing zones.
Mr Arasu believes that these shifts in the supply chain will cause inter-regional trade to slow down but intra-regional trade will likely grow at a faster pace.
Singapore has to support our businesses to venture into these countries and prepare them to work in these regions.
Speaking on Behalf of Workers Dealing with the Cost of Living
What is the situation now?
The outbreak of COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on the economies of many countries.
In Singapore, the recent circuit breaker has affected many businesses. We all know friends who have lost their jobs, their businesses, or are struggling in some way.
What is he calling for?
As Singapore emerges from the circuit breaker, Mr Seah highlighted how NTUC Social Enterprises (SEs) will continue to address the two key concerns of Singaporeans: jobs security and creation as an employer, as well as moderating the cost of living through NTUC SE’s key initiatives.
FairPrice Group has given special monetary awards and incentives to colleagues, especially those working at the frontline.
It provided employment opportunities for an additional 4,000 staff including full-time, part-time and temporary workers, to support operations and the high transaction volumes that they are experiencing.
They are currently looking to fill another 300 more positions and working with various agencies to provide employment for workers, especially those who may have been displaced.
NTUC Enterprise group will also be supporting the SGUnited Traineeships Programme and offering close to 300 training places to help trainees gain exposure and experience in areas like retail business, corporate services, and digital business.
Why is he calling for this?
The Labour Movement has always looked after workers and their welfare. Ensuring stable jobs and affordable groceries is an important part of that commitment.
