SINGAPORE: Labour chief Lim Swee Say has urged Singaporeans not to be preoccupied with forecasts of retrenchment numbers but focus instead on saving jobs.
Mr Lim was commenting on DBS Bank’s earlier estimate that Singapore will see job losses amounting to 99,000 by mid—2010.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) event on Friday, he noted that no agency can say with certainty what the retrenchment numbers will be for this year.
Mr Lim said: "Take for example, the International Labour Organisation. They came up with not one forecast, but three different forecasts. The projection from ILO ranges from 18 million, all the way to 51 million (worldwide).
"This big range of job loss forecast by ILO, kind of, sends a very clear signal that we’re into highly uncertain times. In other words, from the Labour Movement’s point of view, we’re not going to be preoccupied with ourselves, in terms of what will be the likely number of job losses in the coming year.
"The NTUC secretary—general added that the Labour Movement will help workers on three fronts.He said: "On the first front is to minimise retrenchment, minimise job losses by cutting costs to save jobs. And secondly, to minimise unemployment by helping workers who have lost their jobs to go for retraining... help them to job match, to go back to the employment market again.
"Thirdly, to create new employment to ensure that Singapore will not run out of jobs for Singaporeans.
"On Tuesday, NTUC deputy secretary—general Halimah Yacob said about 4,300 unionised workers will lose their jobs in the first quarter of this year. The electronics sector alone has accounted for 2,500 retrenchments so far.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
4,300 jobs to go in first quarter
MORE unionised workers will lose their jobs in the first three months of this year than originally estimated: The number is now expected to hit 4,300.
The figure is much higher than labour chief Lim Swee Say's estimate of 3,700, made just last weekend.In giving the bleak figures last night, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) deputy secretary-general Halimah Yacob said the bulk of the retrenchments will come from the beleaguered electronics sector.
She said 2,700 workers from this sector could lose their jobs by the end of next month.This is more than the 2,374 layoffs the sector recorded for the whole of last year.The rest of the layoffs will come from the manufacturing sector, which is reeling as a result of plunging global demand.
Madam Halimah said that though the situation is worrying, there are some signs that it is improving.'Some companies in the electronics sector are reporting that they are securing more orders, and we can see the slide in numbers slowing a little,' she said.
She credited initiatives such as the Jobs Credit scheme and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur) - a $600 million training plan aimed at helping workers upgrade and retrain - for mitigating the effects of the downturn.
'We need to do more and focus on retraining our workers and finding other jobs for those who have been displaced.'Madam Halimah was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar aimed at helping union members get legal help if they feel they have been unfairly dismissed or retrenched.
The seminar, jointly organised by NTUC and the Singapore Law Society, is the first of about four sessions to help rank-and-file workers as well as executives - better known as PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians).
More than 550 union leaders and representatives attended yesterday's seminar, conducted by lawyers.Mr Harold Seet, the Law Society's law awareness committee chairman, said the seminar was aimed at making union leaders aware of the rights of workers.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
The figure is much higher than labour chief Lim Swee Say's estimate of 3,700, made just last weekend.In giving the bleak figures last night, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) deputy secretary-general Halimah Yacob said the bulk of the retrenchments will come from the beleaguered electronics sector.
She said 2,700 workers from this sector could lose their jobs by the end of next month.This is more than the 2,374 layoffs the sector recorded for the whole of last year.The rest of the layoffs will come from the manufacturing sector, which is reeling as a result of plunging global demand.
Madam Halimah said that though the situation is worrying, there are some signs that it is improving.'Some companies in the electronics sector are reporting that they are securing more orders, and we can see the slide in numbers slowing a little,' she said.
She credited initiatives such as the Jobs Credit scheme and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur) - a $600 million training plan aimed at helping workers upgrade and retrain - for mitigating the effects of the downturn.
'We need to do more and focus on retraining our workers and finding other jobs for those who have been displaced.'Madam Halimah was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar aimed at helping union members get legal help if they feel they have been unfairly dismissed or retrenched.
The seminar, jointly organised by NTUC and the Singapore Law Society, is the first of about four sessions to help rank-and-file workers as well as executives - better known as PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians).
More than 550 union leaders and representatives attended yesterday's seminar, conducted by lawyers.Mr Harold Seet, the Law Society's law awareness committee chairman, said the seminar was aimed at making union leaders aware of the rights of workers.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Company sacks bankrupt after he accepts share options
HE didn't declare to his employer that he was a bankrupt.
He thought it wouldn't matter. But it cost him his job - and his share options.Store officer Murali B, 32, had been working for Singapore Airlines (SIA) for about 10 years. It was his first job after his national service.But all those years of service went down the drain when he became a bankrupt in 2005.
He had been a guarantor for a friend's loan application and was declared bankrupt when his friend was unable to repay the loan.When that happened, he didn't declare it to SIA, as required by the company.
Mr Murali said: 'I didn't declare my bankruptcy to the company because I didn't think it was necessary.'I thought that the Official Assignee (OA) would automatically inform my employer.'But the OA informs the employer only if the bankrupt works for a Ministry or Statutory Board. If the employer is a private company, it is up to the employee to declare his status.Mr Murali was offered share options under the company's Employee Share Option Plan (Esop) in 2007 and 2008.
On both occasions, he had to sign acceptance forms declaring, among other things, that he was not an undischarged bankrupt.He said he just signed the forms and never thought about declaring his bankruptcy status.He was offered two lots of 760 shares each, but he wasn't able to exercise the options when the company discovered that he is a bankrupt.
An unhappy colleague, who had declared his own bankruptcy to the company, complained to SIA'S human resource department about the discrepancy.Colleague's complaintIn the letter, a copy of which was seen by The New Paper, the colleague asked: 'I was never given the Esop shares because as a bankrupt, I have informed the company and was not given the Esop.'But the company has not been fair to me because I know that there are staff who are bankrupts but still are issued with the Esop.'Is the company being fair that some can get and some cannot get the shares?'He signed off as 'unlucky bankrupt'.Mr Murali was called for an interview with the management last November and sent for a disciplinary inquiry last month. (See report on next page.)
He was sacked earlier this month for making false declarations of his bankruptcy status when he accepted both lots of shares.Another reason was his failure to inform the company of his bankruptcy status in 2005.'I was shocked when I was told that I would be terminated. I didn't gain anything from the stock options because I would've had to keep the share options for two years, which I didn't,' he said.He has appealed to the management through his union to keep his job.
His colleagues have also sent an appeal letter - with about 100 signatures - to the management.'I hope the management will give me a favourable answer. If not, I will have to find a job. But in this recession period, I don't know if I can find a job,' he added.Mr Murali lives in a four-room HDB flat with his parents.When contacted, SIA said the staff member had breached the company's strict procedures that do not allow an undischarged bankrupt to accept or receive share options under the company's Esop.
SIA spokesman Stephen Forshaw said: 'In addition, the employee had not notified the company that he was an undischarged bankrupt, which is a breach of his conditions of employment.'They declined to comment further because of Mr Murali's appeal.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
He thought it wouldn't matter. But it cost him his job - and his share options.Store officer Murali B, 32, had been working for Singapore Airlines (SIA) for about 10 years. It was his first job after his national service.But all those years of service went down the drain when he became a bankrupt in 2005.
He had been a guarantor for a friend's loan application and was declared bankrupt when his friend was unable to repay the loan.When that happened, he didn't declare it to SIA, as required by the company.
Mr Murali said: 'I didn't declare my bankruptcy to the company because I didn't think it was necessary.'I thought that the Official Assignee (OA) would automatically inform my employer.'But the OA informs the employer only if the bankrupt works for a Ministry or Statutory Board. If the employer is a private company, it is up to the employee to declare his status.Mr Murali was offered share options under the company's Employee Share Option Plan (Esop) in 2007 and 2008.
On both occasions, he had to sign acceptance forms declaring, among other things, that he was not an undischarged bankrupt.He said he just signed the forms and never thought about declaring his bankruptcy status.He was offered two lots of 760 shares each, but he wasn't able to exercise the options when the company discovered that he is a bankrupt.
An unhappy colleague, who had declared his own bankruptcy to the company, complained to SIA'S human resource department about the discrepancy.Colleague's complaintIn the letter, a copy of which was seen by The New Paper, the colleague asked: 'I was never given the Esop shares because as a bankrupt, I have informed the company and was not given the Esop.'But the company has not been fair to me because I know that there are staff who are bankrupts but still are issued with the Esop.'Is the company being fair that some can get and some cannot get the shares?'He signed off as 'unlucky bankrupt'.Mr Murali was called for an interview with the management last November and sent for a disciplinary inquiry last month. (See report on next page.)
He was sacked earlier this month for making false declarations of his bankruptcy status when he accepted both lots of shares.Another reason was his failure to inform the company of his bankruptcy status in 2005.'I was shocked when I was told that I would be terminated. I didn't gain anything from the stock options because I would've had to keep the share options for two years, which I didn't,' he said.He has appealed to the management through his union to keep his job.
His colleagues have also sent an appeal letter - with about 100 signatures - to the management.'I hope the management will give me a favourable answer. If not, I will have to find a job. But in this recession period, I don't know if I can find a job,' he added.Mr Murali lives in a four-room HDB flat with his parents.When contacted, SIA said the staff member had breached the company's strict procedures that do not allow an undischarged bankrupt to accept or receive share options under the company's Esop.
SIA spokesman Stephen Forshaw said: 'In addition, the employee had not notified the company that he was an undischarged bankrupt, which is a breach of his conditions of employment.'They declined to comment further because of Mr Murali's appeal.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
Fair hiring crucial with diverse workforce
THERE have been reports in the newspapers about the importance of fair hiring policies during this recession.
Whether there is a downturn or not, fair hiring practices should be an integral part of Singapore's corporate culture.
As the workforce becomes more diverse, it is crucial for employers to ensure that their employment practices are fair to workers from different social and professional backgrounds.
Bosses will have to take a different approach to managing their human resources.Implementing fair and merit- based employment practices will prove beneficial for employers in the long run.
Doing so will also mean that companies are employing the best person for the position, in terms of the candidate's skills, experience and ability to do the job well.
It also means that companies will not discriminate against potential candidates based on age, gender, race, religion or marital status.
Employers who take this hiring stance will be able to attract more talent when the economy recovers and the job market tightens.
Mr Sebastian Tan
Whether there is a downturn or not, fair hiring practices should be an integral part of Singapore's corporate culture.
As the workforce becomes more diverse, it is crucial for employers to ensure that their employment practices are fair to workers from different social and professional backgrounds.
Bosses will have to take a different approach to managing their human resources.Implementing fair and merit- based employment practices will prove beneficial for employers in the long run.
Doing so will also mean that companies are employing the best person for the position, in terms of the candidate's skills, experience and ability to do the job well.
It also means that companies will not discriminate against potential candidates based on age, gender, race, religion or marital status.
Employers who take this hiring stance will be able to attract more talent when the economy recovers and the job market tightens.
Mr Sebastian Tan
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
3,000 vacancies at job fair
UNDERGRADUATE Koh Si Hui is quietly confident that she would land a job after graduating this May.
She is eyeing a policy or research position in the civil service. Since last month, the 23-year-old sociology student from Nanyang Technological University has sent her resume to six companies, including ministries and statutory boards.
She said: 'While visiting online websites, I noticed that the Government is recruiting quite aggressively, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.'She has four friends studying accountancy who have already landed auditing jobs even before their graduation.
Companies are also actively hiring for business-related sales positions like retail associates and sales consultants.For instance, over 3,000 vacancies will be up for grabs at the largest community-service job fair tomorrow.
To be held at the Jelutung Community Club in Sembawang, the Job Fair@North West for Service Industry will see 40 employers, including integrated resort Resorts World at Sentosa, seeking new staff.
Ms Elsie Chua, executive vice-president of classified advertisements in SingaporePress Holdings, said: 'If you look at the Classified job section on a daily basis, you'll notice there are plenty of jobs available, specifically in the services industry.'
She is eyeing a policy or research position in the civil service. Since last month, the 23-year-old sociology student from Nanyang Technological University has sent her resume to six companies, including ministries and statutory boards.
She said: 'While visiting online websites, I noticed that the Government is recruiting quite aggressively, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.'She has four friends studying accountancy who have already landed auditing jobs even before their graduation.
Companies are also actively hiring for business-related sales positions like retail associates and sales consultants.For instance, over 3,000 vacancies will be up for grabs at the largest community-service job fair tomorrow.
To be held at the Jelutung Community Club in Sembawang, the Job Fair@North West for Service Industry will see 40 employers, including integrated resort Resorts World at Sentosa, seeking new staff.
Ms Elsie Chua, executive vice-president of classified advertisements in SingaporePress Holdings, said: 'If you look at the Classified job section on a daily basis, you'll notice there are plenty of jobs available, specifically in the services industry.'
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Fights in foreign worker dorms common
There is little room for patience, it seems.
A group of Vietnamese and Chinese foreign workers created panic in Geylang last Tuesday evening when they got into a fight in a dormitory. The cause is not known.Wooden poles and kitchen knives were used in the attack which lasted some 10 minutes and left three injured.
The police have arrested three people.While the incident may have left many residents in the area ruffled, dormitory operators are not batting an eyelid.Those interviewed by The Sunday Times said dormitory scuffles and squabbles among foreign workers are very common. Their most frequent bone of contention? Living space.Said Mr Andreas Chan, former director of a Kranji dormitory: 'Quarrels are an everyday affair. Fights take place at least once a week.
'When so many people live together in such a small space, there is bound to be friction. Even extended families living in the same house have their quarrels. What more strangers from different countries with different habits and cultures?'Not being able to communicate in a common language adds to the problem. Mr Lim Teck Ho, who operates four foreign-worker dormitories, cited an example: 'Chinese nationals like to speak very loudly. This gives others the impression that they want to start a fight.
'Dormitory operators said arguments usually erupt when workers rush to use the common toilets during peak periods - before work in the morning and after work in the evening. Patience runs thin and tempers flare when they have to wait to shower or use the loo.Said a dormitory manager who declined to be named: 'Sometimes the morning toilet queues are so long that the workers have to brush their teeth in the lorry taking them to work.
'Mr Chan has heard of a case in a Tuas dormitory where a group of foreign workers stormed a shower cubicle and beat up a fellow worker because he was taking a leisurely shower during the peak period.The television set can also be a channel of friction.When workers of various nationalities have to share a TV set, and all want to watch different channels at the same time, there will be arguments. Turning on the volume too loud while others are sleeping can also lead to scuffles.
One dormitory in the north had to confiscate the TV set for a month when its residents got into fisticuffs over channel control.Mr Lim said the more cramped the dormitory is, and the higher the ratio of residents to facilities, the greater the chance of fights breaking out. 'This is why I allocate each worker at my dormitory at least 5 sq m of space,' he said.The National Environment Agency (NEA) guidelines require each worker to have room space of at least 3 sq m with a separate space for cupboards, or 4 sq m if there is no separate space.Operators are not taking chances.Most workers' dormitories have at least two burly, specially trained guards on duty at any one time.
They will conduct spot checks every hour when there are workers around.Said Mr Liew Kok Seng, dormitory manager at View Road Lodge in Admiralty: 'You cannot employ any normal general worker to be a security guard at a workers' dormitory. You need someone who is fierce and can take control of difficult situations.'When fights break out and cannot be stopped, the guards will first threaten to call the workers' employers. This tactic is usually successful as workers are most afraid of being repatriated. But if the fight continues, the police will be called in.Stopping a fight is not easy when there are so many men involved. Which is why efforts are made to prevent one from happening.
The Seletar Flats dormitory in Seletar West Farmway imposes a stiff $200 fine on residents who fight, said its property manager Kelvin Low. This is a quarter of the salary of the average foreign worker.The dormitory, which houses 3,000 workers, has never had a fight since it started operating three years ago.
Other dormitories prefer a simpler method of keeping peace: providing more space and better facilities.The View Road Lodge, for example, allows residents to install their own TV sets in their rooms so that they will not have to share the common set.At the Blue Stars Dormitory in Kian Teck Lane, near Boon Lay, workers are housed in self-equipped units that resemble HDB flats. Each unit has two toilets, two shower rooms and a small sitting area, and is shared by 12 to 14 men.Residents get to choose who they want to live with to ensure they get along well with their roommates.Said its property manager Raymond Mak: 'We may have 4,000 workers of many different nationalities in our dormitory. But all of them live in harmony.
'This article was first published in The Straits Times.
A group of Vietnamese and Chinese foreign workers created panic in Geylang last Tuesday evening when they got into a fight in a dormitory. The cause is not known.Wooden poles and kitchen knives were used in the attack which lasted some 10 minutes and left three injured.
The police have arrested three people.While the incident may have left many residents in the area ruffled, dormitory operators are not batting an eyelid.Those interviewed by The Sunday Times said dormitory scuffles and squabbles among foreign workers are very common. Their most frequent bone of contention? Living space.Said Mr Andreas Chan, former director of a Kranji dormitory: 'Quarrels are an everyday affair. Fights take place at least once a week.
'When so many people live together in such a small space, there is bound to be friction. Even extended families living in the same house have their quarrels. What more strangers from different countries with different habits and cultures?'Not being able to communicate in a common language adds to the problem. Mr Lim Teck Ho, who operates four foreign-worker dormitories, cited an example: 'Chinese nationals like to speak very loudly. This gives others the impression that they want to start a fight.
'Dormitory operators said arguments usually erupt when workers rush to use the common toilets during peak periods - before work in the morning and after work in the evening. Patience runs thin and tempers flare when they have to wait to shower or use the loo.Said a dormitory manager who declined to be named: 'Sometimes the morning toilet queues are so long that the workers have to brush their teeth in the lorry taking them to work.
'Mr Chan has heard of a case in a Tuas dormitory where a group of foreign workers stormed a shower cubicle and beat up a fellow worker because he was taking a leisurely shower during the peak period.The television set can also be a channel of friction.When workers of various nationalities have to share a TV set, and all want to watch different channels at the same time, there will be arguments. Turning on the volume too loud while others are sleeping can also lead to scuffles.
One dormitory in the north had to confiscate the TV set for a month when its residents got into fisticuffs over channel control.Mr Lim said the more cramped the dormitory is, and the higher the ratio of residents to facilities, the greater the chance of fights breaking out. 'This is why I allocate each worker at my dormitory at least 5 sq m of space,' he said.The National Environment Agency (NEA) guidelines require each worker to have room space of at least 3 sq m with a separate space for cupboards, or 4 sq m if there is no separate space.Operators are not taking chances.Most workers' dormitories have at least two burly, specially trained guards on duty at any one time.
They will conduct spot checks every hour when there are workers around.Said Mr Liew Kok Seng, dormitory manager at View Road Lodge in Admiralty: 'You cannot employ any normal general worker to be a security guard at a workers' dormitory. You need someone who is fierce and can take control of difficult situations.'When fights break out and cannot be stopped, the guards will first threaten to call the workers' employers. This tactic is usually successful as workers are most afraid of being repatriated. But if the fight continues, the police will be called in.Stopping a fight is not easy when there are so many men involved. Which is why efforts are made to prevent one from happening.
The Seletar Flats dormitory in Seletar West Farmway imposes a stiff $200 fine on residents who fight, said its property manager Kelvin Low. This is a quarter of the salary of the average foreign worker.The dormitory, which houses 3,000 workers, has never had a fight since it started operating three years ago.
Other dormitories prefer a simpler method of keeping peace: providing more space and better facilities.The View Road Lodge, for example, allows residents to install their own TV sets in their rooms so that they will not have to share the common set.At the Blue Stars Dormitory in Kian Teck Lane, near Boon Lay, workers are housed in self-equipped units that resemble HDB flats. Each unit has two toilets, two shower rooms and a small sitting area, and is shared by 12 to 14 men.Residents get to choose who they want to live with to ensure they get along well with their roommates.Said its property manager Raymond Mak: 'We may have 4,000 workers of many different nationalities in our dormitory. But all of them live in harmony.
'This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Hundreds queue for 180 jobs
HUNDREDS of job-seekers descended on Ang Mo Kio MRT station yesterday, hoping to land one of the 180 jobs up for grabs at public transport company SMRT. The queue stretched from the pedestrian pathway to a makeshift job application booth set up near the control station.About 850 people turned up for the roadshow, which started at 9am. Job-seekers there said the crowd started to disperse only after 2pm.Jobs on offer include customer service officers and assistant engineers. A company spokesman said two-thirds of the jobs are for certain stages of the Circle Line.Madam Pauline Yong, 40, turned up at 11am with her husband, but they had to leave halfway to feed their 1 1/2-year-old daughter. Both engineers by training and currently unemployed, they were seeking jobs as assistant engineers.'We want to enrol our daughter in an infant care centre,' said Madam Yong, 'so it's all right even if we get a pay cut.'The SMRT spokesman said another roadshow will most likely be held in two months' time, or when ' there is a sizeable number of positions in the company'.This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
NTUC to set up new fund to help low-income workers tide over recession
SINGAPORE : Singapore's labour movement plans to set up a new fund called "U Care" to help needy workers tide over the recession.
It will be part of the S$20 million the unions hope to raise by May this year - to be given out to low-income households.
The labour movement plans to help low-income workers tide over the recession through a new fund called "U Care".
NTUC's plans include more bursaries for children from low-income families - like the S$70,000 given out by the Healthcare Services Employees' Union to some 530 students on Saturday - and more vouchers to help offset household spending.
Lim Swee Say, Secretary-General, NTUC, added: "What will be new this year is how we can provide hardship support for retrenched workers who may not receive fair compensation.
"Maybe the companies fold up or just disappear, and as a result they (workers) may not receive any retrenchment benefits, or the amount could be so low that it may not be enough to tide them over in the short term."
The unions plan to raise at least S$20 million this year - three times the amount given out in 2007. NTUC gave out a total of S$13 million in 2008.
Mr Lim said: "We know that it will not be easy. In fact, it will be doubly difficult; firstly, the sum is bigger, secondly, it comes (during) a downturn. Many organisations are cutting costs, but from our initial (feedback) from many of our social enterprises and business partners, I would say the support level has been fairly strong."
And the unions say the money will be given out in the form of vouchers to help families offset expenses in utilities and transport. But if need be, additional vouchers will be given out to help in other areas.
On Singapore Airlines' recent announcement of an 11 per cent cut in capacity, Mr Lim said SIA's management and unions are in close consultation on the matter.
He said: "Both the unions and management are committed to work together to cut costs and save jobs. So the unions and management are in close dialogue.
"I think both sides are committed that retrenchment will only be a last resort. They are not talking about retrenchments, they are talking about how closely we can work together, make full use of our flexible wage system, flexi work arrangement, cutting not just the wage costs but the non-wage costs as well."
Mr Lim said such management-union ties sets Singapore apart from other countries.
He said: "Our unions are not going to go on strike, our unions and our management are not just going to retrench workers, and cut jobs to save costs, but rather work together to cut costs and save as many jobs as we can." - CNA/ms
It will be part of the S$20 million the unions hope to raise by May this year - to be given out to low-income households.
The labour movement plans to help low-income workers tide over the recession through a new fund called "U Care".
NTUC's plans include more bursaries for children from low-income families - like the S$70,000 given out by the Healthcare Services Employees' Union to some 530 students on Saturday - and more vouchers to help offset household spending.
Lim Swee Say, Secretary-General, NTUC, added: "What will be new this year is how we can provide hardship support for retrenched workers who may not receive fair compensation.
"Maybe the companies fold up or just disappear, and as a result they (workers) may not receive any retrenchment benefits, or the amount could be so low that it may not be enough to tide them over in the short term."
The unions plan to raise at least S$20 million this year - three times the amount given out in 2007. NTUC gave out a total of S$13 million in 2008.
Mr Lim said: "We know that it will not be easy. In fact, it will be doubly difficult; firstly, the sum is bigger, secondly, it comes (during) a downturn. Many organisations are cutting costs, but from our initial (feedback) from many of our social enterprises and business partners, I would say the support level has been fairly strong."
And the unions say the money will be given out in the form of vouchers to help families offset expenses in utilities and transport. But if need be, additional vouchers will be given out to help in other areas.
On Singapore Airlines' recent announcement of an 11 per cent cut in capacity, Mr Lim said SIA's management and unions are in close consultation on the matter.
He said: "Both the unions and management are committed to work together to cut costs and save jobs. So the unions and management are in close dialogue.
"I think both sides are committed that retrenchment will only be a last resort. They are not talking about retrenchments, they are talking about how closely we can work together, make full use of our flexible wage system, flexi work arrangement, cutting not just the wage costs but the non-wage costs as well."
Mr Lim said such management-union ties sets Singapore apart from other countries.
He said: "Our unions are not going to go on strike, our unions and our management are not just going to retrench workers, and cut jobs to save costs, but rather work together to cut costs and save as many jobs as we can." - CNA/ms
South East CDC sees 40% rise in job seekers between Nov and Jan
SINGAPORE : The number of job seekers at one Community Development Council (CDC) shot up by some 40 per cent in the past three months
South East CDC registered over 1,100 people looking for employment, between November and January.
It is no surprise then that hundreds of job seekers turned up in full force at the CDC’s one—day job fair on Saturday.
Organisers said more than 1,000 jobs are available in various sectors like healthcare, retail and logistics.
About 12 businesses and recruitment agencies and six training providers were also at the fair.
The CDC plans to organise about 100 such recruitment exercises this year.
It organised a total of 87 such events in 2008, and rolled out 10 new ones in January alone. — CNA/ms
South East CDC registered over 1,100 people looking for employment, between November and January.
It is no surprise then that hundreds of job seekers turned up in full force at the CDC’s one—day job fair on Saturday.
Organisers said more than 1,000 jobs are available in various sectors like healthcare, retail and logistics.
About 12 businesses and recruitment agencies and six training providers were also at the fair.
The CDC plans to organise about 100 such recruitment exercises this year.
It organised a total of 87 such events in 2008, and rolled out 10 new ones in January alone. — CNA/ms
Manpower Ministry launches new skills programme to help PMETs
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) are introducing a new scheme to help professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) to survive the current recession.
Called the Professional Skills Programme (PSP), it will bring together all current skills upgrading and job assistance schemes.
The PSP was announced during a tripartite forum between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and some 550 union and business leaders on Sunday.
All courses offered under PSP will receive funding under the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience or SPUR.
Besides helping PMETs switch to new occupations such as registered nurses and pre—school teachers, PSP will also have skills upgrading courses to help PMETs improve in their speciality.
For example, financial industry professionals can specialise in risk management or product control at the Risk Management Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Financial Training Institute at the Singapore Management University (SMU).
Other examples include engineering professionals in the pharmaceutical and biologics sectors who could take the Specialised Training Programme in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Validation) to become validation specialists.
There will also be tertiary upgrading for PMETs through degree and post—graduate courses under the enhanced SPUR programme.
Over the next few months, a list of programmes will be introduced such as the Master of Science Programme in Integrated Circuit Design at NTU—TUM (Technical University of Munich) for integrated circuit design engineers or a Double Master of Science Programme in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at NUS—Georgia Institute of Technology for logistics and supply chain specialists.
MOM and WDA said that more will be introduced progressively in coming months.
PMETs can also opt for leadership and management skills training.
There will also be career workshops for PMETs to build up communication skills, interview, resume writing and networking skills. More information on the PSP is available at the WDA website.
Called the Professional Skills Programme (PSP), it will bring together all current skills upgrading and job assistance schemes.
The PSP was announced during a tripartite forum between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and some 550 union and business leaders on Sunday.
All courses offered under PSP will receive funding under the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience or SPUR.
Besides helping PMETs switch to new occupations such as registered nurses and pre—school teachers, PSP will also have skills upgrading courses to help PMETs improve in their speciality.
For example, financial industry professionals can specialise in risk management or product control at the Risk Management Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Financial Training Institute at the Singapore Management University (SMU).
Other examples include engineering professionals in the pharmaceutical and biologics sectors who could take the Specialised Training Programme in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Validation) to become validation specialists.
There will also be tertiary upgrading for PMETs through degree and post—graduate courses under the enhanced SPUR programme.
Over the next few months, a list of programmes will be introduced such as the Master of Science Programme in Integrated Circuit Design at NTU—TUM (Technical University of Munich) for integrated circuit design engineers or a Double Master of Science Programme in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at NUS—Georgia Institute of Technology for logistics and supply chain specialists.
MOM and WDA said that more will be introduced progressively in coming months.
PMETs can also opt for leadership and management skills training.
There will also be career workshops for PMETs to build up communication skills, interview, resume writing and networking skills. More information on the PSP is available at the WDA website.
NTUC to give more aid to retrenched workers
Retrenched and needy workers can expect more help from the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), which hopes to boost its war chest to $20 million by May.
Particularly in need are workers who received little, if any, retrenchment benefits, said its secretary-general, Mr Lim Swee Say, yesterday.
A new fund, U Care, will be added to its existing Care and Share programme which provides aid to needy union members in the form of transport and utility vouchers.
Particularly in need are workers who received little, if any, retrenchment benefits, said its secretary-general, Mr Lim Swee Say, yesterday.
A new fund, U Care, will be added to its existing Care and Share programme which provides aid to needy union members in the form of transport and utility vouchers.
5,000 vie for 1,000 jobs at fair
Saturday was no rest day for 5,000 people who flocked to Bedok Central to check out the over-1,000 jobs on offer.
The job fair yesterday featured openings from 12 employers - from food and beverage companies and the Government to health-care and retail firms.It was organised by the South East Community Development Council (CDC), in collaboration with the Kampong Chai Chee Citizens Consultative Committee.
The job fair yesterday featured openings from 12 employers - from food and beverage companies and the Government to health-care and retail firms.It was organised by the South East Community Development Council (CDC), in collaboration with the Kampong Chai Chee Citizens Consultative Committee.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
100 jobs will be available for the disabled
SINGAPORE: Jobs may be scarce during the economic downturn but Singapore companies are still hiring the disabled.
One hundred job openings for the disabled will be publicised in recruitment pages on Saturday.
These jobs are committed by employers who have signed up under the Open Door Fund to redesign jobs for the disabled.
This fund was set up as an incentive programme to help employers defray costs associated with hiring disabled persons.
It is an initiative by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and administered by the Singapore National Employers Federation.
The Enabling Employers Network (EE Network), which made the announcement, has urged potential applicants to seize the opportunity to apply for jobs, as they will stand to gain training opportunities.
Employers are expected to tap on the various training schemes launched by the Workforce Development Agency.
EE Network, which started two years ago, is an alliance of employers who champion employment opportunities for the disabled.
One hundred job openings for the disabled will be publicised in recruitment pages on Saturday.
These jobs are committed by employers who have signed up under the Open Door Fund to redesign jobs for the disabled.
This fund was set up as an incentive programme to help employers defray costs associated with hiring disabled persons.
It is an initiative by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and administered by the Singapore National Employers Federation.
The Enabling Employers Network (EE Network), which made the announcement, has urged potential applicants to seize the opportunity to apply for jobs, as they will stand to gain training opportunities.
Employers are expected to tap on the various training schemes launched by the Workforce Development Agency.
EE Network, which started two years ago, is an alliance of employers who champion employment opportunities for the disabled.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Not all employment agents are bona fide
WHEN employers seek foreign workers, they probably go through one of the 2,000 licensed employment agents here.
These licensed agents get a cut of $3,000 to $5,000 of the fees paid to recruiters in the home country.
China workers reportedly pay up to $10,000 to get here.
Agents said the fees go towards administrative, transport and medical costs. Only licensed agents and employers can apply for work permits for foreign workers. To be a licensed agent, one has to sit an examination and put down a deposit of $20,000 in a banker's guarantee.
But illegal agents also operate here, say bona fide agents. They are usually former foreign workers who bring their friends or relatives here for work initially. They link workers up with employers, then ask legal agents for administrative help. The legal agents get a cut of about $1,000 for lending their name to a work permit application.
Often, it is these 'freelance' agents who mislead foreign workers with false promises of jobs in Singapore.
Since 2005, the Manpower Ministry has clamped down on over 30 illegal agents. A list of licensed agents here can be obtained from the its website.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
These licensed agents get a cut of $3,000 to $5,000 of the fees paid to recruiters in the home country.
China workers reportedly pay up to $10,000 to get here.
Agents said the fees go towards administrative, transport and medical costs. Only licensed agents and employers can apply for work permits for foreign workers. To be a licensed agent, one has to sit an examination and put down a deposit of $20,000 in a banker's guarantee.
But illegal agents also operate here, say bona fide agents. They are usually former foreign workers who bring their friends or relatives here for work initially. They link workers up with employers, then ask legal agents for administrative help. The legal agents get a cut of about $1,000 for lending their name to a work permit application.
Often, it is these 'freelance' agents who mislead foreign workers with false promises of jobs in Singapore.
Since 2005, the Manpower Ministry has clamped down on over 30 illegal agents. A list of licensed agents here can be obtained from the its website.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
How jobless PMETs can find work
THIS recession has been rough for many professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) as they cannot readily find work.
Many of them also have to compete against 'hungrier' young graduates, who can take on any job at far lower pay because they have fewer commitments to worry about.
This seems to indicate that, in Singapore, the number of years that a person has worked does not count for much when he is looking for a job.
In Australia, where I was working for six months, a job applicant is not required to include his age, gender and race on his resume.
He does not need to attach a photograph of himself. Neither does he need to state where he lives.
If a prospective employer requests these particulars, the job applicant may alert the authorities to the possibility of discrimination.
The situation is very different in Singapore. Discrimination is very evident. Older workers find that employers have the upper hand when it comes to hiring practices.
Unless the labour law is changed, these workers will continue to face discrimination. Although a degree is important in Australia, it is not a prerequisite for most jobs.
A non-graduate with sufficient experience and leadership skills may still work as a manager in a corporation.
The same cannot be said of companies here, which continue to look for graduates, even when they are filling administrative and marketing positions.
I advise PMETs who are jobless to take up retraining courses that will help them learn the skills that companies are looking for.
Another degree or a master's programme may not help you land a job. Skills, on the other hand, would.
Many of them also have to compete against 'hungrier' young graduates, who can take on any job at far lower pay because they have fewer commitments to worry about.
This seems to indicate that, in Singapore, the number of years that a person has worked does not count for much when he is looking for a job.
In Australia, where I was working for six months, a job applicant is not required to include his age, gender and race on his resume.
He does not need to attach a photograph of himself. Neither does he need to state where he lives.
If a prospective employer requests these particulars, the job applicant may alert the authorities to the possibility of discrimination.
The situation is very different in Singapore. Discrimination is very evident. Older workers find that employers have the upper hand when it comes to hiring practices.
Unless the labour law is changed, these workers will continue to face discrimination. Although a degree is important in Australia, it is not a prerequisite for most jobs.
A non-graduate with sufficient experience and leadership skills may still work as a manager in a corporation.
The same cannot be said of companies here, which continue to look for graduates, even when they are filling administrative and marketing positions.
I advise PMETs who are jobless to take up retraining courses that will help them learn the skills that companies are looking for.
Another degree or a master's programme may not help you land a job. Skills, on the other hand, would.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
44% of S'pore firms plan to freeze exec pay
THE pay squeeze is moving up the management ladder, with many Singapore firms intending to freeze the base wages of executives.
A snap poll last December found that 44per cent of businesses based here plan to put the brakes on executive remuneration this year. Across Asia, the number was about 35per cent. The heightened sense of urgency here may reflect the fact that Singapore was the first country in the region to slip into recession.
But the pay freeze may not be the worst of it. Human resource consultancy Mercer, which conducted the survey, believes the numbers and the extent of the curb on salaries will worsen.
'While many companies in Asia have already indicated a freeze in their executive pay, we expect more organisations will follow suit once their 2009 compensation budgets are finalised,' said Mr Wei Zheng, the leader for Mercer's executive remuneration business in Asia. Mercer, which surveyed 257 companies in key Asian markets such as China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea and Singapore, said the global economic fallout, declining stock prices and increasing public scrutiny on executive pay are forcing Asian companies to reassess their remuneration policies, with the axe also set to fall on short- and long-term incentive payouts.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
A snap poll last December found that 44per cent of businesses based here plan to put the brakes on executive remuneration this year. Across Asia, the number was about 35per cent. The heightened sense of urgency here may reflect the fact that Singapore was the first country in the region to slip into recession.
But the pay freeze may not be the worst of it. Human resource consultancy Mercer, which conducted the survey, believes the numbers and the extent of the curb on salaries will worsen.
'While many companies in Asia have already indicated a freeze in their executive pay, we expect more organisations will follow suit once their 2009 compensation budgets are finalised,' said Mr Wei Zheng, the leader for Mercer's executive remuneration business in Asia. Mercer, which surveyed 257 companies in key Asian markets such as China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea and Singapore, said the global economic fallout, declining stock prices and increasing public scrutiny on executive pay are forcing Asian companies to reassess their remuneration policies, with the axe also set to fall on short- and long-term incentive payouts.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Stricter criteria for semi-skilled foreigners
THE criteria for semi-skilled foreign workers coming to Singapore are to be tightened in a move to improve the skills and quality of those who will be employed here.
Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, who disclosed this yesterday, did not provide details but said his ministry would brief industry players on the changes.
The announcement came as he responded to seven MPs who spoke on Singapore's foreign manpower policy during the debate on the budget estimates for his ministry. They reflected concerns that Singapore workers had about foreigners competing for employment in a job market that was stagnating given the current global economic downturn.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC) and Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC) spoke in particular about the plight of local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
The MPs noted that mid-level skilled foreign workers were in direct competition with PMETs who face retrenchment and are looking for jobs. Dr Lim wanted to know if the Manpower Ministry would reduce the number of such foreign workers, also known as S-Pass holders.
The S-Pass is an employment pass for semi-skilled workers with diploma-level or post-secondary-level education and who earn at least $1,800 a month.
They were meant to supplement sectors that lack skilled Singaporeans, and to fill jobs Singaporeans shunned in sectors like nursing and marine engineering.
As of December 2007, there were some 757,000 non-residents on work permits, 143,000 on employment or S-Passes, and 85,000 on student passes here.
While the ministry would tighten the criteria for S-Pass holders, Mr Gan said it would hurt Singapore to shut them and other foreigners out.
Foreign talent remained a key competitive advantage for Singapore's economy, he said. They help bolster growing industries and keep businesses competitive.
Foreign workers also take up jobs that Singaporeans might not have the skills for, or are unwilling to take up.
'We should not undermine our competitive advantage of a flexible labour market, or deviate from the fundamental policy to attract and retain talent, as we address the short-term challenges of the recession,' said Mr Gan.
To illustrate his point, he used the analogy of a race. Singapore could win the race by one of two ways: get rid of the competition, or produce better runners.
Adopting the first strategy and eliminating the competition would help Singapore win local races. But it would not work when Singapore competes against other nations in international races. 'We cannot get rid of all other competitors just because they are faster than us and make it into a locals-only game. It is better for us to train our athletes, make them strong and help them compete,' he said.
Likewise, if Singapore made it difficult for firms to access foreign manpower, they might relocate to places with unrestricted access to cheaper labour.
Singapore's approach, Mr Gan explained, has been to 'spur our athletes on by improving their odds of winning - subsidised training, quality equipment and good coaches - so they have an edge'.
He was referring to initiatives such as Jobs Credit and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience that aim to boost local workers' competitiveness.
'Instead of hurting businesses and sending the wrong signal to investors, it is better for us to go for a win-win strategy. This is what we have done.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, who disclosed this yesterday, did not provide details but said his ministry would brief industry players on the changes.
The announcement came as he responded to seven MPs who spoke on Singapore's foreign manpower policy during the debate on the budget estimates for his ministry. They reflected concerns that Singapore workers had about foreigners competing for employment in a job market that was stagnating given the current global economic downturn.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC) and Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC) spoke in particular about the plight of local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
The MPs noted that mid-level skilled foreign workers were in direct competition with PMETs who face retrenchment and are looking for jobs. Dr Lim wanted to know if the Manpower Ministry would reduce the number of such foreign workers, also known as S-Pass holders.
The S-Pass is an employment pass for semi-skilled workers with diploma-level or post-secondary-level education and who earn at least $1,800 a month.
They were meant to supplement sectors that lack skilled Singaporeans, and to fill jobs Singaporeans shunned in sectors like nursing and marine engineering.
As of December 2007, there were some 757,000 non-residents on work permits, 143,000 on employment or S-Passes, and 85,000 on student passes here.
While the ministry would tighten the criteria for S-Pass holders, Mr Gan said it would hurt Singapore to shut them and other foreigners out.
Foreign talent remained a key competitive advantage for Singapore's economy, he said. They help bolster growing industries and keep businesses competitive.
Foreign workers also take up jobs that Singaporeans might not have the skills for, or are unwilling to take up.
'We should not undermine our competitive advantage of a flexible labour market, or deviate from the fundamental policy to attract and retain talent, as we address the short-term challenges of the recession,' said Mr Gan.
To illustrate his point, he used the analogy of a race. Singapore could win the race by one of two ways: get rid of the competition, or produce better runners.
Adopting the first strategy and eliminating the competition would help Singapore win local races. But it would not work when Singapore competes against other nations in international races. 'We cannot get rid of all other competitors just because they are faster than us and make it into a locals-only game. It is better for us to train our athletes, make them strong and help them compete,' he said.
Likewise, if Singapore made it difficult for firms to access foreign manpower, they might relocate to places with unrestricted access to cheaper labour.
Singapore's approach, Mr Gan explained, has been to 'spur our athletes on by improving their odds of winning - subsidised training, quality equipment and good coaches - so they have an edge'.
He was referring to initiatives such as Jobs Credit and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience that aim to boost local workers' competitiveness.
'Instead of hurting businesses and sending the wrong signal to investors, it is better for us to go for a win-win strategy. This is what we have done.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Smaller firms here not likely to cut jobs
MOST smaller firms here are unlikely to slash jobs during the first half of this year, but are under no illusion about the scale of the slowdown, says a survey.
The twice-yearly HSBC poll of small businesses in Asia found that 87 per cent of those in Singapore expect their headcount to remain unchanged during the first six months of this year.
This, despite the fact that 82 per cent of them are expecting economic growth to slow. More than half - 61 per cent - of the 300 local firms surveyed are also planning to maintain their current levels of investment over the same period.
HSBC's Asia-Pacific Small Business Confidence Survey, conducted by research house TNS, asks 3,000 bosses across 10 Asian markets about their economic outlook for the coming six months, capital investment plans, staff levels and expectations for trade volumes.
It also measures business confidence levels on a scale of 0 to 200, with 100 as the midpoint.
According to the survey, the confidence of Singapore firms has been declining since the fourth quarter of 2007. It fell from 120 in that quarter to 101 by the second quarter of last year, and subsequently down to 70 by the fourth quarter.
Singapore's levels are consistently below the average weighted level for all countries in the region, which was 122 in the fourth quarter of 2007, 113 in the second quarter of 2008 and 89 in the last quarter of 2008.
The nine other Asian markets in the survey are China, Hong Kong, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.
According to HSBC, this is in line with expectations, given that Singapore has traditionally been more conservative on economic outlook than its Asian neighbours.
Ms Tan Siew Meng, head of commercial banking at HSBC Singapore, noted that despite Singapore's slumping confidence, it was encouraging to note that 'the majority of small businesses in Singapore intend to maintain current levels of headcount and investments'.
Small businesses in emerging economies like Bangladesh, Vietnam and India remain upbeat about growth, with the majority still expecting local economic growth to maintain the same pace as - or better - than last year.
Singapore appears downbeat in comparison, with only 4 per cent expecting GDP growth to increase and 14 per cent expecting the same growth rate as last year. About a third - 35 per cent - expect growth to slow by up to 4 percentage points, while 47 per cent see growth slowing by more.
The pessimism indicated in the poll mirrors another survey by The Business Times (BT) and UniSIM released this month.
BT and UniSIM polled 167 firms about their business prospects for the next six months and a net balance - the difference between the proportion of positive and negative responses - of over 80 per cent of respondents said they saw the situation deteriorating further.
This article was first published in The Straits Times
The twice-yearly HSBC poll of small businesses in Asia found that 87 per cent of those in Singapore expect their headcount to remain unchanged during the first six months of this year.
This, despite the fact that 82 per cent of them are expecting economic growth to slow. More than half - 61 per cent - of the 300 local firms surveyed are also planning to maintain their current levels of investment over the same period.
HSBC's Asia-Pacific Small Business Confidence Survey, conducted by research house TNS, asks 3,000 bosses across 10 Asian markets about their economic outlook for the coming six months, capital investment plans, staff levels and expectations for trade volumes.
It also measures business confidence levels on a scale of 0 to 200, with 100 as the midpoint.
According to the survey, the confidence of Singapore firms has been declining since the fourth quarter of 2007. It fell from 120 in that quarter to 101 by the second quarter of last year, and subsequently down to 70 by the fourth quarter.
Singapore's levels are consistently below the average weighted level for all countries in the region, which was 122 in the fourth quarter of 2007, 113 in the second quarter of 2008 and 89 in the last quarter of 2008.
The nine other Asian markets in the survey are China, Hong Kong, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.
According to HSBC, this is in line with expectations, given that Singapore has traditionally been more conservative on economic outlook than its Asian neighbours.
Ms Tan Siew Meng, head of commercial banking at HSBC Singapore, noted that despite Singapore's slumping confidence, it was encouraging to note that 'the majority of small businesses in Singapore intend to maintain current levels of headcount and investments'.
Small businesses in emerging economies like Bangladesh, Vietnam and India remain upbeat about growth, with the majority still expecting local economic growth to maintain the same pace as - or better - than last year.
Singapore appears downbeat in comparison, with only 4 per cent expecting GDP growth to increase and 14 per cent expecting the same growth rate as last year. About a third - 35 per cent - expect growth to slow by up to 4 percentage points, while 47 per cent see growth slowing by more.
The pessimism indicated in the poll mirrors another survey by The Business Times (BT) and UniSIM released this month.
BT and UniSIM polled 167 firms about their business prospects for the next six months and a net balance - the difference between the proportion of positive and negative responses - of over 80 per cent of respondents said they saw the situation deteriorating further.
This article was first published in The Straits Times
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Malaysians in Singapore 'last to be let go'
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Malaysia's understanding of Singapore's "unwritten policy" on retrenchment of foreign workers is that Malaysians will be let off last, Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said yesterday.
He said this was because of the cultural similarities between the two countries.
"But a lot of them have been asked to work fewer hours or shorter days," Subramaniam told reporters when met at a dialogue organised by the EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Some 350,000 Malaysians work in Singapore, with 150,000 commuting from Johor Baru, and the rest believed to be residing in Singapore.
While Subramaniam maintained that the number of Malaysians retrenched in Singapore had been low so far, there was no data to corroborate this.
"We don't know (the number of Malaysians retrenched in Singapore), because we don't have any figures. Maybe people have lost jobs but have not told anybody.
"The Singapore government does not have figures on the number of Malaysians retrenched either. So this is all pure speculation."
He urged those who had lost jobs in Singapore to register with the ministry in Johor Baru or meet the ministry's labour attache in Singapore.
He told participants of the dialogue on "Retrenchment Scenario and the Government's Response" that 19,700 people had been retrenched in Malaysia so far, while another 45,000 were considered "vulnerable" to retrenchment.
"These 45,000 workers are those who have already received a pay cut or been asked to work fewer hours or days. The ministry believes that they are in the danger zone of being retrenched."
Of the 19,700 retrenched, 13,821 were Malaysians.
Subramaniam also spoke to reporters at a signing ceremony here yesterday where he witnessed the signing of a collective agreement between brewery company Guinness Anchor Bhd and the Union of Beverage Industry Workers.
He said his ministry was working towards putting an end soon to low wages in the security, hospitality, electronics and textile sectors.
It was using the Wages Council to address sectors with low wages.
"We are reviewing the salary scales in the security sector because they are exceedingly low now. The workers tend to work 12-hour shifts and earn a salary of RM600 to RM700."
He said his ministry would announce the pay structure within the month and would ensure that companies complied with them.
"It will be empowered through the Wages Council Act. We are slowly addressing sectors in which salaries are low and there is no union in the sector to achieve a collective agreement."
He said this was not the case for the plantation sector as all salaries and remuneration were decided via a collective agreement.
He added that the national minimum wage issue would be placed on hold until the economy recovered.
"We are trying to preserve jobs now. So it's not the right time to talk about a minimum wage. We will look at the issue once the economy improves."
Subramaniam also said that a retirement age cap should not be placed on the private sector as had been done in the civil service.
"I don't believe we should cap the age limit at 58 for the private sector as some private companies hire on a contract basis until the employee is 60 years old."
He said this was because of the cultural similarities between the two countries.
"But a lot of them have been asked to work fewer hours or shorter days," Subramaniam told reporters when met at a dialogue organised by the EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Some 350,000 Malaysians work in Singapore, with 150,000 commuting from Johor Baru, and the rest believed to be residing in Singapore.
While Subramaniam maintained that the number of Malaysians retrenched in Singapore had been low so far, there was no data to corroborate this.
"We don't know (the number of Malaysians retrenched in Singapore), because we don't have any figures. Maybe people have lost jobs but have not told anybody.
"The Singapore government does not have figures on the number of Malaysians retrenched either. So this is all pure speculation."
He urged those who had lost jobs in Singapore to register with the ministry in Johor Baru or meet the ministry's labour attache in Singapore.
He told participants of the dialogue on "Retrenchment Scenario and the Government's Response" that 19,700 people had been retrenched in Malaysia so far, while another 45,000 were considered "vulnerable" to retrenchment.
"These 45,000 workers are those who have already received a pay cut or been asked to work fewer hours or days. The ministry believes that they are in the danger zone of being retrenched."
Of the 19,700 retrenched, 13,821 were Malaysians.
Subramaniam also spoke to reporters at a signing ceremony here yesterday where he witnessed the signing of a collective agreement between brewery company Guinness Anchor Bhd and the Union of Beverage Industry Workers.
He said his ministry was working towards putting an end soon to low wages in the security, hospitality, electronics and textile sectors.
It was using the Wages Council to address sectors with low wages.
"We are reviewing the salary scales in the security sector because they are exceedingly low now. The workers tend to work 12-hour shifts and earn a salary of RM600 to RM700."
He said his ministry would announce the pay structure within the month and would ensure that companies complied with them.
"It will be empowered through the Wages Council Act. We are slowly addressing sectors in which salaries are low and there is no union in the sector to achieve a collective agreement."
He said this was not the case for the plantation sector as all salaries and remuneration were decided via a collective agreement.
He added that the national minimum wage issue would be placed on hold until the economy recovered.
"We are trying to preserve jobs now. So it's not the right time to talk about a minimum wage. We will look at the issue once the economy improves."
Subramaniam also said that a retirement age cap should not be placed on the private sector as had been done in the civil service.
"I don't believe we should cap the age limit at 58 for the private sector as some private companies hire on a contract basis until the employee is 60 years old."
Injured worker in pay dispute with ex-boss
IT'S a piece of advice that's all too often heard and all too often ignored: be careful when lifting heavy objects.
Mr Joseph Reggy Veerasingham, 51, claimed he had tried his best to carry heavy goods the right way, yet he injured his back and ended up having to quit his job.
The former senior storekeeper also had to get help from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to get his last month's salary.
His employer had owed it to him for almost two months .
Mr Veerasingham, who is claiming he injured his back at work, also wants work injury compensation from the company.
He resigned on 30 Sep last year, after working at Singapore Precision Repair and Overhaul (S-Pro) for two years.
As a senior storekeeper, Mr Veerasingham claimed he often had to lift heavy equipment and aircraft spare parts. Each box would usually weigh between 40 and 50kg, he said.
The store where he worked had a forklift, but he claimed that workers there did not usually use it as it was faster to move the boxes manually.
He said the forklift was used only when the equipment came in crates that were too big for men to lift on their own.
Mr Veerasingham, who has four children aged 13 to 16, said: 'We sometimes had to rush to meet delivery times.
'It's our rice bowl, so we would feel very pressured to move the boxes on our own.'
He began to get pain in his lower back early last year, but he said he initially ignored it, thinking he was just exhausted from work.
But on 10 May, while lifting some aircraft tyres, he claimed he had cramps on his back, and his 'body became stiff'.
'Felt like ice'
He told The New Paper at his Bedok Reservoir Road maisonette: 'It felt like ice in my muscles. I was so worried I would be handicapped or paralysed.'
After work that day, he saw a doctor at the Tampines Polyclinic and was given medical leave for two days.
But his condition deteriorated a few weeks later, he claimed. He was referred to a specialist at Changi General Hospital (CGH), who put him on light duty for a week.
He returned to normal duties after that and was given painkillers.
He went back to CGH for a follow-up on 10 Oct.
Said Mr Veerasingham: 'The doctor took an X-ray and said my back was in terrible shape, it was wornout.'
His medical report stated that there was paravertebral spasm and stiffness of his back.
He also suffered spondylolisthesis, which means a bone in his spine had slipped out of alignment and moved backwards.
If there is too much movement, the bones may irritate the spinal cord, causing numbness, tingling or weakness in his limbs.
He was given hospitalisation leave from 10 to 24Oct.
On his doctor's advice, he quit his job to look for one which would not strain his back.
On his last day at the company, he said he was asked to sign a document stating that he had no further claims against his company.
He refused to sign, as he wanted to claim compensation for his injured back.
The company then held back his pay, until MOM ordered it to make the payment by last month.
MOM is looking into Mr Veerasingham's workplace injury compensation claim.
S-Pro declined to comment.
Said Mr Veerasingham, who now works as a bus driver and a taxi driver: 'I'm really thankful to MOM. They were really efficient and helped me so much.'
This article was first published in The New Paper.
Mr Joseph Reggy Veerasingham, 51, claimed he had tried his best to carry heavy goods the right way, yet he injured his back and ended up having to quit his job.
The former senior storekeeper also had to get help from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to get his last month's salary.
His employer had owed it to him for almost two months .
Mr Veerasingham, who is claiming he injured his back at work, also wants work injury compensation from the company.
He resigned on 30 Sep last year, after working at Singapore Precision Repair and Overhaul (S-Pro) for two years.
As a senior storekeeper, Mr Veerasingham claimed he often had to lift heavy equipment and aircraft spare parts. Each box would usually weigh between 40 and 50kg, he said.
The store where he worked had a forklift, but he claimed that workers there did not usually use it as it was faster to move the boxes manually.
He said the forklift was used only when the equipment came in crates that were too big for men to lift on their own.
Mr Veerasingham, who has four children aged 13 to 16, said: 'We sometimes had to rush to meet delivery times.
'It's our rice bowl, so we would feel very pressured to move the boxes on our own.'
He began to get pain in his lower back early last year, but he said he initially ignored it, thinking he was just exhausted from work.
But on 10 May, while lifting some aircraft tyres, he claimed he had cramps on his back, and his 'body became stiff'.
'Felt like ice'
He told The New Paper at his Bedok Reservoir Road maisonette: 'It felt like ice in my muscles. I was so worried I would be handicapped or paralysed.'
After work that day, he saw a doctor at the Tampines Polyclinic and was given medical leave for two days.
But his condition deteriorated a few weeks later, he claimed. He was referred to a specialist at Changi General Hospital (CGH), who put him on light duty for a week.
He returned to normal duties after that and was given painkillers.
He went back to CGH for a follow-up on 10 Oct.
Said Mr Veerasingham: 'The doctor took an X-ray and said my back was in terrible shape, it was wornout.'
His medical report stated that there was paravertebral spasm and stiffness of his back.
He also suffered spondylolisthesis, which means a bone in his spine had slipped out of alignment and moved backwards.
If there is too much movement, the bones may irritate the spinal cord, causing numbness, tingling or weakness in his limbs.
He was given hospitalisation leave from 10 to 24Oct.
On his doctor's advice, he quit his job to look for one which would not strain his back.
On his last day at the company, he said he was asked to sign a document stating that he had no further claims against his company.
He refused to sign, as he wanted to claim compensation for his injured back.
The company then held back his pay, until MOM ordered it to make the payment by last month.
MOM is looking into Mr Veerasingham's workplace injury compensation claim.
S-Pro declined to comment.
Said Mr Veerasingham, who now works as a bus driver and a taxi driver: 'I'm really thankful to MOM. They were really efficient and helped me so much.'
This article was first published in The New Paper.
Security posts draw hundreds
HUNDREDS of unemployed Singaporeans flocked to Punggol Community Club yesterday to try and snag 150 security-industry jobs on offer.
The job fair was a recruitment exercise organised by the North East Community Development Council (CDC), which promised to help retrenched Singaporeans.
It was the first in a series of six job fairs to be held this year by the CDC. Each will focus on a specific industry which is still recruiting.
Among the many who showed up was 31-year-old Azmi Mohamed Masuni, who lost his job as a sales agent almost two months ago.
He told my paper: "Recruitment drives like this are an excellent way for us to find new opportunities that we're not aware of."
He did not mind getting a new job as a security officer even though it paid less. The starting salary for a security officer is $1,200, compared to $2,200 at his last job.
However, his previous experience in the Singapore Armed Forces as an infantry officer may mean he can command a higher salary should he be successful in his job application.
He said: "I was told I am best suited to be a supervisor. Times are bad, so as long as I have a stable income, I will be happy."
The five security firms involved in yesterday's exercise, which included Certis Cisco and Premier Security Co-operative, were optimistic about filling their vacancies.
Ms K. Santhi, a human-resource executive at Premier, said: "We conduct on-job training courses for those without experience, so there's definitely potential in the industry for those here."
The job fair was a recruitment exercise organised by the North East Community Development Council (CDC), which promised to help retrenched Singaporeans.
It was the first in a series of six job fairs to be held this year by the CDC. Each will focus on a specific industry which is still recruiting.
Among the many who showed up was 31-year-old Azmi Mohamed Masuni, who lost his job as a sales agent almost two months ago.
He told my paper: "Recruitment drives like this are an excellent way for us to find new opportunities that we're not aware of."
He did not mind getting a new job as a security officer even though it paid less. The starting salary for a security officer is $1,200, compared to $2,200 at his last job.
However, his previous experience in the Singapore Armed Forces as an infantry officer may mean he can command a higher salary should he be successful in his job application.
He said: "I was told I am best suited to be a supervisor. Times are bad, so as long as I have a stable income, I will be happy."
The five security firms involved in yesterday's exercise, which included Certis Cisco and Premier Security Co-operative, were optimistic about filling their vacancies.
Ms K. Santhi, a human-resource executive at Premier, said: "We conduct on-job training courses for those without experience, so there's definitely potential in the industry for those here."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Fired even before they are hired
Heard this? You are fired even before you are hired.
For final-year economics student J. Lim, this was not funny - she was 'retrenched' even before she started work.
The National University of Singapore (NUS) student was overjoyed when, in September last year, an American bank wrote to say she would be hired as an investment banking officer when she graduates in July this year.
Ms Lim, 23, even made plans to use her first pay cheque for a holiday in Europe. But in December, another letter arrived. 'The letter stated that the bank was freezing its headcount and thus had to withdraw its job offer,' she said.
The Sunday Times learnt that at least three other yet-to-graduate university students share her plight. The cushy bank jobs they thought they had nailed after their internships did not materialise.
The fallout from the global downturn is seeing new graduates - many with high expectations - chasing jobs also being eyed by retrenched experienced workers willing to take a pay cut.
A Sunday Times poll of 100 graduating students from the three local universities - NUS, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU) - found that one in two is 'afraid of graduating this year'. Between May and July, 12,000 of them are expected to be in the job market.
Ms Joan Tay, director of career services at the NUS Business School, said: 'In the light of the current economic downturn, coupled with significant job cuts and hiring freeze around the world, graduating students must brace themselves for a tight job market and moderate their salary expectations.'
Students are already doing so. The poll found one-third of them have changed their plans or expectations over the past year due to the economic gloom.
NTU electrical and electronics engineering student Yeoh Kuan Seong, 23, will not seek a career in engineering as the crisis has badly hit the manufacturing industry. He will start work as a technologist in Deutsche Bank when he graduates in July.
Mr Yeoh, at least, has a job waiting for him. NTU banking and finance student Neo Poh Lin, 25, has sent resumes to at least 10 banks since last September but has not got replies from most of them.
'None of my friends has got a job yet, not even those tipped to get first-class honours,' he said.
For now, Mr Neo is looking to take on part-time sales jobs until the economy gets better.
NUS economics student Eric Chen, 25, who hopes to land a job in finance, has been making cold calls for job openings every other day since last November. He has also sent out more than 100 resumes, all to no avail.
'The finance industry now has an influx of professionals aged below 30 who were retrenched from the foreign banks. How can we new graduates compete with them?' he said.
Meanwhile, some of those who are not yet in their final year have 'backup' plans.
Ms Xu Jieyi, 22, a third-year SMU student doing a four-year double degree in accountancy and economics, will graduate in December next year. But she is taking a part-time diploma course in professional make-up artistry. Her parents paid $4,000 for the five-month-long course which started this month.
'Hopefully, this will be the additional source of income after I graduate,' she said.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
For final-year economics student J. Lim, this was not funny - she was 'retrenched' even before she started work.
The National University of Singapore (NUS) student was overjoyed when, in September last year, an American bank wrote to say she would be hired as an investment banking officer when she graduates in July this year.
Ms Lim, 23, even made plans to use her first pay cheque for a holiday in Europe. But in December, another letter arrived. 'The letter stated that the bank was freezing its headcount and thus had to withdraw its job offer,' she said.
The Sunday Times learnt that at least three other yet-to-graduate university students share her plight. The cushy bank jobs they thought they had nailed after their internships did not materialise.
The fallout from the global downturn is seeing new graduates - many with high expectations - chasing jobs also being eyed by retrenched experienced workers willing to take a pay cut.
A Sunday Times poll of 100 graduating students from the three local universities - NUS, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU) - found that one in two is 'afraid of graduating this year'. Between May and July, 12,000 of them are expected to be in the job market.
Ms Joan Tay, director of career services at the NUS Business School, said: 'In the light of the current economic downturn, coupled with significant job cuts and hiring freeze around the world, graduating students must brace themselves for a tight job market and moderate their salary expectations.'
Students are already doing so. The poll found one-third of them have changed their plans or expectations over the past year due to the economic gloom.
NTU electrical and electronics engineering student Yeoh Kuan Seong, 23, will not seek a career in engineering as the crisis has badly hit the manufacturing industry. He will start work as a technologist in Deutsche Bank when he graduates in July.
Mr Yeoh, at least, has a job waiting for him. NTU banking and finance student Neo Poh Lin, 25, has sent resumes to at least 10 banks since last September but has not got replies from most of them.
'None of my friends has got a job yet, not even those tipped to get first-class honours,' he said.
For now, Mr Neo is looking to take on part-time sales jobs until the economy gets better.
NUS economics student Eric Chen, 25, who hopes to land a job in finance, has been making cold calls for job openings every other day since last November. He has also sent out more than 100 resumes, all to no avail.
'The finance industry now has an influx of professionals aged below 30 who were retrenched from the foreign banks. How can we new graduates compete with them?' he said.
Meanwhile, some of those who are not yet in their final year have 'backup' plans.
Ms Xu Jieyi, 22, a third-year SMU student doing a four-year double degree in accountancy and economics, will graduate in December next year. But she is taking a part-time diploma course in professional make-up artistry. Her parents paid $4,000 for the five-month-long course which started this month.
'Hopefully, this will be the additional source of income after I graduate,' she said.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
150 security jobs available at North East CDC job fair
THE threat of terrorism is fuelling demand for the security industry here, which is why there will be job openings for more than a few good men - and women.
Today, about 150 jobs for both men and women - each paying between $1,200 and $1,500 monthly for an eight to 12 hour shift, will be up for grabs at a recruitment exercise at Punggol Community Club.
The event is organised by the North East Community Development Council (CDC) to help the retrenched cope with their situation and equip them with information on industries that are still recruiting.
The Security Industry Institute (SII), which is participating in the job fair, told my paper that demand for security officers is strong, compared to that of other industries.
Those who aspire to be security officers must take up course modules which will qualify them as licensed security professionals, said Ms April Wong, SII's assistant manager of career services and business development.
The SII offers licensing modules under its Certificate in Security Operations course and charges up to $35 for each module, depending on the content. One needs to take and pass two licensing modules before he can work as a security officer, said Ms Wong.
The course may be free for people who approach the CDC for job assistance because 90 per cent of the fees - which can go up to $280 for those getting a full certificate - are subsidised by the Government, said Ms Brenda Lim, centre manager for North East CDC.
The remaining 10 per cent can be paid through training allowances provided by theWorkforce Development Agency on a case-by-case basis.
As part of the CDC's programme to help the retrenched, workshops providing tips on preparing for job interviews and resume writing were held yesterday at the CDC. These were aimed at informing the retrenched about jobs available and how to get them.
At these workshops, participants attended a motivational talk and briefings by representatives from the security and health-care industries.
Mr Kwan Hon Wan, 52, who was retrenched earlier this month and is hoping to be a security officer, is happy that he can attend the course for free. He used to earn about
$2,000 a month from his previous job as a dispatch rider, but does not mind the lower pay as a security officer.
'This is like a second chance for me,' he said.
Today, about 150 jobs for both men and women - each paying between $1,200 and $1,500 monthly for an eight to 12 hour shift, will be up for grabs at a recruitment exercise at Punggol Community Club.
The event is organised by the North East Community Development Council (CDC) to help the retrenched cope with their situation and equip them with information on industries that are still recruiting.
The Security Industry Institute (SII), which is participating in the job fair, told my paper that demand for security officers is strong, compared to that of other industries.
Those who aspire to be security officers must take up course modules which will qualify them as licensed security professionals, said Ms April Wong, SII's assistant manager of career services and business development.
The SII offers licensing modules under its Certificate in Security Operations course and charges up to $35 for each module, depending on the content. One needs to take and pass two licensing modules before he can work as a security officer, said Ms Wong.
The course may be free for people who approach the CDC for job assistance because 90 per cent of the fees - which can go up to $280 for those getting a full certificate - are subsidised by the Government, said Ms Brenda Lim, centre manager for North East CDC.
The remaining 10 per cent can be paid through training allowances provided by theWorkforce Development Agency on a case-by-case basis.
As part of the CDC's programme to help the retrenched, workshops providing tips on preparing for job interviews and resume writing were held yesterday at the CDC. These were aimed at informing the retrenched about jobs available and how to get them.
At these workshops, participants attended a motivational talk and briefings by representatives from the security and health-care industries.
Mr Kwan Hon Wan, 52, who was retrenched earlier this month and is hoping to be a security officer, is happy that he can attend the course for free. He used to earn about
$2,000 a month from his previous job as a dispatch rider, but does not mind the lower pay as a security officer.
'This is like a second chance for me,' he said.
MOM conducting Labour Force Survey from Feb 23 to Apr 7
SINGAPORE: The Manpower Ministry is conducting a Labour Force Survey from February 23 to April 7.
Its Manpower Research and Statistics Department will be surveying a sample of 8,500 households.
The purpose of the survey is to collect data on employment and other economic characteristics of the population to help with planning of policies.
The Ministry will notify households selected for the survey by post.
For more information, please visit the MOM website at http://www.mom.gov.sg/mrsd/survey or call MOM Contact Centre at 6438 5122.
Its Manpower Research and Statistics Department will be surveying a sample of 8,500 households.
The purpose of the survey is to collect data on employment and other economic characteristics of the population to help with planning of policies.
The Ministry will notify households selected for the survey by post.
For more information, please visit the MOM website at http://www.mom.gov.sg/mrsd/survey or call MOM Contact Centre at 6438 5122.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Special one-off Workfare payout coming up
PRODUCTION operator Tan Teck Eng will receive $144 in cash next month as part of a special Workfare payment to help older low-wage workers in the downturn.
This is on top of the $860 she will get next month from the regular payout from Workfare - a two-year-old scheme to top up the income of such workers and build up their retirement savings.
'I am concerned whether I can keep my job,' said Madam Tan, 58, whose employer produces business forms.
'I will save up the money. It will be part of my reserves for old age,' added the mother of three grown-up children who earns $960 a month.
Her payout is part of a one-off $150 million boost to Workfare announced in Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam's Budget speech last month, as workers are expected to take home less pay.
Workers can receive the one-time special payment of up to $1,200 for work done last year and this year.
Giving more details of the payment yesterday, Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said it will be given out in three instalments, or up to $400 each time.
The first payment will be made next month - 'a month earlier than the usual Workfare payments so that workers can receive help earlier', he said.
The other payments will be made in October this year and in March next year for employees. The self-employed will receive their payments in May and October this year, and in May next year.
With the likelihood that some low-wage employees will have less regular work this year, the Government will also relax the qualifying criteria, he said.
To receive the special payment for work done last year, a person needs to have worked for at least three months in any six-month period.
To receive the special payment for work done this year, he needs to have worked just two months. But in such cases, the payout will be smaller - at 25 per cent of the full payout for the year.
There is no change to existing criteria: Recipients must be Singapore citizens, aged 35 years and above, and earn an average monthly income of less than $1,500.
They must stay in a property with not more than $10,000 in annual value for the special payment for work done last year, and not more than $11,000 in annual value for the payment for work done this year.
Self-employed individuals, casual and contract workers as well as part-timers can benefit too. But they must pay their Medisave liabilities, Mr Gan said.
A hawker earning $1,000 a month, for instance, needs to make an annual Medisave contribution of $339, 'or less than $1 a day'.
This can be paid for using the GST Credits that will be given out next month and July, Mr Gan said, referring to the payout to offset the impact of the 2 percentage point GST hike in 2007.
The total help the hawker can receive from Workfare for work done last year and this year will be $4,000.
This comprises $800 in cash from the special Workfare payment and $3,200 from regular Workfare payments, which will be made to his Medisave account.
As Mr Gan noted, that is four months' worth of the hawker's income.
Responding to Dr Ahmad Magad (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC), who asked that the Workfare payout for self-employed and casual workers be made in cash, Mr Gan said this was being done for the special payment.
But regular Workfare payouts will still go into Medisave accounts.
'We should be more cautious about making changes that could affect the work ethic and self-reliance because unlike the special payment, Workfare is a permanent scheme,' he reminded the House.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
This is on top of the $860 she will get next month from the regular payout from Workfare - a two-year-old scheme to top up the income of such workers and build up their retirement savings.
'I am concerned whether I can keep my job,' said Madam Tan, 58, whose employer produces business forms.
'I will save up the money. It will be part of my reserves for old age,' added the mother of three grown-up children who earns $960 a month.
Her payout is part of a one-off $150 million boost to Workfare announced in Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam's Budget speech last month, as workers are expected to take home less pay.
Workers can receive the one-time special payment of up to $1,200 for work done last year and this year.
Giving more details of the payment yesterday, Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said it will be given out in three instalments, or up to $400 each time.
The first payment will be made next month - 'a month earlier than the usual Workfare payments so that workers can receive help earlier', he said.
The other payments will be made in October this year and in March next year for employees. The self-employed will receive their payments in May and October this year, and in May next year.
With the likelihood that some low-wage employees will have less regular work this year, the Government will also relax the qualifying criteria, he said.
To receive the special payment for work done last year, a person needs to have worked for at least three months in any six-month period.
To receive the special payment for work done this year, he needs to have worked just two months. But in such cases, the payout will be smaller - at 25 per cent of the full payout for the year.
There is no change to existing criteria: Recipients must be Singapore citizens, aged 35 years and above, and earn an average monthly income of less than $1,500.
They must stay in a property with not more than $10,000 in annual value for the special payment for work done last year, and not more than $11,000 in annual value for the payment for work done this year.
Self-employed individuals, casual and contract workers as well as part-timers can benefit too. But they must pay their Medisave liabilities, Mr Gan said.
A hawker earning $1,000 a month, for instance, needs to make an annual Medisave contribution of $339, 'or less than $1 a day'.
This can be paid for using the GST Credits that will be given out next month and July, Mr Gan said, referring to the payout to offset the impact of the 2 percentage point GST hike in 2007.
The total help the hawker can receive from Workfare for work done last year and this year will be $4,000.
This comprises $800 in cash from the special Workfare payment and $3,200 from regular Workfare payments, which will be made to his Medisave account.
As Mr Gan noted, that is four months' worth of the hawker's income.
Responding to Dr Ahmad Magad (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC), who asked that the Workfare payout for self-employed and casual workers be made in cash, Mr Gan said this was being done for the special payment.
But regular Workfare payouts will still go into Medisave accounts.
'We should be more cautious about making changes that could affect the work ethic and self-reliance because unlike the special payment, Workfare is a permanent scheme,' he reminded the House.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Travel agency praised for training older workers
AT AGE 63, administrative assistant Jenny Pow went back to school earlier this month.
Her employer, travel agency CTC Holidays, sent her for a three-day course in online ticketing to better manage her many customers who are Internet-savvy.
Madam Pow was mentioned yesterday by Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, who cited her company as an employer that offers workers an opportunity to work beyond retirement age.
But more importantly, in this downturn, they should also be given training to improve their productivity, he added.
At CTC, age is not a factor in its training policy. Said its senior vice-president of marketing Alicia Seah: 'As long as they show loyalty and commitment, we'll continue to upgrade their skills.'
A Ministry of Manpower survey last year found that 85 per cent of employees in local companies work in organisations that offer re-employment when workers reach the retirement age of 62.
In Madam Pow's case, she was offered re-employment last year, when she turned 62, at the same pay and medical benefits.
'I feel I can still work and I'd feel quite bored staying at home,' said the grandmother of two, who has worked with the company for 10 years.
She added: 'I also want to keep learning as I age.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Her employer, travel agency CTC Holidays, sent her for a three-day course in online ticketing to better manage her many customers who are Internet-savvy.
Madam Pow was mentioned yesterday by Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, who cited her company as an employer that offers workers an opportunity to work beyond retirement age.
But more importantly, in this downturn, they should also be given training to improve their productivity, he added.
At CTC, age is not a factor in its training policy. Said its senior vice-president of marketing Alicia Seah: 'As long as they show loyalty and commitment, we'll continue to upgrade their skills.'
A Ministry of Manpower survey last year found that 85 per cent of employees in local companies work in organisations that offer re-employment when workers reach the retirement age of 62.
In Madam Pow's case, she was offered re-employment last year, when she turned 62, at the same pay and medical benefits.
'I feel I can still work and I'd feel quite bored staying at home,' said the grandmother of two, who has worked with the company for 10 years.
She added: 'I also want to keep learning as I age.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Layoffs have gathered pace after Chinese New Year
SINGAPORE should brace itself for record highs in the unemployment rate and job losses this year, given current global trends.
But the Government, unions and employers are doing all they can to keep the numbers down, and things would be much worse if not for initiatives like the Jobs Credit scheme, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say said last night.
Speaking after a People's Association event at the Nanyang Polytechnic last night, Mr Lim said that, because the current downturn is deeper and more severe than during the Asian financial crisis in 1998, he expects retrenchments to be higher than the 30,000 then.
In the first quarter of this year alone, he expects that 3,500 unionised workers will lose their jobs, up from 1,500 in the fourth quarter of last year.
Layoffs have accelerated after the Chinese New Year, said Mr Lim, who is also the secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress.
'This week alone, we've already seen one sizeable retrenchment of 150 workers within the unionised sector.'
On the unemployment rate, which hit a record of 5.2 per cent in 2003, when Sars hit, Mr Lim said a comparison of both situations shows 'there's no reason why we can hope' the rate will be below that.
But, he said, the Government is putting in its 'very best effort' to mitigate the effects of the downturn, through initiatives like the Jobs Credit scheme and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur), a $600 million training plan aimed at helping workers upgrade and retrain.
Mr Lim said encouraging signs are emerging.
'Because of these programmes, we are seeing some of these companies trying to delay retrenchments as far as they can.
'Where retrenchments are unavoidable, they try to keep the number as low as possible,' he said.
He gave the example of one company which downsized its workforce by allowing its foreign workers to finish their contracts, and not renewing them.
'Through a combination of natural attrition and non-renewal of work permits, companies are minimising the need to retrench their local workers,' he said.
On Spur's effects, Mr Lim said there is an increasing number of companies that are sending excess workers for retraining or upgrading, thus lessening the need for layoffs. Even if they are retrenched, workers armed with new skills will be able to land jobs quickly.
Last night, Mr Lim promised that everything possible would be done to help workers.
'Even if our heads are saying that its going to be more than 30,000 retrenchments, and an unemployment rate higher than 5.2 per cent, our hearts say 'die die must try'.'
'With all the policy instruments and programmes in place now, it is a time for action...to work company by company, worker by worker, job by job.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times
But the Government, unions and employers are doing all they can to keep the numbers down, and things would be much worse if not for initiatives like the Jobs Credit scheme, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say said last night.
Speaking after a People's Association event at the Nanyang Polytechnic last night, Mr Lim said that, because the current downturn is deeper and more severe than during the Asian financial crisis in 1998, he expects retrenchments to be higher than the 30,000 then.
In the first quarter of this year alone, he expects that 3,500 unionised workers will lose their jobs, up from 1,500 in the fourth quarter of last year.
Layoffs have accelerated after the Chinese New Year, said Mr Lim, who is also the secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress.
'This week alone, we've already seen one sizeable retrenchment of 150 workers within the unionised sector.'
On the unemployment rate, which hit a record of 5.2 per cent in 2003, when Sars hit, Mr Lim said a comparison of both situations shows 'there's no reason why we can hope' the rate will be below that.
But, he said, the Government is putting in its 'very best effort' to mitigate the effects of the downturn, through initiatives like the Jobs Credit scheme and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur), a $600 million training plan aimed at helping workers upgrade and retrain.
Mr Lim said encouraging signs are emerging.
'Because of these programmes, we are seeing some of these companies trying to delay retrenchments as far as they can.
'Where retrenchments are unavoidable, they try to keep the number as low as possible,' he said.
He gave the example of one company which downsized its workforce by allowing its foreign workers to finish their contracts, and not renewing them.
'Through a combination of natural attrition and non-renewal of work permits, companies are minimising the need to retrench their local workers,' he said.
On Spur's effects, Mr Lim said there is an increasing number of companies that are sending excess workers for retraining or upgrading, thus lessening the need for layoffs. Even if they are retrenched, workers armed with new skills will be able to land jobs quickly.
Last night, Mr Lim promised that everything possible would be done to help workers.
'Even if our heads are saying that its going to be more than 30,000 retrenchments, and an unemployment rate higher than 5.2 per cent, our hearts say 'die die must try'.'
'With all the policy instruments and programmes in place now, it is a time for action...to work company by company, worker by worker, job by job.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times
Saturday, February 14, 2009
MOM takes 3-pronged approach to help workers, firms weather downturn
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Manpower Ministry (MOM) has spelt out a three-pronged strategy to help workers and companies weather the downturn and emerge stronger. The ministry is helping businesses remain viable, saving jobs and helping the unemployed find work.
Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong also gave details of the one-off Workfare Special Payment announced in the Budget's Resilience Package.
The Jobs Credit scheme and the S$650 million Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) are key initiatives to help companies save jobs.
Mr Gan said progress on SPUR has been encouraging, with more than 20,000 workers already committed for training as at the end of January.
Several Members of Parliament have called for expanding the list of approved training organisations that can offer SPUR approved courses.
The Manpower Ministry said more than 60 training institutions which offer the Workforce Skills Qualifications will also now offer SPUR-approved courses.
Mr Gan told the House that both Jobs Credit and SPUR are already having an impact on the ground.
He said: "MediaCorp is an example of a company that will be implementing comprehensive measures to control costs and save jobs. Amongst the measures it will adopt are an alternate short week scheme and a suspension of the policy of to carry forward leave, wage restraint and a cut in their variable bonuses.
"As a responsible employer with 2,700 staff, MediaCorp makes it a point to consult the union in the decisions that will impact its staff."
Help is also on the way for low wage workers. They will receive a one-off Workfare Special Payment of up to a total of S$1,200 in three stages and entirely in cash.
It is for work done in 2008 and 2009, together with the regular workfare payments. The first payment is in March.
Mr Gan added that the ministry recognised that some low wage workers may experience less regular employment this year during the downturn.
"Therefore the work criterion for the 2009 special payment will be less demanding to make it easier for low wage workers to qualify," he said. "For the 2009 special payment, so long as the worker has worked two months in any six-month period, he will be entitled to half that payment."
As for the self employed, informal workers as well as contract and part-time workers, they have to make CPF contributions and meet the criteria to enjoy the Workfare Special Payment.
Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong also gave details of the one-off Workfare Special Payment announced in the Budget's Resilience Package.
The Jobs Credit scheme and the S$650 million Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) are key initiatives to help companies save jobs.
Mr Gan said progress on SPUR has been encouraging, with more than 20,000 workers already committed for training as at the end of January.
Several Members of Parliament have called for expanding the list of approved training organisations that can offer SPUR approved courses.
The Manpower Ministry said more than 60 training institutions which offer the Workforce Skills Qualifications will also now offer SPUR-approved courses.
Mr Gan told the House that both Jobs Credit and SPUR are already having an impact on the ground.
He said: "MediaCorp is an example of a company that will be implementing comprehensive measures to control costs and save jobs. Amongst the measures it will adopt are an alternate short week scheme and a suspension of the policy of to carry forward leave, wage restraint and a cut in their variable bonuses.
"As a responsible employer with 2,700 staff, MediaCorp makes it a point to consult the union in the decisions that will impact its staff."
Help is also on the way for low wage workers. They will receive a one-off Workfare Special Payment of up to a total of S$1,200 in three stages and entirely in cash.
It is for work done in 2008 and 2009, together with the regular workfare payments. The first payment is in March.
Mr Gan added that the ministry recognised that some low wage workers may experience less regular employment this year during the downturn.
"Therefore the work criterion for the 2009 special payment will be less demanding to make it easier for low wage workers to qualify," he said. "For the 2009 special payment, so long as the worker has worked two months in any six-month period, he will be entitled to half that payment."
As for the self employed, informal workers as well as contract and part-time workers, they have to make CPF contributions and meet the criteria to enjoy the Workfare Special Payment.
MOM, industry partners drafting new plan for workplace safety
SINGAPORE : The Manpower Ministry and its industry stakeholders are now drafting a new national plan for workplace safety and health known as WSH 2018.
The target is to lower workplace fatalities to fewer than 1.8 per 100,000 workers by 2018.
Revealing this in Parliament on Friday, the Manpower Ministry’s Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Hawazi Daipi, said the new plan will be unveiled in April this year, and it will develop and refine roadmaps for key sectors which have seen a relatively large number of accidents.
These include the marine and construction sectors.
From March 1, the Ministry will double the maximum grant from the Work—Life Works (WoW) Fund, from S$10,000 to S$20,000 per company.
Under the WoW Fund, companies can introduce worklife measures with a focus on flexible work arrangements.
Mr Hawazi added that the Ministry will also extend Flexi Works for another year with a budget of S$3 million .
Flexi Works encourages companies to offer economically—inactive individuals part—time employment or other flexible work arrangements.
The target is to lower workplace fatalities to fewer than 1.8 per 100,000 workers by 2018.
Revealing this in Parliament on Friday, the Manpower Ministry’s Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Hawazi Daipi, said the new plan will be unveiled in April this year, and it will develop and refine roadmaps for key sectors which have seen a relatively large number of accidents.
These include the marine and construction sectors.
From March 1, the Ministry will double the maximum grant from the Work—Life Works (WoW) Fund, from S$10,000 to S$20,000 per company.
Under the WoW Fund, companies can introduce worklife measures with a focus on flexible work arrangements.
Mr Hawazi added that the Ministry will also extend Flexi Works for another year with a budget of S$3 million .
Flexi Works encourages companies to offer economically—inactive individuals part—time employment or other flexible work arrangements.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Retrenched professionals urged to consider becoming entrepreneurs
SINGAPORE : Professionals who have lost their jobs in the current economic environment are being urged to consider becoming entrepreneurs.
Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan said the entrepreneurship landscape in Singapore remains healthy, with start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) still venturing overseas.
He said opportunities still exist for entrepreneurs who are resourceful and imaginative.
Data from SPRING Singapore showed that more start-up companies and at least two-thirds of all SMEs in Singapore now have operations overseas.
Of these SMEs, a quarter earned half their revenue from overseas last year - although this figure has fallen slightly over 2007.
The success stories include firms like Sakae Sushi and Charles & Keith, which started operations during the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997.
Mr Lee said the current economic crisis could present opportunities for Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs), who may have lost their jobs.
He said: "If you look at new ventures... many of them are started by professionals who work in certain industries for the last 10, 15 years and by then, they have acquired a very specialised knowledge of that industry.
"They know if they were to set up a company, how their company is going to value add. So I think in the PMET market likewise, there would be some of them who are in this unique position.
"But to cross over from a professional to an entrepreneur, of course there are some skills needed, and this is where I think our Enterprise Development Centre and our incubators can advise."
Entrepreneurs are also getting younger - with some 65 per cent under the age of 40. And SPRING Singapore is planning to reach out to more youths.
Mr Lee said: "If we one day can make them start and wind down a business in the course of their studies, then they will bring this skill set and experience with them, they may start a new business upon graduation, or they may do so 15 years later.
"But they have the confidence to say that 'Yes I have done it before, and I am ready to take it to the world now.'"
Two programmes catering to young entrepreneurs were launched last year under the YES! Scheme. Under the scheme, SPRING Singapore received 12 applications from schools seeking funds for entrepreneurship programmes and has approved two of them. - CNA/ms
Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan said the entrepreneurship landscape in Singapore remains healthy, with start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) still venturing overseas.
He said opportunities still exist for entrepreneurs who are resourceful and imaginative.
Data from SPRING Singapore showed that more start-up companies and at least two-thirds of all SMEs in Singapore now have operations overseas.
Of these SMEs, a quarter earned half their revenue from overseas last year - although this figure has fallen slightly over 2007.
The success stories include firms like Sakae Sushi and Charles & Keith, which started operations during the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997.
Mr Lee said the current economic crisis could present opportunities for Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs), who may have lost their jobs.
He said: "If you look at new ventures... many of them are started by professionals who work in certain industries for the last 10, 15 years and by then, they have acquired a very specialised knowledge of that industry.
"They know if they were to set up a company, how their company is going to value add. So I think in the PMET market likewise, there would be some of them who are in this unique position.
"But to cross over from a professional to an entrepreneur, of course there are some skills needed, and this is where I think our Enterprise Development Centre and our incubators can advise."
Entrepreneurs are also getting younger - with some 65 per cent under the age of 40. And SPRING Singapore is planning to reach out to more youths.
Mr Lee said: "If we one day can make them start and wind down a business in the course of their studies, then they will bring this skill set and experience with them, they may start a new business upon graduation, or they may do so 15 years later.
"But they have the confidence to say that 'Yes I have done it before, and I am ready to take it to the world now.'"
Two programmes catering to young entrepreneurs were launched last year under the YES! Scheme. Under the scheme, SPRING Singapore received 12 applications from schools seeking funds for entrepreneurship programmes and has approved two of them. - CNA/ms
Stricter S-pass criteria
THE Government will tighten the criteria for semi-skilled foreign workers coming to Singapore. This will improve the skills and quality of such foreigners working here, said Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong in Parliament on Friday.
He did not give details of the move but said that his ministry will brief the industry of the changes.
He did not give details of the move but said that his ministry will brief the industry of the changes.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Two ways workers will gain from Jobs Credit: PM
WORKERS will benefit from the Jobs Credit scheme in two ways and yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted them when he responded to its critics in Parliament.
One, it reduces the cost of a hiring a Singaporean by paying, on behalf of employers, part of the worker's contribution to his Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings, and two, it encourages companies to hire more Singaporeans.
In doing so, he said the scheme also deals specifically with an overriding worry of Singaporeans: whether they can keep their jobs in this downturn.
Mr Lee explained the scheme at length as he sought to reassure Singaporeans on how the ground-breaking policy will help save jobs.
He was speaking at a Chinese New Year dinner celebration with residents of Yio Chu Kang ward, whose MP Seng Han Thong was absent. Mr Seng is recuperating at home from severe burns he suffered when a resident attacked him last month.
The Prime Minister noted that in last week's Parliament debate on the Budget Statement, most MPs supported the Budget but the points they raised showed that Singaporeans were fearful of losing their jobs.
The Jobs Credit, a key piece of the Budget, 'specifically addresses this concern', he said.
But some parliamentarians were sceptical, saying it benefits companies more than workers.
'Maybe they have misunderstood how the scheme works,' Mr Lee said as he launched into his explanation.
The $4.5 billion scheme gives companies a cash grant of 12 per cent of an employee's monthly wage, for up to $2,500. But this grant is only for the Singaporeans and permanent residents on their payroll.
Mr Lee said that by giving the grant, the Government is in effect paying for part of workers' CPF contributions, on behalf of employers. It works out to an average 9-point cut in the CPF contribution of an employer, who now pays a maximum of 14.5 per cent.
What it means, he said, is that the company pays less of the worker's salary while the worker gets the same amount of money. This reduces costs and makes the Singaporean worker more competitive, he added.
'This way, companies will be able to keep more of their workers instead of retrenching them. Without the Jobs Credit, companies might have to cut CPF or wages to save jobs.'
The other advantage is that the scheme reduces the cost of hiring Singaporeans, making 'it more attractive to hire Singaporeans rather than foreign workers'.
However, Mr Lee was quick to add that 'we should not push out foreign workers as that would harm both businesses and Singaporean workers'.
'The Jobs Credit is a good way to encourage companies to hire more Singaporeans. Unions understand this, which is why they support the Jobs Credit,' he said, adding that the scheme is 'a major policy different from anything the Government had done before'.
In Parliament last week, labour MPs and unionists had shared several examples of how companies had deferred layoffs or retrenched fewer workers, or even added more jobs, because of Jobs Credit, he noted. 'I hope all Singaporeans will understand and support it as well,' he said.
At Yio Chu Kang, most residents apparently do, according to the chairman of its citizens' consultative committee.
Said Mr Lim Lee Meng: 'They tell me it is an innovative scheme that will slow down retrenchments.'
In his speech, Mr Lee also urged Singaporeans to 'up-skill and re-skill' under the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or Spur, which heavily subsidises the training of workers.
The reason: the cost of a worker is just one consideration when employers hire. To be attractive to them, Singaporeans must also have skills to contribute to the company's business, he said.
Mr Lee also said Singapore will continue to focus on the future. 'We must not sit idle and wait passively for the storm to pass.'
As the Government upgrades the country's infrastructure, workers should build new capabilities, he said.
'When the sun rises, we will have a more competitive economy and our workers will be more productive and employable.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times
One, it reduces the cost of a hiring a Singaporean by paying, on behalf of employers, part of the worker's contribution to his Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings, and two, it encourages companies to hire more Singaporeans.
In doing so, he said the scheme also deals specifically with an overriding worry of Singaporeans: whether they can keep their jobs in this downturn.
Mr Lee explained the scheme at length as he sought to reassure Singaporeans on how the ground-breaking policy will help save jobs.
He was speaking at a Chinese New Year dinner celebration with residents of Yio Chu Kang ward, whose MP Seng Han Thong was absent. Mr Seng is recuperating at home from severe burns he suffered when a resident attacked him last month.
The Prime Minister noted that in last week's Parliament debate on the Budget Statement, most MPs supported the Budget but the points they raised showed that Singaporeans were fearful of losing their jobs.
The Jobs Credit, a key piece of the Budget, 'specifically addresses this concern', he said.
But some parliamentarians were sceptical, saying it benefits companies more than workers.
'Maybe they have misunderstood how the scheme works,' Mr Lee said as he launched into his explanation.
The $4.5 billion scheme gives companies a cash grant of 12 per cent of an employee's monthly wage, for up to $2,500. But this grant is only for the Singaporeans and permanent residents on their payroll.
Mr Lee said that by giving the grant, the Government is in effect paying for part of workers' CPF contributions, on behalf of employers. It works out to an average 9-point cut in the CPF contribution of an employer, who now pays a maximum of 14.5 per cent.
What it means, he said, is that the company pays less of the worker's salary while the worker gets the same amount of money. This reduces costs and makes the Singaporean worker more competitive, he added.
'This way, companies will be able to keep more of their workers instead of retrenching them. Without the Jobs Credit, companies might have to cut CPF or wages to save jobs.'
The other advantage is that the scheme reduces the cost of hiring Singaporeans, making 'it more attractive to hire Singaporeans rather than foreign workers'.
However, Mr Lee was quick to add that 'we should not push out foreign workers as that would harm both businesses and Singaporean workers'.
'The Jobs Credit is a good way to encourage companies to hire more Singaporeans. Unions understand this, which is why they support the Jobs Credit,' he said, adding that the scheme is 'a major policy different from anything the Government had done before'.
In Parliament last week, labour MPs and unionists had shared several examples of how companies had deferred layoffs or retrenched fewer workers, or even added more jobs, because of Jobs Credit, he noted. 'I hope all Singaporeans will understand and support it as well,' he said.
At Yio Chu Kang, most residents apparently do, according to the chairman of its citizens' consultative committee.
Said Mr Lim Lee Meng: 'They tell me it is an innovative scheme that will slow down retrenchments.'
In his speech, Mr Lee also urged Singaporeans to 'up-skill and re-skill' under the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or Spur, which heavily subsidises the training of workers.
The reason: the cost of a worker is just one consideration when employers hire. To be attractive to them, Singaporeans must also have skills to contribute to the company's business, he said.
Mr Lee also said Singapore will continue to focus on the future. 'We must not sit idle and wait passively for the storm to pass.'
As the Government upgrades the country's infrastructure, workers should build new capabilities, he said.
'When the sun rises, we will have a more competitive economy and our workers will be more productive and employable.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times
Five-day workweek= poor work-life balance?
IS IT time to take Singaporeans out of the comfort zone?
In a controversial speech in Parliament last Wednesday, Nominated MP Loo Choon Yong said the move by the public and private sectors in 2004 to have a five-day work week could have eroded the Singaporean work ethic.
The purpose of the move was to promote better work-life balance and give the fertility rate a boost.
But the number of live births nudged up only slightly from 37,485 in 2003 to 39,490 in 2007 Indeed, 'We should accept that as a people, our procreation talent is not our forte - nothing to crow about,' said Dr Loo.
'I urge the Government to take steps to determine whether our productivity and competitiveness have been affected by the five-day week and to review the policy if necessary.'
Dr Loo's comments come at a time when businesses in Singapore are considering a shorter work week as a wayof reducing wage costs.
This has spawned a range of views among different groups.
Why link births & work week?
Workers and human resources experts The New Paper spoke to said they do not agree with the views of Dr Loo, who is also the executive chairman of Raffles Medical Group.
Mrs Jessica Zhuo, 29, a regulation officer, said: 'I think there is no direct correlation between birth rate and the number of workdays.'
She feels a longer work week would not change her family life significantly. 'For my family, there's a lot of work and very little life. I work five days a week, but my husband works 5-1/2 to six days a week.'
Mrs Zhuo, who has been married for nine months and has no children, added that a longer work week will affect married couples with children more than childless couples or singles.
Half days not productive She also noted that it is counterproductive to work half a day on Saturday if one considers the amount of time spent travelling to work in proportion to the number of working hours.
Agreeing, executive Foong Shipei, 27, added: 'Even if a longer work week meant shorter hours on weekdays, I would rather work longer hours on weekdays than come back for an extra day.
'I used to work six days a week, and it was stressful and I couldn't get enough rest.'
She has been married for more than a year and has a new born baby.
Work ethos affected?
In the Hardware Zone forum, one netizen wrote: '(Dr Loo) still carries the age-old perception of 'physically being in the office equals work done'.' Human resources experts are also not convinced by Dr Loo's arguments either.
Mr David Ang, executive director of the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) said: 'It's not true that five-day week leads to bad work ethos.
'Productivity and competitiveness is not simply a function of working hours alone.'
Adecco South East Asia's regional director Lynne Ng said: 'Whether work is performed in five days or 5-1/2 days, it's about how productive work time is for employees. Are they able to work effectively and in an environment in which they can contribute and perform at the level that is expected of them?'
Work-life balance
Mr Paul Heng, managing director of NeXT Career Consulting Group, Asia, pointed out that the five-day work week was not implemented just to boost birth rates.
'There's more to it. Work-life balance (for instance),' he said.
'We are a modern, international business hub. To attract, retain talent, we have to go along with what other countries are doing. A good work-life balance has been cited as one of the key contributing factors to staff retention.'
Less tired before
Not everyone found fault with Dr Loo's comments though.
Joseph wrote on AsiaOne: 'I totally agree with (him). The (five-day week) scheme had backfired since workers now work longer hours during the weekdays and end up returning home much later as compared to the previous 5-1/2 (day) work week.
'My wife and I now get so tired every workday that we hardly even talk after dinner and would retire to bed much earlier. Weekends are spent resting and sleeping late to recuperate from five continuous workdays with long working hours.'
So, what is Dr Loo's response to this criticism? A Raffles Medical Group's spokesman said he could not reply by press time as he would be out of town.
This article was first published in The New Paper
In a controversial speech in Parliament last Wednesday, Nominated MP Loo Choon Yong said the move by the public and private sectors in 2004 to have a five-day work week could have eroded the Singaporean work ethic.
The purpose of the move was to promote better work-life balance and give the fertility rate a boost.
But the number of live births nudged up only slightly from 37,485 in 2003 to 39,490 in 2007 Indeed, 'We should accept that as a people, our procreation talent is not our forte - nothing to crow about,' said Dr Loo.
'I urge the Government to take steps to determine whether our productivity and competitiveness have been affected by the five-day week and to review the policy if necessary.'
Dr Loo's comments come at a time when businesses in Singapore are considering a shorter work week as a wayof reducing wage costs.
This has spawned a range of views among different groups.
Why link births & work week?
Workers and human resources experts The New Paper spoke to said they do not agree with the views of Dr Loo, who is also the executive chairman of Raffles Medical Group.
Mrs Jessica Zhuo, 29, a regulation officer, said: 'I think there is no direct correlation between birth rate and the number of workdays.'
She feels a longer work week would not change her family life significantly. 'For my family, there's a lot of work and very little life. I work five days a week, but my husband works 5-1/2 to six days a week.'
Mrs Zhuo, who has been married for nine months and has no children, added that a longer work week will affect married couples with children more than childless couples or singles.
Half days not productive She also noted that it is counterproductive to work half a day on Saturday if one considers the amount of time spent travelling to work in proportion to the number of working hours.
Agreeing, executive Foong Shipei, 27, added: 'Even if a longer work week meant shorter hours on weekdays, I would rather work longer hours on weekdays than come back for an extra day.
'I used to work six days a week, and it was stressful and I couldn't get enough rest.'
She has been married for more than a year and has a new born baby.
Work ethos affected?
In the Hardware Zone forum, one netizen wrote: '(Dr Loo) still carries the age-old perception of 'physically being in the office equals work done'.' Human resources experts are also not convinced by Dr Loo's arguments either.
Mr David Ang, executive director of the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) said: 'It's not true that five-day week leads to bad work ethos.
'Productivity and competitiveness is not simply a function of working hours alone.'
Adecco South East Asia's regional director Lynne Ng said: 'Whether work is performed in five days or 5-1/2 days, it's about how productive work time is for employees. Are they able to work effectively and in an environment in which they can contribute and perform at the level that is expected of them?'
Work-life balance
Mr Paul Heng, managing director of NeXT Career Consulting Group, Asia, pointed out that the five-day work week was not implemented just to boost birth rates.
'There's more to it. Work-life balance (for instance),' he said.
'We are a modern, international business hub. To attract, retain talent, we have to go along with what other countries are doing. A good work-life balance has been cited as one of the key contributing factors to staff retention.'
Less tired before
Not everyone found fault with Dr Loo's comments though.
Joseph wrote on AsiaOne: 'I totally agree with (him). The (five-day week) scheme had backfired since workers now work longer hours during the weekdays and end up returning home much later as compared to the previous 5-1/2 (day) work week.
'My wife and I now get so tired every workday that we hardly even talk after dinner and would retire to bed much earlier. Weekends are spent resting and sleeping late to recuperate from five continuous workdays with long working hours.'
So, what is Dr Loo's response to this criticism? A Raffles Medical Group's spokesman said he could not reply by press time as he would be out of town.
This article was first published in The New Paper
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Employers urged to adopt fair employment practices
SINGAPORE : Employers should adopt fair employment practices, in good times and bad.
And if there is a need to shed jobs, they should ensure that retrenched workers are given fair compensation and assistance to look for jobs.
Tripartite partners made this call on Tuesday at an inaugural conference on fair employment practices.
The Tripartite Centre for Fair Employment has been getting about 70 complaints a year against errant employers since it was formed two years ago. And more complaints on unfair work practices are expected as the recession deepens.
The government and labour movement said it is important for companies to act fairly towards their employees as they consider cost-cutting measures.
Halimah Yacob, deputy secretary-general, NTUC, said: "It is absolutely important that if companies are going to downsize or they have to retrench, they have to communicate with employees that sense of fairness. It is not only important for those that are being retrenched but those that are left behind."
And fair practices will go a long way to help companies attract talent.
Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said: "Those who put in place enlightened hiring practices now will be more attractive to talent and jobseekers when the economy recovers and the job market tightens."
1,000 employers have signed a pledge to commit themselves to fair employment practices.
Ramesh Kumar Singam, managing director, FedEx, said: "We do not really ask for race or age, sometimes not even gender. We just want to make sure that they have the right experience and qualification, and we are more interested in their fit with us apart from the technical knowledge and information."
The Manpower Ministry said there has been an improvement in hiring practices.
Discrimination in job advertisements - for example, specifying language criteria without an explanation - has been dealt with effectively. There has been a decrease in the number of reports from 20 per cent in 2006 to some 1.7 per cent last year. - CNA/ms
And if there is a need to shed jobs, they should ensure that retrenched workers are given fair compensation and assistance to look for jobs.
Tripartite partners made this call on Tuesday at an inaugural conference on fair employment practices.
The Tripartite Centre for Fair Employment has been getting about 70 complaints a year against errant employers since it was formed two years ago. And more complaints on unfair work practices are expected as the recession deepens.
The government and labour movement said it is important for companies to act fairly towards their employees as they consider cost-cutting measures.
Halimah Yacob, deputy secretary-general, NTUC, said: "It is absolutely important that if companies are going to downsize or they have to retrench, they have to communicate with employees that sense of fairness. It is not only important for those that are being retrenched but those that are left behind."
And fair practices will go a long way to help companies attract talent.
Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said: "Those who put in place enlightened hiring practices now will be more attractive to talent and jobseekers when the economy recovers and the job market tightens."
1,000 employers have signed a pledge to commit themselves to fair employment practices.
Ramesh Kumar Singam, managing director, FedEx, said: "We do not really ask for race or age, sometimes not even gender. We just want to make sure that they have the right experience and qualification, and we are more interested in their fit with us apart from the technical knowledge and information."
The Manpower Ministry said there has been an improvement in hiring practices.
Discrimination in job advertisements - for example, specifying language criteria without an explanation - has been dealt with effectively. There has been a decrease in the number of reports from 20 per cent in 2006 to some 1.7 per cent last year. - CNA/ms
South East CDC rolls out employability workshops for retrenched PMETs
SINGAPORE: The South East Community Development Council (South East CDC) is responding to calls for a more concerted and quicker response to tackle the problem of jobless professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
It is rolling out a series of monthly employability workshops targeted at retrenched PMETs to help them repackage their skills and make them more marketable to companies.
The four—day workshop, organised with the support of the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and online job portal Jobs DB Singapore, aims to enhance PMETs’ pre—employment skills, equip them with job—hunting skills, provide timely job market information and link them up with prospective employers.
The CDC said Tuesday the workshop will focus on re—skilling PMETs for second careers in growth industries such as hospitality, tourism, retail and service.
The first workshop started last month and received positive feedback from participants, who were aged between 23 and 58, and came from diverse working backgrounds.
The second workshop will be held on from February 11 to 13 and February 17.
The programme will be held on a monthly basis at various venues throughout the year.
The CDC said that over the past few months, there has been an increase in the number of residents who have approached it for employment and training—related assistance.
Between November last year and January this year, 1148 jobseekers registered themselves with the CDC.
That is a 35 per cent jump from 825 jobseekers registered in the period from August to October last year.
It is rolling out a series of monthly employability workshops targeted at retrenched PMETs to help them repackage their skills and make them more marketable to companies.
The four—day workshop, organised with the support of the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and online job portal Jobs DB Singapore, aims to enhance PMETs’ pre—employment skills, equip them with job—hunting skills, provide timely job market information and link them up with prospective employers.
The CDC said Tuesday the workshop will focus on re—skilling PMETs for second careers in growth industries such as hospitality, tourism, retail and service.
The first workshop started last month and received positive feedback from participants, who were aged between 23 and 58, and came from diverse working backgrounds.
The second workshop will be held on from February 11 to 13 and February 17.
The programme will be held on a monthly basis at various venues throughout the year.
The CDC said that over the past few months, there has been an increase in the number of residents who have approached it for employment and training—related assistance.
Between November last year and January this year, 1148 jobseekers registered themselves with the CDC.
That is a 35 per cent jump from 825 jobseekers registered in the period from August to October last year.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Suitable foreign talent still wanted
SINGAPORE must continue to welcome 'suitable' foreign talent, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said yesterday.
Fewer foreigners are likely to seek jobs here amid the recession, and employers are more likely to hire or retain locals than foreigners, thanks to the Jobs Credit scheme, he noted.
But restraining the entry of foreign talent, even as unemployment rises, would be 'short-sighted' and 'could ultimately lead to more job losses for Singaporeans'.
During the Supply Committee debate on the Prime Minister's Office budget, Mr Wong, who is also Home Affairs Minister, said: 'Some countries, such as the UK and Australia, are limiting foreign manpower. We should not do likewise.
'Even in this economic downturn, there are sectors in our economy that still need foreign workers to supplement the local workforce to stay in business.
'For example, in the biomedical sciences industry, where there is a shortage of local expertise, highly-skilled foreigners have helped the industry expand its output from $6 billion in 2000 to $24 billion in 2007. There are also jobs that locals shun, such as those in construction.'
Stressing the need to integrate new citizens and new permanent residents, Mr Wong said that a National Integration Council will be set up, chaired by Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
Singapore accepted 20,513 new citizens and 79,167 PRs last year, up from 17,334 and 63,627 respectively in 2007, Mr Wong said. The increase was due to the strong economy and a broadening of the eligibility criteria in 2004.
'The important issue is not whether they are new citizens, but whether they can successfully integrate into our society,' he said. 'When they do, they become part of us.'
Reporting on employment in the public sector, Minister-in-Charge of the Civil Service Teo Chee Hean said that the 18,000 jobs available in the next two years comprise 30 per cent for people with A levels and below, and 70 per cent for those with at least a diploma qualification.
'The jobs requiring degree qualifications are in more specialised professions, such as teachers, doctors, pharmacists and engineers,' said Mr Teo, who is also Defence Minister. 'Those requiring diploma qualification include positions such as nurses and technical officers.'
But he cautioned against looking to the public sector to provide jobs for everyone. 'Notwithstanding our intention to hire more people, the public sector currently employs about 110,000 people, which constitutes just about 4 per cent of the total labour force,' he said.
The civil service continues to maintain its high standards by hiring people with the right skills and, more importantly, the right values and attitudes for public service, he noted.
Mr Teo also said that the re-employment of workers aged 62 in the civil service has been rising steadily - from 96 or 53 per cent of the number who retired in 2006, to 57 per cent or 103 officers in 2007, and 64 per cent or 189 last year.
This article was first published in The Business Times
Fewer foreigners are likely to seek jobs here amid the recession, and employers are more likely to hire or retain locals than foreigners, thanks to the Jobs Credit scheme, he noted.
But restraining the entry of foreign talent, even as unemployment rises, would be 'short-sighted' and 'could ultimately lead to more job losses for Singaporeans'.
During the Supply Committee debate on the Prime Minister's Office budget, Mr Wong, who is also Home Affairs Minister, said: 'Some countries, such as the UK and Australia, are limiting foreign manpower. We should not do likewise.
'Even in this economic downturn, there are sectors in our economy that still need foreign workers to supplement the local workforce to stay in business.
'For example, in the biomedical sciences industry, where there is a shortage of local expertise, highly-skilled foreigners have helped the industry expand its output from $6 billion in 2000 to $24 billion in 2007. There are also jobs that locals shun, such as those in construction.'
Stressing the need to integrate new citizens and new permanent residents, Mr Wong said that a National Integration Council will be set up, chaired by Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
Singapore accepted 20,513 new citizens and 79,167 PRs last year, up from 17,334 and 63,627 respectively in 2007, Mr Wong said. The increase was due to the strong economy and a broadening of the eligibility criteria in 2004.
'The important issue is not whether they are new citizens, but whether they can successfully integrate into our society,' he said. 'When they do, they become part of us.'
Reporting on employment in the public sector, Minister-in-Charge of the Civil Service Teo Chee Hean said that the 18,000 jobs available in the next two years comprise 30 per cent for people with A levels and below, and 70 per cent for those with at least a diploma qualification.
'The jobs requiring degree qualifications are in more specialised professions, such as teachers, doctors, pharmacists and engineers,' said Mr Teo, who is also Defence Minister. 'Those requiring diploma qualification include positions such as nurses and technical officers.'
But he cautioned against looking to the public sector to provide jobs for everyone. 'Notwithstanding our intention to hire more people, the public sector currently employs about 110,000 people, which constitutes just about 4 per cent of the total labour force,' he said.
The civil service continues to maintain its high standards by hiring people with the right skills and, more importantly, the right values and attitudes for public service, he noted.
Mr Teo also said that the re-employment of workers aged 62 in the civil service has been rising steadily - from 96 or 53 per cent of the number who retired in 2006, to 57 per cent or 103 officers in 2007, and 64 per cent or 189 last year.
This article was first published in The Business Times
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