Hi Gilbert,
It is nice to know that you will be meeting the MOM officials soon. Can we know who are the MOM officials involved?
Can you publish your agenda on your blog so that we can add to the list using the comment box?
Is there a moderator or someone to take the minutes of meeting? What is the duration of this meeting? Maybe you can allocate more time for more pressing issues.
I have compiled my wish list below:
1) Raise wages at the bottom. Propose minimum wage of $7/h. Sometimes, the wages for low level jobs are so low that it is not even enough for the monthly HDB housing loan. So, most locals would shun such jobs even when they are desperate for one. Many employers complain that they cannot find locals, but the pay is just too low for us to survive in Singapore.
2) Better protection for temp and freelance workers.
3) Make jobs more attractive with shorter shifts. eg. 8h shift instead of 12h shift.
4) Encourage flexible hours by having staggered working hours to avoid congestion during peak hours.
5) The problem in Singapore is mostly structured unemployment. There is a gap between jobs available and the skills and experience of PMETs.There is a need for better utilisation of the skills and experience of PMETs instead of becoming cabbies, service staff, cleaners etc.
6) Reduced work stress by creating a more compassionate work environment. The govt should emphasize that results are not everything, but rapport between colleagues are more important. Thus, workplace bullying/ exploitation would reduce. There is also a need for an avenue to report such abuses without repercussions for the worker.
7) The officers at CDCs, e2i etc. should understand the needs of job-seekers better to provide better job-matching. They should give priority to the long-term jobless when there are suitable vacancies available. Many people have gone through courses offered by CDCs, e2i etc. without any job offers afterwards.
There are also many other issues, but these are the more pressing ones.
Thank you for your time.
Regards,
Hannah
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Dear Hannah
Thanks for your mail.
We will include your issues on top of our own list when we meet up with MOM officers on 31st Oct.
We try to arrange an informal session with MOM every six months to discuss the manpower issues that affect Singaporeans.
I can put up a public note after the session if MOM allows it.
Workplace bullying and discrimination seem to be the top subject here as I have also received several emails from readers wanting such a topic to be addressed.
We have brought this up before during our first dialogue six months ago and I guess we will have to remind them about this problem during our forthcoming discussion.
Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) officers will also be there and they are the best persons to address such issue.
We have all along fight for a Ombudsman to be set up here as its independent and can arbitrate without prejudice.
Many estranged executives go to MOM or TAFEP to seek redress on unfair dismissal and often their hands are tied as our employment act only covers executives earning below a certain minimum wage.
Employers know this loophole and have exploited it to their advantage by sacking executives using the employment terms stated in the employment letter.
We also hope to bring in the SNEF and ASME for our next session next year if possible.
If you want to come along for the meeting on 31st Oct, please let me know so that I can arrange.
Thanks again for taking time to write to us.
Once again, you have our assurance that we will present your interests at the meeting.
Regds,
Gilbert Goh
Editor’s Note: If you have any pressing issues and want us to raise with MOM officers during our discussion on 31st Oct, please use the comment page below or email me at gilbert@transitioning.org.
Dear Mr Goh
There is a lack of proper relevant information on the movement of the non-resident PMET workforce.
MOM Minister BG Tan has hinted in his Parliamentary reply on more updates but I believe some people may
try to block this.
The crucial information which is still not available is:
The number of new Employment & S Pass holders, including renewals from 1990 to 2010.This is not to be
confused with the existing stock of these Pass Holders.
I hope you are able to highlight this to MOM. It will be interesting to see how it reacts. Thanks
Seriously dont expect things done if any at all that will improve the exploitation of Singaporeans as long as PAP is in power.
Bear in mind that they are the ones who caused all these in the first place.
Ask them why MOM allow overtime exemption policy to exist & force employees to work more than 12hrs per day.
http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/services-forms/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Overtime%20Exemption%20Form%20_12%20hours__13Oct08.pdf
I would like to add to the above list:
1) WIS and medisave top-up for all the bottom 20% without consideration of one’s age. Now, the policy states that the older ones get more $$ by assuming that they are weaker in health which is not true. The younger ones with more health problems shouldn’t be neglected at the expense of healthier seniors.
2) Increase employer CPF rate for the bottom 20% by having the govt to foot the extra costs to narrow the income gap.
3) Increase income tax for the top 20% to build up more $$ in the reserves to help the needy, elderly, disabled etc.
4) “Force” the MOM officials to read transitioning regularly to get a feel of ground sentiments.
5) Ask MOM to set a “good” example by employing some of the jobless people here for their vacancies instead of advertising the jobs. Many jobless people don’t get any response when they apply for numerous govt jobs. But it may not be their fault that they lose their jobs.
Also, I suggest that Gilbert can use examples from the many cases he has seen so far to highlight the points to MOM.
E.g. $10K PMET becomes cabbie, freelancers got cheated by rightful pay without recourse, people who committed suicides due to poverty after retrenchments or office bullying.
I am just giving fiticious examples, but you have to give “real” examples to convince MOM to do something about all these issues here. Maybe you can “force” them to follow-up with you on a monthly basis over coffee.
You have to highlight to MOM that jobless people don’t have $$$ to bring those errant employers to court and just have to let go and move forward with all their efforts.
Lastly, you can bring someone who is very good in “talking” with you to the meeting to “agree” with all the points you have raised with them. Or else, I don’t think the MOM officials will take all these issues seriously.
And have a good night’s sleep the day before so that you can focus and stand up for the many jobless or exploited workers in Singapore!! All the best!!
Dear Gilbert,
It will be better to talk directly to the Manpower Minster and raised the issues with him.
Decision maker is better than a messenger via his officials .
Ask point blank questions :
A. What is the % of PMETs being retrenched over the past years.
B. What has become of them, those retrenched, what kind of jobs they hold, median salary etc
C. What govt plans to utilise the PMETs experiences, skillets, industries fit etc…
D. What plans do Govt has to support PMETs, low wage earners, instill entrepreneurs ?
E. How Govt can spur growth of SMEs, entrepreneurs , society acceptance of failures etc
Rdgs,
YourFriends