Tag: NTUC

SDP: Support For Unemployed – PAP Follows SDP’s Lead, Again
The latest scheme adopted by the NTUC to provide professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who are retrenched with financial assistance is a modified version of the SDP’s proposal launched 2010.

The PAP’s idea, called Returner Work Trial, will assist employers to offer job training for the individuals who have been unemployed for at least two years. The trainee, who must be 30 and above, will receive
- $1,500 per month from Workforce Singapore
- $1,000 per month from the potential employer
- a $2,500 allowance
The payout period for trainees is limited to six months.

Compare this to the SDP’s RESTART (Re-Employment Scheme and Temporary Assistance for the ReTrenched) programme where retrenched workers will receive:
- 75% of last drawn salary (capped at median wage) for first six months
- 50% for the second six months if still unemployed
- 25% for the third six months if still unemployed
The payout period is capped at 18 months and MOM will help match retrenched individuals with jobs. The job-seekers can only reject up to three job offers.

Read also SDP proposes RESTART to support retrenched workers

The NTUC’s idea is essentially an unemployment benefits scheme similar to RESTART but with the difference that under the Returner Worker Trial programme, a retrenched worker has to undergo training in order to get the financial support. There are many problems with the measure:

One, it is restricted only to PMETs. There are many retrenched workers who are not PMETs. They also face the same hardships when laid-off.

Two, the payout-training period lasts for only six months after which the employer has no obligation to offer the trainee a permanent job. This is especially salient as Singapore’s economy contracts with job vacancies continuing to fall.

Three, how are retrenched workers expected to survive if they have to remain unemployed for two years before they qualify for the scheme? A study found that 50 percent of households have little or no savings due to the high cost of living to tide them through difficult times.

In addition, why is the government using taxpayers’ money to subsidise businesses? Companies can use the scheme as a cheap source of labour. Also, will this not encourage companies to lay off workers and then profit by “training” others under the scheme at a state-subsidised rate?

Given such loopholes, Temasek Holdings needs to state how many of its Government-linked companies are participating in the scheme and the government needs to tell the public how much these GLCs will stand to benefit from it.

In the past, the PAP has also followed the SDP’s lead on minimum wage, universal healthcare, and employing Singaporeans first.

Source: http://yoursdp.org
July 28, 2017
How Have Ong Ye Kung And Ng Chee Meng Showed Themselves Worthy Of Promotion To Full Ministers?

Two new ministers, Ong Ye Kung and Ng Chee Meng ascended to heaven, pardon me, appointed ministers 1 year after they were elected MPs. What have they proven in that 1 year – nothing except the usual political obfuscation and motherhood speeches.

The former can even be said to have failed first time round back in 2011 – only be reassigned to a shoo-in in 2015.

Like many of the next generation ministers, unproven in a one for one in an election contest and within the PAP uncontested for the ministerial positions they have now been appointed to. From this, the overweening sense of entitlement springs.

Well if you are an MP and especially if one who have serve 2 or more terms, would you not be mightily pissed off? This says service to the nation, ideas, hardwork for the constituents if that way inclined, ambitions for oneself, and fellow citizens, count for nothing so these products of the faux meritocracy based on nothing much more than a set of examination results get an automatic entrance to the cabinet.

The party leader don’t seem even to deem necessary to address the MPs of the merits of these appointments. Forget that the annointed ones even feel the need to persuade the MPs they are deserving. To top it off, the anointed ones will chose the new Prime Minister and the MPs will just have to nod and agree.

Woeful is our bunch of PAP MPs. What utter contempt. That’s what it means to be taken for granted. It is the consequence for being slavishly obedient and being unable or unwilling to stand out. Maybe that part-time job.is just too well paid. Maybe serving the nation is confused with being a nodding head.

* Loyalty to party is a prerequisite to get selected but not to the extent of slavish obedience and lack of dissent. The PAP stands out for not having dissent, very unusual for politics involving alpha-males and queen bees. Or there is no public airing of dissent – also not good for understanding the choices before the nation.

Facebook post by Chris Kuan

Source: www.tremeritus.com

October 30, 2016
Pork Products Placed In Halal Section Of NTUC Hougang Heartland Mall – Supermarkets Must Educate Public!

I really hope that some form of educational posters are made to inform people to ” DO NOT PLACE UNWANTED PORK ITEMS INTO HALAL SECTION”.

The section just after the orange divider on the left is the NON-HALAL section, these can be placed there and not be inconsiderate.

Source: Abdillah Hashim

January 26, 2016
Fugitive Former NTUC Chairman And PAP MP Finally Charged In Court

Former chairman of the National Trades Union Congress and Member of Parliament Phey Yew Kok appeared in court on Wednesday (Jun 24), after being on the run for almost 36 years.

Phey was charged on Dec 10, 1979 with four counts of criminal breach of trust of a total of S$82,520, and other offences under the Trade Union Act. He was out on bail at S$100,000 but did not have his passport impounded. Phey failed to turn up in court on Jan 7, 1980, and a warrant of arrest was issued on the same day. His two sureties lost S$95,000 of their bail bonds as a result.

Investigations revealed Phey had left Singapore for Kuala Lumpur by train on Dec 31, 1979, and proceeded to Bangkok where he disappeared. He surrendered at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok on Monday, and officers from Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau accompanied him back to the Republic on the same day.

State Courts heard that the charges still stand and investigations will resume. Additional charges may also be tendered.

When the charges were re-read to Phey before the State Courts on Wednesday, the accused said to District Judge Eddy Tham that “if my memory still does not fail me, I don’t think the money was transferred to my personal account”. Phey also had to ask the court interpreter to read the charges to him slowly as he said he was hard of hearing.

There will be no bail, and Phey will be remanded pending further investigation.

Phey is scheduled to appear in court again on Jul 23 at 2.15pm.

For the charges, Phey faces a prescribed punishment of up to seven years’ jail for criminal breach of trust by a public servant, and is liable to a fine.

For the Trades Union Act charges, Phey faces a prescribed punishment of a fine up to S$1,000 unless the offences warrant another form of punishment under the act.

“ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION”

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that a “clean and non-corrupt system” has been maintained in Singapore for fifty years “because we have zero tolerance for corruption”.

“We will not allow any cover up, even when it is awkward or embarrassing for the Government,” added Mr Lee.

We have maintained a clean and non-corrupt system in Singapore for half a century because we have zero tolerance for…

Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday, June 24, 2015

In response to media queries, Mr Lee said: “He has been charged in court, and the law will have to take its course.”

“This will bring closure to a long outstanding case involving a person who was holding public office as an MP and a senior union leader,” he added.

NTUC acknowledged Phey’s surrender to the authorities. “We must now let the law take its course,” the labour movement said in a statement.

Phey was general secretary of multiple trade unions including the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation (SILO) and the Pioneer Industries Employees Union (PIEU) from 1970 to 1970.

He was also a People’s Action Party Member of Parliament for Boon Teck between 1972 and 1979.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

June 25, 2015
Zainal Sapari: Is Outsourcing Always The Best Solution?

I have been talking about the Government sector’s move into the world of outsourcing of their essential services. In my recent interview with Mothership.sg, I have mentioned this again. Well, as expected, there were some disagreeing views. But I stand firm with my thoughts.

The strategy of outsourcing jobs in the public service has affected many professions such as cleaning, security and landscaping. When outsourcing came about, it brought many advantages to the business market. Companies could better manage their operations as they were now focused on core businesses. But it also brought with it many setbacks – for the workers.

At some circumstances, when contracts change hands, workers are the ones who are affected most. Their terms of employment may be reset, especially their salaries. In my view, one major employer that can prevent this from happening is the Government.

My strong affirmation on this comes from my childhood experiences. My Father back then was employed as daily-rated worker with the Public Works Department. As a Civil Servant, he enjoyed all the welfare benefits that were pegged to his scope. And so did our family. I wish this can be the case for all low-wage workers in the public sector – that they are direct employees so that they are shielded, to some extent, from the harshness of the economic system.

This I why when I heard about the Housing Development Board Staff Union (HDBSU) and HDB’s successful emplacement of its security staff into the Operations Support and Management Support Schemes of Service, I was gratified.

The union had discussed at length with the management partners on taking care of the interest of these workers in the best way they could. The Security Scheme of Service was to be discontinued and there were 18 employees who were to be impacted. After much discussion, both sides decided to retain these workers within the organisation. In a gist, 17 security officers were placed onto the Operations Support Scheme (OSS) and one Assistant Security Officer was placed into the Management Support Scheme. With this change, the security employees are set to have better career paths and prospects.

My staff had a chat with one of the security officers at HDB, Mr Suhaimi Bin Aman, aged 56 years old. Mr Suhaimi shared that life in the security profession with HDB has been fulfilling. Above all, the major peace of mind he has is on job security. “There are some friends we know of who are outsourced workers, and their livelihoods really depends on the company’s tender. There is no form of commitment on the workers’ part as well. When you are in-house, there is a greater level of certainty with your job.”, he told my staff.

This IS the reality. NTUC has done some work that enables our workers in the lowest rung – our cleaners – to earn at least $1,000 with the Progressive Wage Model. Yet, the solution to help these workers who find their careers on a reset mode is still yet to be uncovered. With the progressive wage, even if the wage is reset, it is reset to a minimum level of $1,000 or $1,200 if you are skilled.

My hope is for the Government sector to consider directly hiring for positions like cleaners, security officers and the landscape workers.

Source: Zainal Sapari

June 21, 2015