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SINGAPORE: It is important for Singapore to ensure that in pushing productivity, no one is left behind, particularly its low-wage and older workers.
Kicking off the budget debate for the Manpower Ministry, GPC Chair and Deputy Secretary General of NTUC, Halimah Yacob, urged the ministry to look into schemes that will make it easier for the low-wage workers to upgrade their skills for better-paying jobs so that their incomes can improve.
She noted that low-wage workers continue to face many barriers in training.
Hence Madam Halimah wanted to know about the plans to improve their literacy skills, help them cope with the potential loss of income while attending training and persuade employers to take responsibility for the training of the
low-wage workers.
She stressed that managers have to take leadership in productivity improvement and empower and motivate workers to give off their best.
Incompetent managers who used unethical or intimidating tactics to try and raise productivity will do more harm than good.
The trade unionist also cautioned that Singapore's efforts to boost productivity can be derailed if the country does not address the foreign workers challenge.
She added that despite the planned increase in the foreign worker levy, companies could still employ foreign workers cheaply by paying them lower salaries or making them work very long hours or during their rest days or public holidays without paying overtime.
In that way, even with the higher levy, it is still cheaper for them to employ foreign workers.
Madam Halimah felt Singapore needs stronger enforcement of labour laws to prevent the exploitation and abuse of foreign workers by unscrupulous employers.
- CNA/ir
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