SINGAPORE: The labour movement wants to reach out to more professionals, managers and executives (PMEs).
A tripartite work group has been studying how to bring more PMEs into the realm of tripartism.
Speaking at a May Day Dinner on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said that as Singapore goes through the current transition of economic restructuring, labour-management relations and unions will become “even more important”.
And unions have to continue to take care of blue-collar workers, while expanding their reach to PMEs.
They also have to evolve to cater to “different types of workers and jobs”.
Singapore expects two-thirds of working Singaporeans to hold PMET (professionals, managers, executives and technicians) jobs in 2030.
Currently, PMEs make up about one-quarter of the 700,000 union members.
Mr Teo said it is encouraging that some unions are catering to PMEs, such as tour guides and real-estate professionals.
DPM Teo said Singapore’s workforce is becoming better educated.
In two years’ time, 45 per cent of each workforce cohort will have access to polytechnic education.
By 2020, half of each cohort will have access to a public-funded university education.
DPM Teo said: “The profile of our workforce is changing rapidly. In time to come, professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) will form the majority of our Singaporean workforce.
“Some of them have said they want greater workplace representation. Hence, it is important to strengthen our current channels to bring more PMEs into the realm of tripartism.
“I understand that our tripartite partners do recognise the need for our unions to progressively represent more PMEs, while at the same time bearing in mind that employers also need sufficient flexibility to manage their human resources.
“A tripartite work group has been studying this issue closely. The government looks forward to receiving their joint proposal. With our constructive approach towards tripartism, I believe it is possible to achieve a win-win-win arrangement for the PMEs, unions and management.
Mr Patrick Tay, NTUC director for Legal Services Department, and Professionals, Managers and Executives Unit, said: “NTUC has been advocating for greater representation by our rank-and-file unions of PMEs over the last few years.
“At present, rank-and-file unions can only individually represent PMEs in four areas, namely retrenchment, breach of contract, victimisation and unfair dismissal.
“For PMEs, their concerns are not very different from rank-and-file workers. PMEs also want fair treatment, fair wages and fair opportunities.
“Currently prohibited, there is a need for rank-and-file unions to be able to collectively represent PMEs in areas which are important for them. This collective bargaining should be in areas such as increments, bonuses, re-employment and when retrenchment occurs.”
Sunday’s dinner was attended by about 1,400 guests. They included trade unionists, senior government officials and the management of companies.
Labour movement to reach out to more PMEs: DPM Teo
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