IS IT ELECTION COMING?!?!
Aiya, every day is one day closer to the General Election lah hor. SO you can say, yes! Election is coming!
But for the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), they just conducted their own version of the “general election” at their NTUC National Delegates’ Conference which was held over two days on 22 November and 23 November at Orchid Country Club this year.
NTUC National Delegates’ Conference? What is that sia?
The NTUC National Delegates’ Conference is like a reflection session for the labour movement, where delegates from 65 NTUC-affiliated unions and associations gathered together to recap the achievements of the last four years.
In the conference, they will also set a target of what needs to be done in the next four to come and also choose their new 21-member NTUC Central Committee (CC), who will be the leaders for the next four-year term, from 2023 to 2027.
Semo election?! Need to elect one meh? I thought KELONG one!
No lah, you think this one Malaysia meh?
The appointment of the new leadership at NTUC is really macam our General Election you know. You go to the polling station and cast your vote on which candidate you want to be your MP. So it not kelong one. If kelong then why would PAP candidates tio voted out right 🙊🙊🙊
Same-same for NTUC. More than 400 delegates from NTUC’s 65 NTUC-affiliated unions and associations will come together and vote for their new leaders through a secret ballot at their own election. The 21 people who win the election, will then become the NTUC CC, which is the planning, policy and executive organ of NTUC that takes all such decisions and actions to further NTUC’s objectives.
But why is it my problem ah? Why I need to huanlo (care)?
Because already say liao, this group of people are the people who are the decision makers within NTUC. And hor as the voice of the workers, NTUC will work closely with the Gahmen to shape policies to benefit workers. So like that you think this group of people important or not leh?
These are the people ah. Remember their faces.
What has NTUC done over the last 4 years?
At the NTUC National Delegates’ Conference (NDC) 2019, the union delegates committed to innovate in three key areas; union model, membership model and training model.
Under the Innovating Union Model, NTUC say they want to be a representative for more workers. Because you see ah, the workforce has changed a lot over the years. Unlike in the past when police wear short pants, now we have a lot of different type of workers like the professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), freelancers and self-employed workers like the delivery riders and the Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) drivers.
Each of these groups of workers have their own set of challenges and aspirations. So hor over the last few years, NTUC has helped to advocate for these groups of workers by speaking up for them in Parliament to “pressure” the Gahmen do more to support them.
For the professionals, managers and executives (PMEs)
For instance, we have seen Labour MP Patrick Tay bringing up the issues he heard from local PMEs in the Parliament and pushed the Gahmen to do more.
Amongst the long list of things he put up for the Gahmen to look into, he asked the Gahmen to strengthen the Singaporean core and protect Singaporean PMEs from having their jobs kena snatched by foreign talents.
And TADAH! The Gahmen later announced that they will enshrine the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep) guidelines into law to tackle unfair hiring practices against Singaporeans.
And more recently, some of the key sights and recommendations from NTUC’s #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations report have also been considered and contributed towards several policy shifts outlined in the Forward SG Report!
NTUC calls for Unemployment Support for workers, MOM said that they are looking into it
Of course, all these recommendations are not suka-suka come out from the sky one. NTUC “gave birth” to these 10 recommendations for youth, mid-career workers, caregivers, older workers and vulnerable workers after engaging with over 42,000 workers.
For the Freelancers and Self-Employed Persons
Examples of Self-Employed Persons (SEPs) or freelancers are delivery riders and the PHV drivers you see on the streets.
So ah, unlike regular employees, they often don’t have things like medical benefits and insurance coverage, and they also won’t receive employer CPF contributions – unless they ownself contribute to CPF voluntarily. In other words, more often than not, they have to kaki bozhong (ownself take care of ownself).
NTUC calls for transitional support for Platform Workers when Gahmen introduces CPF contribution!
For this group of people who are not protected and supported enough, the Tripartite Workgroup (TWG) on Representation for Platform Workers formed by the NTUC, National Taxi Association (NTA), National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), and National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA) has also called for the Gahmen to do more for them. More people, voice also louder, tio bo?
And in response to NTUC’s pressure call and recommendations, the Gahmen said that they have accepted them and will implement the recommendations in a progressive manner, from the later part of 2024 at the earliest!
For the Youths
In the youth space, to better help these lost sheep transit from school to work better, the NTUC Youth Taskforce (YTF) led by Young NTUC, the youth wing of NTUC released the “The New Gen Worker” Report 2023 after engaging over 10,000 youths between the ages of 17 and 25.
The report highlights the challenges and concerns young individuals face regarding career progression, financial adequacy, and mental well-being, and also outlined five key initiatives aimed at helping youths as they make the crucial transition from school to the workforce.
KNS last time where got such thing? Back in those days, lao niang need to look after myself one lor. Ownself walk around, door to door to ask if any of the restaurants are looking for part-time waitress leh. And the pay? Only $4.50 per hour.
Increasing wages for workers through upskilling them
This one is tested and proven. Got Picture Got Talk ok.
In 2019, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng launched the Company Training Committees (CTCs) and said that the under this initiative, unions and companies will come together, sit down and map out their current needs and future business prospects, and identify the trainings workers need to prepare them for the future.
Since the launch of CTCs in 2019, 1,700 CTCs have trained over 123,000 workers across various sectors. Reportedly, workers have also benefited from improved wages, welfare, and work prospects when their towkays enjoy increased productivity and better business outcomes. Win-win situation.
Tia gong hor when businesses use the NTUC’s CTC Grant to remodel their business hor, their workers will also receive an extra pay raise of 5.2% on average on top of their annual increment wor!
Therefore in the recommendations NTUC submitted to the Gahmen, they also called for greater support for workers’ training needs!
During his speech at the NDC, the labour chief said that he hopes that they can redouble their efforts and see if they can exceed their goals of 2,500 CTCs by 2025.
“It is not about the number, but the good we can do for our workers in better wages and better work prospects,” he added.
He concluded his speech by saying:
“Let us take action and make the next four years count. With a single-mindedness to put the people we serve and our people at the centre, achieving high performance as NTUC in all that we set out to do, and always having our purpose etched in our hearts.
Why? Simply because Every Worker Matters.”
