Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Sir, there are approximately 186,000 craftsmen and trades workers in Singapore. Their median salary is $2,700 and their median age is 56 years. Over 70% are foreigners. The low wages, ageing workforce and heavy reliance on foreign labour in this crucial sector is concerning. I acknowledge the efforts by MOM,Continue reading “Tradesperson Jobs”
Category Archives: Ministry of Manpower
Adequacy of Workers’ Dormitories
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: Chairman, employers of work permit holders have been sounding the alarm bells on surging costs of workers’ accommodation. Ministry statistics show that median monthly rentals for a bed hit $420 at the start of last year, up from $280 four years before. That is an 11% annual inflation rate, which isContinue reading “Adequacy of Workers’ Dormitories”
Predatory Employment Contracts
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: Chairman, I wish to raise the issue of predatory employment contract terms, which many Singaporeans, especially of a younger disposition, may be unknowingly entering into. To better protect our Singaporean workers and educate them on their rights to fair employment and rein in errant employers who make use of unfairContinue reading “Predatory Employment Contracts”
CPF Ordinary Account Reform
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Chairman, I would like to once again repeat my call for us to reform the long-outdated and archaic formula in which OA interest is computed. This was last changed in 1999, when the ratio of fixed deposits to savings was updated from 50-50 to 80-20 to reflect the longerContinue reading “CPF Ordinary Account Reform”
Enhancing CPF Returns
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Chairman, I would like to once again take the chance to raise concerns that I have previously voiced out in Parliament over the past three years and also earlier this year, during the debate on our reserves. There are already certain financial instruments available for members to invest their CPFContinue reading “Enhancing CPF Returns”
Pernicious Non-competes and Junior Workers
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: Non-compete clauses are included in many modern labour contracts and impose restrictions on a worker joining or otherwise doing business with a rival firm even after employment with the firm in question is over, usually for a specified period of time. Many companies sign non-competes in the name of protecting proprietaryContinue reading “Pernicious Non-competes and Junior Workers”
Leave for Singles and Family Care
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Currently, under the Child Development and Co-Savings Act, working parents are eligible for up to six days of paid childcare leave a year. While I suspect that many parents find this insufficient, especially if they have multiple children – each with unique contingencies that could keep them out of school, IContinue reading “Leave for Singles and Family Care”
ADDRESSING PUBLIC ANXIETY OVER JOB SECURITY AND RE-EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): I thank the Minister for answering the original question. Just a quick follow-up on the Minister’s point about the upcoming support for workers who are involuntarily unemployed. Can I confirm whether the benefits or the programme that the Government is considering is over and above its current policy on retrenchment benefits,Continue reading “ADDRESSING PUBLIC ANXIETY OVER JOB SECURITY AND RE-EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES”
REVIEW OF COMPUTATION OF MONTHLY CPF INTEREST PAYMENT
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower whether the CPF Board has conducted a review of the computation of monthly CPF interest payment and, if so, whether it will consider including (i) contributions received during the month and (ii) amounts held in the account prior to its withdrawal, as pro-rated by the number ofContinue reading “REVIEW OF COMPUTATION OF MONTHLY CPF INTEREST PAYMENT”
RATIONALE FOR DIFFERING TREATMENT OF SALE PROCEEDS FOR INVESTMENTS MADE USING FUNDS FROM DIFFERENT CPF ACCOUNTS
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower what is the rationale for sale proceeds from investments made under the CPF Investment Scheme-Ordinary Account to remain in the Investment Account and not automatically credited into the OA, while sale proceeds under the CPFIS-Special Account are automatically credited into the SA. Dr Tan See Leng: UnderContinue reading “RATIONALE FOR DIFFERING TREATMENT OF SALE PROCEEDS FOR INVESTMENTS MADE USING FUNDS FROM DIFFERENT CPF ACCOUNTS”
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 