http://thesinkietimes.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/is-it-fair-for-pmes-to-keep-grumbling/
Whenever the Government announces initiatives or new policies
to help the low-wage, the sandwich class grumbles. When ministers
say Singapore cannot shut the door to foreigners, the sandwich
class grumbles their way to Speakers’
Corner.
So we are finally seeing some changes for local PMEs at
work and everyone has a slice of the pie. Will the grumblings
reduce?
“1. Small Claims Employment Tribunal
This tribunal will benefit PMEs earning above S$4,500, who can
currently only pursue breaches of employment through civil suits,
which is expensive and time-consuming.
MOM is in consultation with unions to set up a Small Claims Employment Tribunal to help
workers be able to lodge claims (with a certain claims limit) for
statutory issues in the Employment Act (e.g. salary claims,
commissions, bonuses or annual wage supplement payments).
2. Tripartite Mediation Framework
PMEs with executive and/or supervisory functions are currently
eligible for tripartite mediation if they:
Tripartite mediation currently covers employment disputes
involving:
Unions are in talks with MOM and employers to review the widening
of the coverage of the Tripartite Mediation Framework to:
3. Second Skilling
Recently, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Patrick Tay urged the
government to give PMEs more support to cultivate a second skill
by:
Patrick Tay also turned the spotlight on employers, reminding them
that “further increase in productivity with a tightened foreign
manpower supply is only possible when their local employees are
upgraded in their skills and abilities”.
4. Industrial Relations Act changes
Currently rank and file unions can only represent PMEs on an
individual basis.
However, unions have successfully lobbied MOM to review the
Industrial Relations Act to allow rank and file unions to represent
PMEs collectively, such as retrenchment, re-employment (for older
workers) unfair dismissals and salary arrears.
With more unions being able to collectively represent PMEs in
future, PMEs will have a higher collective bargaining power
together with the union regarding workplace issues.
5. Employment Act changes
On top of salary protection, from 1 April 2014, PMEs earning a
basic monthly salary of up to $4,500 are covered under the general
provisions of the Employment Act, including sick leave benefits and
protection against unfair dismissal.
From 1 April 2015, workers will be eligible for retrenchment
benefits if they have worked for their employer for at least two
years, down from three years currently.
6. Fair Consideration Framework
Employers are expected to comply with MOM’s Tripartite Guidelines
on Fair Employment Practices to have fair employment practices that
are merit-based and non-discriminatory.
From 1 August 2014, companies submitting Employment Pass (EP)
applications must advertise the job vacancies on the WDA National
Jobs Bank. The job advertisements must:
Employers who have been found to have nationality-based or other
discriminatory HR practices will face additional scrutiny from MOM
and have their work pass privileges curtailed.”
Source: Singapore Business Review
Writer: Adrian Tan