The job situation in Singapore could have been worse given the severity of the global economic downturn, if not for the concerted efforts of the government, businesses and labour movement, said NTUC's secretary-general, Lim Swee Say.
Making the point in his May Day message to workers on Tuesday, Mr Lim said measures like the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) and Jobs Credit have made a difference in saving jobs.
He said: "Many companies, (when) faced with a situation of excess manpower, they either retrench the workers or find ways to keep the workers at the minimum costs. In the case of SPUR and Job Credits, they have come in very handy, enabling many companies either to defer retrenchment or reduce retrenchment.
"We have come across companies asking for more, but at the same time we also have companies which have taken concrete action to try to find ways to break even at a much lower level of revenue, and yet at the same time working in collaboration to take full advantage of the various schemes offered by the economic agencies.
"(But) there are companies which will keep asking for more, (regardless of) whether the government or the union can do more to support them. Our message to them is: as we go through this downturn, the pain will be so severe that it is not realistic to hope for a painless solution.
"What the government and labour movement can do is to lighten the pain and share the load. And what we need is for the management to take the lead as well and play their part to find ways to cut wage and non-wage costs."
In the unionised sector, retrenchments were reaching as high as 900 per week during the Lunar New Year period.
However, the number has now dropped to an average of less than 300 per week, averting a potentially explosive situation of massive retrenchment in Singapore, said the Labour Movement chief.
"Everyday when I wake up, the first thing I look at is: what is the level of retrenchment, how many more jobs have we lost?" said Mr Lim. "The second thing I worry (about) is whether every job lost translates to another unemployed worker."
Mr Lim warned that the battle against the downturn is far from over. He said the retrenchments in the first quarter of this year would not be the only wave of job losses, but just the first.
Therefore, it was important for the tripartite partners to gear up for tougher challenges ahead of them, and not be disheartened.
Besides tackling the immediate challenges of cutting costs and saving jobs, the NTUC chief said the labour movement has got to be ready for the upturn and hence the need to also ensure that workers are ready to take on new jobs and new openings in emerging markets and new growth areas.
Mr Lim said: "Our key challenge today is not one of unemployment challenge, but rather the structural unemployment challenge. There are still jobs today: e2i (the employment and employability institute) today has got about 19,000 jobs, the job seekers about 9,500. And yet overnight, we have not been able to match because of a mismatch of skills, because of expectations."
He added that the tripartite partners are addressing this problem with SPUR.
At the same time, Mr Lim added that it is also important for the country to keep building new capabilities, upgrade service quality and restructure businesses especially at the time of a downturn, so that it can be prepared to take full advantage when the upturn comes.
- Channel News Asia
Apr 28, 2009
Apr 27, 2009
Going green will create jobs
GOING green will help the economy, the Government hopes, by creating 18,000 more jobs and adding $3.4 billion to the Republic's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2015.
On Monday, Singapore's Government released its sustainable-development blueprint which projects that environment and water technologies and clean energy solutions will each contribute $1.7 billion to the GDP in the next six years.
Of these, 11,000 jobs will come from environment and water technologies, such as water-treatment plants, while 7,000 will come from the clean energy industry, such as solar-cell plants or biofuels.
To grow the clean technology - or 'cleantech' - sector, a $680 million fund has been set aside for research, development and training manpower.
January's Budget also pledged an additional $1billion for sustainable development over the next five years.
Though that figure is a small percentage of Singapore's $257.4 billion GDP produced last year, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said: 'We are not looking at headline-grabbing numbers...We are looking at something that is doable in the Singapore context, that is practical, that will give us results.'
- The Straits Times
On Monday, Singapore's Government released its sustainable-development blueprint which projects that environment and water technologies and clean energy solutions will each contribute $1.7 billion to the GDP in the next six years.
Of these, 11,000 jobs will come from environment and water technologies, such as water-treatment plants, while 7,000 will come from the clean energy industry, such as solar-cell plants or biofuels.
To grow the clean technology - or 'cleantech' - sector, a $680 million fund has been set aside for research, development and training manpower.
January's Budget also pledged an additional $1billion for sustainable development over the next five years.
Though that figure is a small percentage of Singapore's $257.4 billion GDP produced last year, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said: 'We are not looking at headline-grabbing numbers...We are looking at something that is doable in the Singapore context, that is practical, that will give us results.'
- The Straits Times
Apr 25, 2009
Demand for security personnel to rise; more PMETs needed
Demand for security personnel is expected to surge over the next few months. This is according to industry players, who say more security personnel are needed during a recession.
Retrenchments may be rising in Singapore but security firms like Prosec Services are on a hiring spree.
Prosec is looking for some 85 security officers and 25 supervisors to beef up its current team of 750 personnel.
V K Kanesan, recruitment specialist, Prosec Services, said: "Recession means more business because more security is needed."
Prosec is one of 22 security firms hiring at a career fair held at Suntec City and organised by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).
Prosec also plans to hire more mid-career professionals, managers, executives and technicians, or PMETs, for supervisory roles. And the firm hopes to retain at least some 40 per cent of its personnel when the economy picks up.
Kanesan said: "During the SARS period, people jumped into this industry, because... out there, there's no job, this industry has a job. But then when the economy picked up, they left for better pay, better schemes.
Some 1,200 jobs are on offer at the career fair. WDA expects some 3,500 security personnel will be needed in Singapore over the next two years although industry players believe the number may be higher.
To help cope with the increased demand, WDA has introduced three new security training modules to help PMETs cross over into the industry.
Hui Mei San, director of Workforce Development Agency, said: "We want to ensure that the workers have good progression and are able to enter into the industry even without prior experience."
WDA has tied up with the Security Industry Institute to launch the Professional Conversion Programme and the Security Supervisor Conversion Programme to help workers join the security industry at an operational and supervisory level.
The agency has also partnered APRO Training Centre to introduce a Professional Conversion Programme designed to help professionals, managers and executives make career switches from non-security industries. Each course takes in about 60 workers and the next intake is in May.
The courses last between six and nine months, during which workers will receive training allowances of between S$260 and S$2,000 per month.
Upon completing training, candidates will be bonded for up to nine months. They will be guaranteed a gross monthly salary of nearly S$2,000.
Altogether, WDA has 34 training modules under its Security Workforce Skills Qualifications programme.
- Channel News Asia
Retrenchments may be rising in Singapore but security firms like Prosec Services are on a hiring spree.
Prosec is looking for some 85 security officers and 25 supervisors to beef up its current team of 750 personnel.
V K Kanesan, recruitment specialist, Prosec Services, said: "Recession means more business because more security is needed."
Prosec is one of 22 security firms hiring at a career fair held at Suntec City and organised by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).
Prosec also plans to hire more mid-career professionals, managers, executives and technicians, or PMETs, for supervisory roles. And the firm hopes to retain at least some 40 per cent of its personnel when the economy picks up.
Kanesan said: "During the SARS period, people jumped into this industry, because... out there, there's no job, this industry has a job. But then when the economy picked up, they left for better pay, better schemes.
Some 1,200 jobs are on offer at the career fair. WDA expects some 3,500 security personnel will be needed in Singapore over the next two years although industry players believe the number may be higher.
To help cope with the increased demand, WDA has introduced three new security training modules to help PMETs cross over into the industry.
Hui Mei San, director of Workforce Development Agency, said: "We want to ensure that the workers have good progression and are able to enter into the industry even without prior experience."
WDA has tied up with the Security Industry Institute to launch the Professional Conversion Programme and the Security Supervisor Conversion Programme to help workers join the security industry at an operational and supervisory level.
The agency has also partnered APRO Training Centre to introduce a Professional Conversion Programme designed to help professionals, managers and executives make career switches from non-security industries. Each course takes in about 60 workers and the next intake is in May.
The courses last between six and nine months, during which workers will receive training allowances of between S$260 and S$2,000 per month.
Upon completing training, candidates will be bonded for up to nine months. They will be guaranteed a gross monthly salary of nearly S$2,000.
Altogether, WDA has 34 training modules under its Security Workforce Skills Qualifications programme.
- Channel News Asia
Apr 24, 2009
4 in 10 laid off foreigners
FOUR out of 10 workers laid off last year were foreigners, according to latest figures from the Manpower Ministry (MOM).
The proportion is a 10-year high, and analysts say it shows that contrary to popular belief, Singaporeans have not unfairly borne the brunt of layoffs in the current recession.
'A lot of foreigners are employed in lower-skilled service industries which slowed down in the later part of last year, so they have been affected,' said Nanyang Technological University economist Choy Keen Meng.
A total of 16,880 workers lost their jobs last year, double the figure for 2007. Of these, 13,920 were retrenched and 2,970 had their contracts terminated prematurely.
The bulk of those in the latter group - 2,380 - were foreigners.
Of the 13,920 retrenched, 9,770 were locals - Singaporeans and permanent residents - and 4,140 foreigners.
As MOM pointed out, the proportion of foreigners laid off last year broadly reflects their presence in the workforce.
Foreigners made up 36 per cent of Singapore's workforce last December.
In actual numbers, they form 1.2 million of Singapore'sl population in June, driving it to a record 4.84 million.
The number of layoffs last year is the highest since 2003.
- The Straits Times
The proportion is a 10-year high, and analysts say it shows that contrary to popular belief, Singaporeans have not unfairly borne the brunt of layoffs in the current recession.
'A lot of foreigners are employed in lower-skilled service industries which slowed down in the later part of last year, so they have been affected,' said Nanyang Technological University economist Choy Keen Meng.
A total of 16,880 workers lost their jobs last year, double the figure for 2007. Of these, 13,920 were retrenched and 2,970 had their contracts terminated prematurely.
The bulk of those in the latter group - 2,380 - were foreigners.
Of the 13,920 retrenched, 9,770 were locals - Singaporeans and permanent residents - and 4,140 foreigners.
As MOM pointed out, the proportion of foreigners laid off last year broadly reflects their presence in the workforce.
Foreigners made up 36 per cent of Singapore's workforce last December.
In actual numbers, they form 1.2 million of Singapore'sl population in June, driving it to a record 4.84 million.
The number of layoffs last year is the highest since 2003.
- The Straits Times
Jobs availiable at Sentosa IR
THERE are still plenty of jobs available in the recession, with many of them at the Sentosa integrated resort, said Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong.
In his first visit to Resorts World at Sentosa, Mr Gan received an update on the progress of the project from its head executives.
They told him the resort with a casino is on track to open in first quarter of next year. Four out of six hotels, the casino, the public retail and dining area called Festive Walk and the first Universal Studios theme park in the region will open then.
After the closed-door presentation, during which he asked about the hiring situation, he told reporters : 'I am cheered that the management here has made a commitment that they are going to reach out to Singaporeans first.'
He said the resort had been working with various Government agencies like Singapore Workforce Development Agency, National Trades Union Congress and the different Community Development Councils to hire as many Singaporeans as possible.
- The Straits Times
In his first visit to Resorts World at Sentosa, Mr Gan received an update on the progress of the project from its head executives.
They told him the resort with a casino is on track to open in first quarter of next year. Four out of six hotels, the casino, the public retail and dining area called Festive Walk and the first Universal Studios theme park in the region will open then.
After the closed-door presentation, during which he asked about the hiring situation, he told reporters : 'I am cheered that the management here has made a commitment that they are going to reach out to Singaporeans first.'
He said the resort had been working with various Government agencies like Singapore Workforce Development Agency, National Trades Union Congress and the different Community Development Councils to hire as many Singaporeans as possible.
- The Straits Times
7 in 10 jobless reemployed
SEVEN in 10 Singaporeans retrenched in the third quarter of 2008 were re-employed by December, possibly reflecting more realistic expectations given the weak job market outlook.
The number who got a job again after being laid off was higher than the 62 per cent in the previous cohort in September.
The rise was generally felt across the board, with the major exception of degree holders whose re-employment rate fell from 68 per cent to 62 per cent.
Among locals retrenched in the first nine months and re-employed by the end of the year, 56 per cent secured employment in the same industry from which they were shed. This was slightly lower than the 58 per cent a year ago.
This was the thin silver lining amid the worst recession Singapore is facing. During the year, redundancies nearly doubled as the economy deteriorated rapidly.
This was especially felt in the fourth quarter when layoffs surged to a record quarterly high of 9,410, nearly triple the 3,180 laid off in the preceding quarter.
For the whole of 2008, redundancies hit 16,880 workers, comprising 13,920 workers retrenched and 2,970 workers whose contracts were terminated prematurely, according to a report released by the Ministry of Manpower's Research and Statistics Department on Friday.
This translated to 11 workers made redundant for every 1,000 employees, nearly double the 6 per 1,000 in 2007.
Nevertheless, redundancies in 2008 remained below the highs hit in 1998 during the Asian financial crisis when 32,800 workers, or 33 per 1,000, were laid off, and in the 2001 economic downturn, which saw 27,570 workers or 26 per 1,000 lost their jobs.
The workers who were made redundant last year were from across all three broad occupational groups. But more professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) were laid off - from 31 per cent in 2007 to 37 per cent in 2008, while the share of production and related workers displaced fell from 56 per cent to 52 per cent and clerical, sales and service workers from 13 per cent to 11 per cent.
Production and related workers were the hardest hit, with 14 workers made redundant per 1,000, followed by PMETs at 9.9 per 1,000 and clerical, sales and service workers at 5.5 per 1,000 in 2008
The report said overall, the share of locals and foreigners laid off broadly reflected their representation in the workforce.
'Re-employment of locals retrenched improved in December 2008 from a quarter ago, possibly reflecting more realistic expectations among jobseekers given the weak job market outlook,' it noted.
- The Straits Times
The number who got a job again after being laid off was higher than the 62 per cent in the previous cohort in September.
The rise was generally felt across the board, with the major exception of degree holders whose re-employment rate fell from 68 per cent to 62 per cent.
Among locals retrenched in the first nine months and re-employed by the end of the year, 56 per cent secured employment in the same industry from which they were shed. This was slightly lower than the 58 per cent a year ago.
This was the thin silver lining amid the worst recession Singapore is facing. During the year, redundancies nearly doubled as the economy deteriorated rapidly.
This was especially felt in the fourth quarter when layoffs surged to a record quarterly high of 9,410, nearly triple the 3,180 laid off in the preceding quarter.
For the whole of 2008, redundancies hit 16,880 workers, comprising 13,920 workers retrenched and 2,970 workers whose contracts were terminated prematurely, according to a report released by the Ministry of Manpower's Research and Statistics Department on Friday.
This translated to 11 workers made redundant for every 1,000 employees, nearly double the 6 per 1,000 in 2007.
Nevertheless, redundancies in 2008 remained below the highs hit in 1998 during the Asian financial crisis when 32,800 workers, or 33 per 1,000, were laid off, and in the 2001 economic downturn, which saw 27,570 workers or 26 per 1,000 lost their jobs.
The workers who were made redundant last year were from across all three broad occupational groups. But more professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) were laid off - from 31 per cent in 2007 to 37 per cent in 2008, while the share of production and related workers displaced fell from 56 per cent to 52 per cent and clerical, sales and service workers from 13 per cent to 11 per cent.
Production and related workers were the hardest hit, with 14 workers made redundant per 1,000, followed by PMETs at 9.9 per 1,000 and clerical, sales and service workers at 5.5 per 1,000 in 2008
The report said overall, the share of locals and foreigners laid off broadly reflected their representation in the workforce.
'Re-employment of locals retrenched improved in December 2008 from a quarter ago, possibly reflecting more realistic expectations among jobseekers given the weak job market outlook,' it noted.
- The Straits Times
Apr 18, 2009
5,000 union workers axed
THE number of retrenched unionised workers has hit one of the highest levels in the last decade, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said yesterday.
The figure so far this year has reached about 5,500, said NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Heng Chee How. In 1999, a total of 7,635 unionised workers lost their jobs.
Needy retrenched union workers will benefit from the labour movement's U Care Fund. Some money will be put aside to help currently retrenched union workers who received little or no benefits.
The fund was launched this year to collectively raise money from the tripartite partners - government, employers and unions - in response to the economic downturn.
Given a target of $20 million in its kitty by the end of May, it crossed the $10 million mark yesterday, when a total of $990,000 was donated.
NTUC Foodfare, NTUC Healthcare, NTUC Learning Hub, NTUC Link, NTUC Thrift, NTUC Foodfare's union - the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers' Union (FDAWU) - and the Singapore Labour Foundation (SLF) donated the money.
In particular, this was NTUC Foodfare's single largest donation of $512,000 to the labour movement.
To mark the event, chief executive officers of the social enterprises, Mr Heng and union leaders from FDAWU spent 11/2 hours preparing and serving over 100 sets of Foodfare's signature $1.80 breakfast set meals to customers at Foodfare's outlet in Simei MRT station.
- The Straits Times
The figure so far this year has reached about 5,500, said NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Heng Chee How. In 1999, a total of 7,635 unionised workers lost their jobs.
Needy retrenched union workers will benefit from the labour movement's U Care Fund. Some money will be put aside to help currently retrenched union workers who received little or no benefits.
The fund was launched this year to collectively raise money from the tripartite partners - government, employers and unions - in response to the economic downturn.
Given a target of $20 million in its kitty by the end of May, it crossed the $10 million mark yesterday, when a total of $990,000 was donated.
NTUC Foodfare, NTUC Healthcare, NTUC Learning Hub, NTUC Link, NTUC Thrift, NTUC Foodfare's union - the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers' Union (FDAWU) - and the Singapore Labour Foundation (SLF) donated the money.
In particular, this was NTUC Foodfare's single largest donation of $512,000 to the labour movement.
To mark the event, chief executive officers of the social enterprises, Mr Heng and union leaders from FDAWU spent 11/2 hours preparing and serving over 100 sets of Foodfare's signature $1.80 breakfast set meals to customers at Foodfare's outlet in Simei MRT station.
- The Straits Times
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