NTUC has been lobbying and caring for Lower Wage Workers since 1961
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has been championing workers’ rights over the past decades, since 1961. Things really took a change in 1969, during the 1969 Modernisation Seminar when NTUC decided to take on a more cooperative stance and work with the Government and employers instead of adopting a confrontational approach. On Singapore’s road […]
Cleaning Aunty Mdm Chan: “I feel valued and appreciated for my work!”
It’s hard to imagine working in the same company for more than five years, let alone 10. But Mdm Chan, 57, tells me that she has been working as a cleaner at an audit firm for 12 whooping years. “What made you stay on for so long?” I was curious. You see, most of the […]
Doing right by our lower-wage workers: It’s a whole-of-nation effort!
Can you imagine if all essential work such as waste management and cleaning services stopped for a day? I can’t. The Covid-19 pandemic has cast the spotlight on our essential workers. Our essential workers provide services that are indispensable to most of us but often they do not get the respect and recognition they deserve! […]
TRSAF A330 MRTT Deployed to Assist US Evacuation Operations
The United States (US) Government has accepted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s offer of assistance in the evacuation of Afghanistan evacuees, Mindef said in a press release. During the recent visit by the US Vice President Kamala Harris to Singapore, PM Lee had made the offer to her. The Vice President had thanked PM Lee […]
Meet the people faithfully speaking for lower wage workers
COVID-19 has thrust our lower wage workers like cleaners into the spotlight. Many Singaporeans have become aware that they play an integral role in society and deserve to receive higher wages. The good news is, the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) which benefits many lower wage workers, is already implemented in some sectors. These are the […]
70,000 take advantage of the Matched Retirement Savings scheme; $40 million in top-ups.
70,000 CPF members will receive about $40 million in matching grants from the Government in January 2022 for the cash top-ups made to their Retirement Account (RA) between 1 January and 30 June this year, the CPF Board said in a press release on 18 August. Singaporeans can use the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme to […]
Strengthening our social compact in an uncertain and complex global future
Strengthening our social compact will have to go beyond Government measures and redistributive policies, DPM Heng Swee Keat said. Each and everyone of us has a part to play, to build on the strengths that we have and to grow new strengths. Our social compact was built on giving everyone a stake in our country. […]
Creativity and willingness to go against the tide got us where we are today: Heng
Creativity is not something that is often used to describe Singaporeans. Yet, we would not be where we are today if not for creativity, DPM Heng said at The NUS115 Distinguished Speaker Series on 13 August 2021. Our creative capacity and our willingness to go against the tide is our strength, he said. This creativity […]
Shouldering costs so our lower wage workers can be paid more
Recently, it was announced that the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for cleaners, security guards and lift and escalator technicians would see a greater increase, effectively boosting the salaries of all these workers. That’s great news but it also means that we, as consumers, must also play our part. What it takes to implement wage increases […]
Singapore’s strategy of staying open to MNCs to attract good jobs
In recent years, more surveys have shown that youths in Asia, including Singapore, show a marked preference for working in MNCs compared to local companies. It’s not hard to see where the allure lies, as millennials and Gen Z-ers are more attracted to a vibrant workplace culture. MNCs often offer flexibility and an interactive workplace […]