Jobless rate at 6-yr low: S'pore aims to do better
Zakir Hussain
Fri, Aug 03, 2007
The Straits Times
SINGAPORE'S unemployment is at a six-year low, but leaders of the labour movement have set their sights even higher.
They want Singapore to have an employment rate that is among the highest in the world.
How? By recreating old jobs, employing more older workers, and retraining affected workers.
Labour chief Lim Swee Say pledged to strive for these goals in his National Day message to union members yesterday.
To remain a winner, Singapore has to think creatively, move swiftly and adapt quickly to the changing environment, the NTUC secretary-general said.
'We must continue to compete fiercely for the good jobs and the best investments. This is the best way to ensure Singapore will always be a land of opportunities in a region of possibilities,' he added.
The Government will work with unions and bosses to arm workers with the appropriate skills for new jobs.
'We will recreate old jobs into more productive jobs, and turn cheap-sourcing into best-sourcing so that low-wage workers of today can earn better wages tomorrow,' Mr Lim said.
'Cheap-sourcing' refers to contracts given to the lowest price, unlike 'best-sourcing'' which awards contracts based on performance.
Workplaces will also be made more age-friendly and family-friendly, he said, so that more older workers can be rehired.
Yesterday, Mr Lim was also at ST Aerospace where he spoke to some 2,000 workers during the company's National Day observance ceremony, one of about 20 that the labour movement is organising at companies across the island this month.
Also out for the same reason yesterday was deputy secretary-general Heng Chee How. at ST Electronics.
Both noted that with strong economic growth, it was getting harder to find workers. To sustain the growth, the shortage had to be tackled.
They believe the answer lies in increasing the supply of workers and one way is to 'make good use of foreign manpower to complement and supplement our local workforce', said Mr Lim.
'One reason why we were able to grow faster over the years is because Singaporeans were smart enough to welcome more foreigners to Singapore,' he said, noting that 20 per cent of workers at ST Aerospace were foreigners.
This, he said, enabled the company to get where it is.
ST Aerospace is the world's largest commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul company, and employs 4,400 workers here.
Said Mr Lim: 'Ask yourself: Is ST Aerospace better off with or without that foreign manpower? Without that, ST Aerospace will be 20 per cent smaller, and your National Day Bonus will be 20 per cent smaller.'
Permanent staff will receive $1,300, said the company's president Tay Kok Khiang, to applause from his staff.
Five model workers also received awards from Mr Lim.
One of them was technician Aziz Talib, 30, a Malaysian, who said: 'I've never felt left out as a foreigner here because teamwork is strong. In fact, I've benefited from a fully subsidised engineering course at ITE and the bonus will come in handy when my first child is born next month.'
Said Mr Lim of the bonus: 'It demonstrates that the management is pro-worker but at the same time, workers are also pro-business, and together you are able to be number one for customers. And because of that, they keep coming back to you.'
