TR EMERITUS

By Gilbert Goh Many people who were retrenched during the recent recession lamented how badly they were treated after been laid off by their companies. Though retrenchment is generally expected by many people when there is a down turn, more can be done by the authorities to ensure that compensation is paid out when someone is being laid off. A huge majority who were laid off without any severance pay  were even escorted out of their offices by security personnel.  They could not find the time to bid their colleague farewell and left a place which they treated as a second home with sadness and disappointment. Many have worked in their jobs for several years and deserved to be treated better. News of how our women workers who were sacked by errant employers when they got pregnant make us realised that alot more can be done to ensure that workers’ rights are uphold. The government’s advocation of using tripatism as the only way to ensure that the workforce is in syche with the general employment trend remains largely unimpressive. Moreover, the ruling that executives who earned above $2,500  not be represented by unions,  have left a bad taste in many. The professional workers felt unrepresented and left out when they have a labour dispute. Who can they really turn to for redress? A check with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website revealed the following “Good employment practices and guidelines”:- 1. Recruiting and treating employees fairly and equally, without prejudice or discrimination; 2. Safeguarding employee rights and interests through the: - Provision of acceptable terms and conditions including leave entitlement, welfare, retrenchment benefits, and housing (where applicable), and - Timely payment of wages; Ensuring a safe and healthy workplace so that employees can work safely and more efficiently; 3. Providing channels and opportunities for meaningful communication between management and employees/unions, in order to enhance labour-management relations; 4. Providing opportunities for training and development to improve employee job competency and allow them to advance in their careers; 5. Implementing performance-based wage systems and effective performance management systems that reward employees according to their contributions and performance; 6. Implementing policies and programmes that help employees achieve Work-Life Harmony; and 7.Implementing age-friendly employment practices that promote the employability of older employees. Strangely, employers can easily get away with poor employment practices unless the employee seeks assistance at MOM and there is no gurarantee that he will get adequate redress. Many I heard were also told to seek legal recourse when the case gets complicated. If the employment contract does not specify any payment of retrenchment benefit, the case is also considered a tough one. It is no wonder that employers will mostly left out such benefit in the contract as a way out when necessary. Which company wants to dig from it’s shallow pocket during down time to pay workers that are laid off? This not only hurt the bottom line of the company when times are bad but also jeopardise the jobs of the other remaining workforce. Employers have lost alot of good will when they treat their laid-off staff with  indignity and distaste. People talked and when the economy improves, it is not surprising that such employers will continue to face difficulty attracting talented workers to work for them. Big giant corporations  such as Citibank famous for their hiring and firing practices have proper severance payout facilitites written out in black and white. It is only fair that when a company releases a worker from their payroll, certain compensation is in place to ensure that he is adequately taken care of. A friend who worked for a foreign bank in the forex industry was fortunate enough to be paid the remaining duration of his contract before he was laid off.  As he was in the five-figure monthly salary range, his pay off was substantial enough for him to take a well-deserved rest during the downturn. He later found the similar job in another bank but drawing half the salary he commanded before.  “Got job ok lah,” he told me in jest. Currently, though there is an Employment Act in place, it lacks the bite to tackle the poor employment practices here. It is also a employer market now as employers have a huge pool of unemployed workers to choose from. It is for this reason that many well educated PMETs continue to be rehired at salaries well below their expected pay range. Many also take on jobs that do not commensurate with their expertise meaning that much under-employment is currently going on. An engineer would work as a senior technician for the sake of survival. Under employment is not good for the general well being of any economy as it means that the person is not well utilised by virtue of his skills and expertise.  Moreover, our lax employment labour law has more often than not allow employers to get away with non-payment of severance package. In fact, except for multi national corporations (MNCs), most small and medium enteprises (SME) do not write any severance package into the employment contract.  To rub salt to the wound, it is not compulsory  for companies to pay severance when one is being laid off.  Though the laid off worker can complaint to MOM (Ministry of Manpower), many know that little can be done by way of legislation to make the employer pays. It is for this reason that many retrenched people  told me that they rather bite the bullet and look for another job than waste the time making a fruitless trip to MOM.  Those  companies who give out retrenchment benefits generally provide for a  one month of severance for every year of service limited to fifteen months of payout. I have also heard that some only receive half a month’s severance for every year of service.  Some companies write out such pay out clearly in the employment contract whereas others left them out totally. I have told my friends to look out for such facility in their terms of contract as without a contract proper, they have nothing much to bargain for when they are being laid off during a downturn. Even MOM needs your contract’s terms before they can put out a case for you. Some friends told me  that such severance package helped them alot to tide over the period when they are looking for alternative work. In a severe downturn like the one we have seen last year, a laid-off worker could be out of work for at least 6 months. As our government does not provide for unemployment welfare benefit,  severance pay out will help the unemployed worker to go through a difficult period.  I have heard of how lack of finances have drive many families apart as our bills still need to be paid when  there is no money coming in every month. Many I know resort to borrowing from friends and relatives to make ends meet during that period. It is perhaps for this reason that loansharks make a roaring business during a recession. Knowing that this group of unemployed workers could not borrow from the banks by way of unsecured credit as they do not have a salary slip to back them up,  they prey on their desperation to allow them an “easy” loan.  Normally, they will be able to borrow $5000 maximum but with interest rate as high as 20% monthly, such loan quickly snowballed. In conclusion, I advocate that MOM enforces the ruling that severance package be written into the employment’s terms of contract. It is surprising that employes can get away from not paying compensation when a worker is laid off due to a down turn. It is for this reason  that many foreigners who settle in Singapore decide to run their own businesses.  Without having to abide by the minimum salary ruling and proper  employment regulations,  many businesses find Singapore to be the perfect place to make money in a First World economy. We indeed have third world employment practices in a First World economy.   About the Author: Gilbert Goh blogs at transitioning.org, a support site for the unemployed and retrenched in Singapore. It is a non-profit registered societyproviding counselling and group activities free of charge to Singaporeans who need them. The above article was sent to us for publication and was initially published on Gilbert’s site.   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans.   The UBS Series: >> Part 1: Singapore has lowest wages and domestic purchasing power among Asian Tigers >> Part 2: Moving towards a Russian standard of living >> Part 3: Why Singaporeans are paupers in a first world economy   Related articles: >> Eight reasons why foreign workers will be preferred over local ones >> Declining wages of Singaporeans and the continued denial by PAP leaders >> Halimah Yacob refutes UBS study findings >> Halimah Yacob: Productivity drive will be derailed if foreign worker challenge not addressed  >> Exposing the six major flaws in the PAP’s immigration policies >> Wong Kan Seng promises to tighten immigration policies >> SM Goh: Foreign workers numbers may still rise >> Malaysian car mechanic applying for Singapore citizenship >> PAP launches Singapore Citizenship Journey to help new citizens integrate >> Compulsory for new citizens to attend “sharing sessions” with grassroots leaders >> Wong Kan Seng urged Singaporeans to be more tolerant of foreign workers >> Tharman: Foreign workers increase income of low-income families >> Sylvia Lim: Pace and influx of foreigners over last few years is wrong >> Amy Khor urges Singaporeans to welcome foreigners >> PAP MP wants more money to be spent to make new citizens feel welcomed in Singapore >> Shanmugam: Foreigners generate jobs for Singaporeans >> Vivian happy there are 4,500 new citizens serving as grassroots leaders >> Cosmetic changes made to immigration policy >> SM Goh: New immigrants needed to make up population shortfall >> PAP ministers hailed contributions of foreigners >> SM Goh expressed support for Zhang Yuanyuan >> State media: citizens have more rights over PRs >> Zhang Yuanyuan got her Singapore PR in only 2 months >> Official reply from government on the Zhang Yuanyuan fiasco >> Singapore PRC PR proclaimed loyalty to China publicly >> PRC resident hung China flag to celebrate its National Day >> PRC student in Singapore wants more scholarships for foreigners >> PRC prostitutes solicit for customers on Singapore’s cyberspace >> ERA: 40 per cent of resale flats buyers are PRs  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent A netizen Kojakbt has written separately to the Attorney-General Chambers and Singapore Police Force questioning them on the legality of the "Water Festival" organized by Bukit Batok grassroots organizations on 18 April 2010 to welcome the New Year for the Thai, Burmese, Laotian and Cambodians living in Singapore: Since we broke the story, feedback from netizens were largely negative with many expressing their displeasure and anger at the PAP using taxpayers' monies to organize cultural festivals for foreigners. Under the Public Utilities Act (CAP 261) 50(b), any person who wastes water "shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $1,000 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction." According to an unverified rumor circulating in cyberspace, a similar "Water Festival" held in the 1980s by a group of Thai workers in the Boon Lay area was stopped by the police for wasting water under the Public Utilities Act. Kojakbt claimed that both the Attorney-General Chambers and the Singapore Police Force have referred him to the Public Utilities Board which has not given him a reply yet. Furthermore, the Singapore Police is unable to verify or debunk the above rumor except saying that the police will not "interfere" in the celebration of any cultural groups unless a fight breaks out. The PAP has unveiled a mega $10 million dollar Community Integration Fund last year to make the immigrants feel welcomed in Singapore. Part of the funds will be used by grassroots organizations to organize free meals, cultural events and language classes for the foreigners. The "Water Festival" appears to have the blessings of senior PAP leaders. When queried by a netizen on her Facebook, Senior Minister of State for the National Development Ministry Grace Fu said that the event was a way of Singaporeans showing their "respect" to foreigners. In other countries, it is the new immigrants who are expected to integrate into local society. Sad to say, it is the other way round in Singapore thanks to the PAP, or rather FAP. (Foreigner Action Party)   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so and help us exceed the number of fans on the official YPAP Facebook page.   Related articles: >> PAP MP Grace Fu: organizing “Water Festival” is a way of telling foreigners we respect them >> Netizens protest against “Water Festival” organized by Bukit Batok grassroots organizations >> Singaporean unhappy at grassroots organizations hosting Water Festival for foreigners  Read More →

Dear Temasek Review, I am confused by the whole Foreign Talent thing. I understand that I am one of the Foreign Talent or FT’s.  I am puzzled by this.  I first came to Singapore 25 years ago.  Our company, an American company, established a group here which employed several hundred people. Some of those worked for me.  I suppose most were Singaporean though I now understand many were Singapore PR’s (it never mattered to us either way).  Ten years ago I moved to Singapore and became a PR.  I recently applied to be a Singapore citizen.  I did not take “Singaporean” jobs, I created them.   I did not live in an HDB (did not qualify).  I did not send my children to Singaporean schools (not the right place for foreigners I was told).  I have paid a lot of money in Singapore taxes.  My sons are PR’s and will do NS.   I participate in local organizations, church, charity and social clubs.  Though I have many “Singaporean” friends, I now realize that I never been invited to a Singaporean home instead, though I did not realize it until now, those I visited were Singaporean PR’s (Malaysia and Indian) – “foreigners” just like me.  I am Caucasian and as such will always be “foreign” to most here, but understand this is not a race issue.  My wife is Chinese and my kids are Eurasian and they are as foreign as I am. I find the divisiveness strange.  I come from Silicon Valley.  There are people from all over.  I have no idea which are "born and bread" Silicon Valley-ites much less “American born” or not.  All are assimilated and it no longer matters.  There is never a thought of those not born in Silicon Valley as “Foreign Talent”.  I have friends from Japan, Taiwan, China, India,….and none are foreign. The term “Foreign Talent” speaks volumes.  Does Singapore have so little commitment to those that have come from other places that they are always foreign?  It is no wonder that foreigners never truly feel integrated and part of Singaporean society when they are always “foreign”.  Even “permanent residents” have only a 5 year commitment.  What commitment do FT’s have to demonstrate before they are no longer foreign? Singapore is a wonder place.  Singaporeans are kind and gracious to foreigners.  I feel very fortunate to be here and to be a part of Singapore. So at what point am I no longer “foreign talent”?   Sincerely, Yet Another FT in Singapore  Read More →