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The post-COVID-19 world is characterised by rapid change and uncertainties. Digitalisation, decarbonisation, and the Great Reset have transformed work norms, the nature of work, and attitudes towards it.
The wheel of change is not stopping anytime soon, and with each turn, it impacts deeply on the job landscape. Job cuts, pay cuts, skill obsolescence—these are but some of the worker’s woes.
Anchored on the unchanging cause of helping workers, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) initiated a series of engagements with a wide array of stakeholders. The #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations (#EWMC) took place over a year, from August 2022 to July 2023.
Armed with insights from the surveys, NTUC has come up with recommendations aimed at protecting the wages, welfare, and work prospects of workers of all colors, ages, and nationalities. These recommendations are contained in the refreshed Workers’ Compact.
In this Part 1 of “Unpacking the Workers’ Compact,” we bring you the highlights of SeaVoices’ interview with Brother Patrick Tay (PT), NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and Director of Strategy and Legal Services, on what the Workers’ Compact means to mid-career workers.
PT: Through a series of engagements and surveys, we reached out to more than 42,000 workers from all walks of life to understand their needs, aspirations, and concerns.
We looked at a variety of issues and challenges confronting Singapore and our workers. For example, job security, career progression, workplace fairness, support during unemployment, caregiving woes, flexible work arrangements, financial literacy and retirement adequacy, and mental health and wellness.
The Workers’ Compact applies to all workers. Our seafarers in Singapore will also benefit from the outcomes and recommendations that we have fleshed out.
PT: We are aware of the fears and anxieties of our mid-career workers—those in their 30s to their early 50s—especially in the areas of job security and skills relevancy. The findings revealed that mid-career workers experience a higher level of anxiety compared to younger and older age groups. They want to be supported in their pursuit of deep skills. At the same time, many mid-career workers have caregiving responsibilities to dependent family members, such as young children and elderly parents. Should they lose their jobs, they would face extreme difficulty in servicing debts and meeting daily expenses. This finding was consistent across mid-career workers who were lower-wage workers as well as PMEs.
PT: I have been lobbying for some form of unemployment insurance/support for involuntarily displaced workers for a decade and am glad that the Government has taken up this suggestion, which was also fleshed out both in the PME Taskforce and #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations/Workers’ Compact Recommendations. I look forward to the full details later part of this year to help and support workers to smoothly transition into the next job.
But briefly, here’s how it works.
Aimed at alleviating immediate financial pressures, it gives displaced workers a breather to consider their next steps. We are essentially saying, ‘Look, you have some time; why not use it to give some thought to what you would like to do next? Assess your skills, build on them, and consider your interests and long-term career goals.’ NTUC, through its established Training and Placement Ecosystem, will follow through to help workers with upskilling and job matching. By doing all of these, there is a higher chance of workers bouncing back onto a more resilient career pathway.
SV: We talked about fear earlier on. The fear of losing one’s job, of becoming irrelevant etc. can be crippling. How can mid-career workers overcome it?
PT: One way of dealing with fear is to be better prepared. The Labour Movement is working with tripartite partners to promote a proactive ecosystem—one that enables a just transition amidst efforts to digitalise and/or green Singapore. Programmes dedicated to upskilling, retraining, and reskilling make it easier for mid-career workers to begin acquiring new skills at an earlier stage and developing deep skill sets. We recommend that workers be given a training allowance tied to a percentage of salary. This can lighten the financial burden associated with pursuing intensive training programmes. Besides company-mandated training, we encourage employers to take initiative in their own learning and development. Employers can support them by offering time off for this purpose.
Training is meaningful if it is translated into tangible outcomes. Hence, we recommend the provision of financial incentives tied to training achievements. It would encourage workers to maximise the value of their learning and apply their newly acquired skills in the workplace. For workers intending to pursue another qualification to facilitate a career pivot, we suggest that the Government expand the range of courses subsidised to include a second degree or diploma.
All of these recommendations are made to help mid-career workers stay relevant in a rapidly evolving job landscape. NTUC provides support through our Company Training Committees (CTCs) and the NTUC Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP).
SV: Is job redesign applicable to older seafarers?
PT: Yes. Shipping companies can tap into technology, process improvements, and generative AI to make work easier, safer, and smarter for older seafarers. Infrastructure and equipment related to job roles may also be designed more ergonomically so that the risk of injury is minimised and the needs of older seafarers are met.
SV: Will mid-career seafarers enjoy the training allowances?
PT: There are two types of training allowances announced recently at the 2024 budget. A new one for those who want to undergo another programme at our institutes of higher learning and increased support through the career conversion programmes. These are all open to our local workforce, which includes mid-career seafarers.
SV: Considering the diversity within the mid-career workforce, how can the Workers‘ Compact ensure inclusivity and diversity in its initiatives? What steps would you recommend to make certain that the benefits are accessible and relevant to a broad range of mid-career professionals?
PT: Besides support from our unions and the labour movement to watch the backs of workers in this space, there is the TAFEP tripartite mechanism and new Workplace Fairness legislation to be introduced and passed in Parliament later this year. This will help ensure we guard the twin pillars of inclusivity and diversity in all workplaces.
SV: Thank you, Brother Patrick, for your time. Much thought had gone into crafting the refreshed Workers’ Compact. All the best for the implementation works ahead of you. Any parting words for our seafarers?
PT: You’re welcome. To the community of seafarers, I would say the following: Take heart and take charge. Take advantage of the opportunities arising from the Compact. Notwithstanding the rough and tumble of it all, let’s ride the waves together. Continue to let us know your thoughts as we continue to advocate for you.
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