• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Public fumes after Singapore opted out of voting for global treaty on workplace harassment

by Rubaashini Shunmuganathan
06/08/2019
in Comments, Current Affairs
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0

Although Singapore supports the intent of a new global pact against violence and harassment in the workplace, it abstained from voting for it during a United Nations agency’s annual conference in June due to “concerns about overreach”, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo.
“This would expand workplace safety and health well beyond the workplace remit,” said Mrs Teo, while speaking in Parliament on Monday (5 August). She said this in response to parliamentary questions raised on why Singapore abstained from voting.
For those who’re unaware, the new convention, which has been adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO), tabled measures like including domestic violence in workplace risk assessments.
Apart from the city-state, other countries like Russia, El Salvador, Malaysia, Paraguay and Kyrgyzstan also abstained from voting at the ILO’s annual conference of government, employers groups and workers held on 21 June.
Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Anthea Ong asked how the Singapore delegation voted, and as a reply, Mrs Teo said the Singapore National Employers Federation “had grave concerns” but voted against the treaty.
On the other hand, the National Trades Union Congress, which represented workers, voted “in favour of the convention as a mark of solidarity for the spirit behind it, knowing full well that the Government was going to vote to abstain from it”.
Mrs Teo explained that Singapore views seriously of its treaty obligations, and has a well-established policy to “only consider adopting or ratifying conventions which are in Singapore’s interests, and with which (its) laws and policies can fully comply”.
“Where we have doubts, we will continue to study the terms of the convention. In the meantime, we will make improvements to our policies and measures that are aligned with the spirit of the convention, if they also meet our objectives,” the Minister noted.
As an example, Mrs Teo referred to the ILO’s Occupational Safety and Health Convention. She said that before ratifying the international agreement in June, the city-state had taken steps to strengthen measures and successfully reduced its workplace fatality rate.
Although Singapore chose to abstain from voting for the new treaty, it still voted to support a non-legally binding ILO recommendation accompanying the convention “as it is aligned with (Singapore’s) commitment to eliminate workplace violence and harassment”.
“We continue to partner the ILO to promote decent work and have put in place practical measures to eliminate workplace violence and harassment,” she noted.
For instance, “practical measures” are already in place, like how employers must follow the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices which includes grievance handling.
Apart from that, employers are also expected to respond quickly to affected individuals and conduct proper investigations into complaints. Data is also gathered through complaints that the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) receives yearly, said Mrs Teo.
TAFEP will raise cases to government agencies and partners, as well as the police and the courts, where appropriate.
As of now, only “a very small percentage” of these gathered complaints come from workplace harassment.
“This is not to trivialise the concerns of those who did file the complaints, but in general, we do not have a pervasive issue. It is quite specific to certain employers and certain types of work arrangements. Those we will follow up,” she pointed out.
Serious cases like outrage of modesty are punishable crime under the Penal Code or can be taken up under the Protection from Harassment Act, said Mrs Teo.
Upon reading this news, many netizens expressed their anger with Singapore’s move to abstain from voting for the global treaty. Commenting on CNA’s Facebook page, they said that they’re “ashamed” of the government’s decision and pointed out that Singapore just made one step backward to be part of the other six countries which abstained from voting.
 

They also pointed out that the government is “trying to protect companies from getting scrutinized over such cases”, causing them to opt out from voting for the global pact. “The pack is to protect employees. Teo made it clear her ears are instead with employers,” said Facebook user Leandro Ngo.

However, Praisie Huang said that the reason Singapore abstained from voting is not because the government don’t see the importance of workplace safety, but rather because “the treaty involved issues like domestic violence which would mean the workplace has to get involved with people’s domestic life which is the overreaching part”.

 

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Venerable Master Hsing Yun passed away at age 97
Arts & Culture

Venerable Master Hsing Yun passed away at age 97

06/02/2023
No response from Josephine Teo on whether Mediacorp has been instructed to stop coverage of SMT circulation scandal
Singapore

No response from Josephine Teo over alleged blackout of coverage by Mediacorp over SMT circulation scandal

06/02/2023
Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family
Indonesia

Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family

06/02/2023
The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal
Singapore

The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal

06/02/2023
Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel
People

Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel

06/02/2023
Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud
Business

Adani stock rout raises questions about India’s credibility even as S’pore becomes #1 investor in India

06/02/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Venerable Master Hsing Yun passed away at age 97

Venerable Master Hsing Yun passed away at age 97

06/02/2023
No response from Josephine Teo on whether Mediacorp has been instructed to stop coverage of SMT circulation scandal

No response from Josephine Teo over alleged blackout of coverage by Mediacorp over SMT circulation scandal

06/02/2023
Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family

Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family

06/02/2023
The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal

The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal

06/02/2023
Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel

Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel

06/02/2023
Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Adani stock rout raises questions about India’s credibility even as S’pore becomes #1 investor in India

06/02/2023
Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

05/02/2023

Are IT jobs in Singapore flooded by foreigners?

05/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

by Correspondent
05/02/2023
47

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
47

...

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

by Correspondent
03/02/2023
26

...

Excessively charging for an essential need, and calling it affordable because people still can pay for it?

by Terry Xu
31/01/2023
40

...

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

by The Online Citizen
02/02/2023
19

...

August 2019
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Jul   Sep »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz