SINGAPORE: Former Singapore President Halimah Yaacob has lauded the recently passed Platform Workers Bill as a “good start ” in protecting gig economy workers.

However, she suggested that a more straightforward approach would have been to classify platform workers who meet certain criteria as employees, thereby granting them automatic coverage under labour laws, social security protections, and union representation—an approach already adopted by some countries.

In her Facebook post, Halimah acknowledged the Bill’s role in addressing the vulnerabilities of platform work.

The legislation, effective from 2025, mandates increased Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for platform workers and provides enhanced work injury compensation and representation through union-like associations.

The parliamentary debate on September 9 and 10 centered on the distribution of costs—whether they will fall on platform workers, companies, or consumers.

Concerns were raised about the potential impact on consumers and the financial burden on platform companies.

Several MPs expressed worries about discrimination against workers who choose higher contributions and advocated for expanding the law to include other platform services such as domestic cleaning and caregiving.

Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon reiterated that the protections are meant to level the playing field for businesses and ensure fair competition, while also preventing platform operators from passing the costs unfairly onto consumers or workers.

Madam Halimah highlighted how platform work can distort the pricing of goods and services, with consumers expecting low-cost, fast deliveries.

She noted that if platform workers were classified as employees, the costs of their protection—such as for sickness, business downtime, and social security—would be borne by employers and partially passed on to consumers.

She said It’s then up to us to decide whether to make use of such great convenience but at a certain price.

“It’s then up to the companies to properly factor in their costs to remain competitive as all other businesses are doing. It’s all about the business operating model that has fundamentally changed with the availability of platforms.”

Madam Halimah argued that since platform workers are essentially employees subject to company conditions, they should receive the same protections as other employees in terms of health, social security, and business downtime.

She pointed out that platform workers have been shouldering all the risks and costs, which is not sustainable and affects their ability to secure homes and plan for the future, impacting their families and future generations.

She also discussed the negative aspects of information technology and algorithms, referencing a case from a US fast-food chain where algorithms disrupt workers’ rest periods based on fluctuating customer demand.

The Platform Workers Bill defines platform workers as individuals who provide ride-hailing or delivery services for an online platform and are under the platform’s control.

According to data from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), there were approximately 70,500 platform workers in Singapore in 2023, accounting for about 3 percent of the workforce.

This total includes 22,200 taxi drivers, 33,600 private-hire drivers, and 14,700 delivery workers.

SINGAPORE: Following the announcement that the Singapore Turf Club (STC) will retrench all 350 of its employees in phases, the Singaporean community has voiced concerns on social media.

Many are worried about the impact on workers who are already in their mid to late career stages, questioning whether the job fairs and skills-training courses provided will be sufficient to help them secure new employment.

As reported by Singapore state media Channel News Asia, the first batch of 90 employees will be gradually let go between November 2024 and April 2025.

To support the affected workers, the STC has identified over 300 training courses, with about 95% of the employees having taken advantage of these opportunities.

On average, each worker has completed approximately 42 hours of training.

Additionally, the STC will hold two exclusive job fairs in September, offering more than 1,800 job opportunities across the hospitality, healthcare, and government sectors to its employees.

The timeline for the retrenchment of the remaining employees is still being finalised.

In a separate development, around 700 horses will be exported, and the final race at the Singapore Racecourse will take place on October 5, 2024.

In June last year, The Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of National Development (MND) announced the STC’s impending closure, citing a decline in local horse racing spectatorship and the need to repurpose the land for the city-state’s growing infrastructure needs.

The approximately 120-hectare land parcel in Kranji, where the Singapore Racecourse is located, will be redeveloped for housing and other potential uses, including leisure and recreation.

The land is scheduled to be returned to the government by 2027.

As reported by CNA, retrenched workers from the Singapore Turf Club expressed mixed emotions about the impending closure.

Mr Subramaniam, who spent 45 years at the club, reflected on his deep personal connection to the racecourse, having started his career as a painter and later taking on various roles.

Ms Sandy Yong, who worked in the membership and rewards department for five years, lamented the loss of a supportive work environment but is preparing to transition to an administrative role.

“It’s hard to find a job that has good colleagues and good bosses,” she said.

Mr Samsudin Rakidin, with over 45 years of service, plans to rest before taking on new work, possibly in a hospital.

Concern Over Multiple Retrenchment News and the Impact on Workers in Their Mid to Late Careers

There was concern about the high number of retrenchments news reported recently, with comparisons drawn to other companies like Qoo10 Singapore, which also announced significant staff cuts.

Some comments noted the challenges faced by older workers, questioning whether the management could guarantee suitable job placements for them, given their age and the potential difficulty in finding new employment.

It was pointed out that retrenched staff nearing retirement age might struggle with lower-paying jobs or even pay cuts due to their specific skill sets and limited job market opportunities.

Nostalgia was also a common theme, with users recalling their personal connections to the Turf Club, including memories of growing up in the club’s quarters, underscoring the deep emotional impact of the closure on both current and former employees.