SINGAPORE: Associate Professor Jamus Lim, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC, has offered his take on the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme (JSS), which he describes as the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) equivalent of unemployment insurance.

The JSS, unveiled with more details during Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally speech on 18 August, has sparked comparisons with the Workers’ Party’s own long-standing proposal for redundancy insurance (RI), first introduced in its 2006 manifesto.

In a 12 September Facebook post, Assoc Prof Lim emphasised that the WP had been advocating for a redundancy insurance scheme for almost two decades, providing substantial details on it in their 2016 policy paper.

“We’ve been thinking about the issue for a while now,” Lim stated, adding that the WP’s proposal has been part of global best practices for advanced economies for nearly a century.

Assoc Prof Lim dismissed the PAP’s argument that the JSS is not unemployment insurance.

He pointed out that the differences the PAP cites—such as JSS being tied to job-seeking conditions and funded from general revenue rather than payroll taxes—are inconsequential.

“Tax revenue is fungible, so it all comes from the people anyway,” Assoc Prof Lim explained.

He argued that funding the scheme from general revenue might even make it less equitable, as it could potentially shift the burden onto non-workers to subsidise workers.

The Workers’ Party’s version of redundancy insurance, Assoc Prof Lim highlighted, envisioned a shared responsibility between employers, employees, and the government to ensure fairness and sustainability.

“We do believe in tripartism,” he remarked, underscoring that society should bear the responsibility for protecting its workers.

One of the central points in Assoc Prof Lim’s critique was that tying financial support to job-seeking efforts is standard in unemployment schemes globally, including in Singapore.

Assoc Prof Lim Addresses Concerns of Dependency, Calling Them Overblown

He acknowledged concerns that such a scheme might lead to dependency, but deemed these fears exaggerated.

“Most people, even in the West, do find value and meaning in some form of work,” he noted.

In discussing the design of unemployment insurance systems, Assoc Prof Lim pointed to the importance of balancing the duration of support with the amount provided.

While too long a tenure or too large a payout could discourage a return to the workforce and allow skills to erode, too little would leave workers struggling to cover household expenses during critical periods.

The WP’s redundancy insurance proposal included a payout of 40% of the last drawn income for up to six months, which Lim described as a “solid-but-not-excessively-generous” sum.

Although this amount is lower than what is typically found in advanced economies, and the duration is shorter than the OECD average of one year, he highlighted that it reflects Singapore’s shorter unemployment spells of around two months.

Assoc Prof Lim also suggested the introduction of greater flexibility in accessing redundancy insurance funds.

By allowing the unemployed to “front-load” their payouts, households would have more breathing room to adjust their expenses during difficult transitions.

With the JSS set to be debated in Parliament, Assoc Prof Lim reaffirmed the Workers’ Party’s commitment to advocating for expanded safety nets for Singapore’s workers.

“Whether you call it JSS or RI or something else, expanding the safety net for our workers is something that the Workers’ Party will always be fighting for,” he concluded.

During Parliamentary debate on Platform Worker Bill on 9 September, Mr Gerald Giam, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC, raised concern over symbiotic relationship between National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) with the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

Mr Giam pointed out that many PAP MPs and branch chairpersons serve as advisors to NTUC-affiliated unions.

In 2017, NTUC announced that, where possible, all PAP MPs—including Cabinet Ministers—would be appointed as advisors to unions, professional associations, and guilds under its umbrella.

By 2017, 71 PAP MPs were serving as union advisors. Mr Giam emphasised that many of these advisors are not merely offering guidance, but are actively involved in the governance of the unions.

He noted that this close connection could undermine the independence of unions, resulting in muted advocacy and a lack of dynamism in labour policymaking.

Mr Giam advocated for an independent, non-partisan NTUC, argued that untethering NTUC from the PAP would make unions stronger and more independent in advocating for workers’ rights without being subordinated to the government.

However,his proposal faced strong criticism from PAP Ministers and MPs.

PAP MP Christopher de Souza accused Mr Giam of politicking, while Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How defended NTUC’s relationship with the PAP, arguing that it benefits workers by effectively addressing their needs and prioritizing their interests.

Meanwhile, during his round up speech for the Bill on 10 Sept, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon further accused that WP, by advocating for the independence of unions from political parties, would destroy the productive relationship that underpins tripartism.

“The Tripartism that we have in Singapore today which many other countries want to emulate, only exists because of the close relationship and the mutual respect between the PAP and the NTUC. You dismantle this and everything falls apart.”

Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), also weighed in on the debate, rejecting the idea that symbiotic relationship prevents unions from speaking up, citing examples of NTUC pushing for policies, such as the Job Support Scheme, even when the government initially resisted.

In response, Mr Giam emphasised that WP seeks a middle ground, where unions maintain independence but still collaborate with the government and employers.

“I think the SMS is having difficulty seeing anything between the full dichotomy of full symbiosis and full confrontation with unions. ”

“We are calling for a third way, which is independent unions with tripartite dialogue to work towards achieving win-win outcomes for both workers and employers.”

Leong Mun Wai questions why NTUC leaders often come from the ruling party

The heated debate also prompted Mr Leong Mun Wai, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) from the Progress Singapore Party, voiced support for WP’s call.

Mr Leong while acknowledged that tripartism is a fundamental aspect of governance that all parties, including opposition ones, seek to foster, he questioned the level of NTUC’s independence from the government.

He pointed out that the NTUC’s secretary-general is often a minister or former minister and that many NTUC leaders come from the ruling party.

“Can you find another trade union in the world where the trade union chief is a minister? Are there any countries? Please let me know if there are,” Mr Leong asked, further noting that few opposition politicians are given appointments in NTUC.

“I think we are entitled to think that the independence of NTUC ought to be better than this.”

PAP Influence on NTUC’s Leadership

Indeed, observing NTUC’s official website and noting the significant presence of PAP MPs and Ministers in the trade union, it is hard for readers not to echo NCMP Leong’s sentiments, questioning the extent of PAP’s influence over NTUC’s advocacy for workers’ interests.

A simple headcount reveals that at least 11 NTUC leaders are either former or current Ministers or MPs from the ruling PAP.

Notably, both SMS Heng Chee How and SMS Desmond Tan are currently serving as Deputy Secretaries-General in NTUC, while SMS Dr Koh Poh Koon held the same role from 2018 until May 2021.

Current Secretary-General Mr Ng Chee Meng, who assumed the position in 2018, previously served as Minister in the PMO.

Despite losing to the WP team in GE2020, he continues to hold his position at NTUC.

Mr Ng succeeded Chan Chun Sing in 2018, who led NTUC from 2015 to 2018.

Mr Chan, currently the Minister for Education and Minister-in-charge of Public Service, joined NTUC as Deputy Secretary-General in January 2015.

By May that year, he was promoted to Secretary-General, succeeding outgoing labour chief Lim Swee Say.

During his tenure, Mr Chan concurrently held a Cabinet position as Minister in PMO from April 2015 to April 2018, while also serving as a PAP MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC.

Mr Lim Swee Say became NTUC Secretary-General in January 2007, succeeding Mr Lim Boon Heng, who led NTUC for 13 years.

Mr Lim also served as Minister in PMO and MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC from 2006 to 2011.

He was later elected as MP for East Coast GRC in May 2011, serving until 2020.

Meanwhile, Mr Lim Boon Heng served as NTUC chief from 1993 to December 2006, while simultaneously serving as MP and being appointed Minister without Portfolio.

Mr Lim currently serving as NTUC Enterprise (NE) chairman.

Other PAP Ministers and MPs currently serving in the NTUC Central Committee include:

Mr Patrick Tay, who serves as Assistant Secretary-General in NTUC and is also a PAP MP for Pioneer SMC.

Joining Mr Tay are Mr Desmond Choo, Ms Yeo Wan Ling, and Mr Melvin Yong, who are PAP MPs for Tampines GRC, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, and Radin Mas SMC respectively.

They also hold roles as Assistant Secretaries-General in NTUC.

Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman, a Marine Parade GRC MP, is serving as director in NTUC.

Additionally, at least four former PAP MPs currently hold posts within NTUC, including Mr Ng Chee Meng.

The other three are Mr Ang Hin Kee, former MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC; Mr Zainal Sapari, former MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC; and Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, former MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Mr Ang and Mr Zainal currently serve as NTUC Assistant Directors-General, while Mr Yeo is an advisor.

Ng Chee Meng proudly highlighted NTUC’s strong bond with PAP

The relationship between NTUC and the PAP dates back to NTUC’s founding in 1961 by pro-PAP unionists.

NTUC has 1.3 million members and unites 58 trade unions, seven trade associations, seven social enterprises and other partners under its umbrella.

Notably, even incumbent NTUC Sec-Gen Mr Ng did not shy away from explicitly boasting about NTUC’s close ties with the PAP.

For instance, in a 2021 Facebook post, Mr Ng shared a photo of himself in a NTUC T-shirt with a PAP badge prominently pinned in the middle of the NTUC logo.

He remarked, “The PAP is at the heart of NTUC, and the NTUC is at the heart of what the PAP does.”

He emphasised that NTUC has been a symbiotic partner of the PAP, working together to improve the lives of workers, with both organizations sharing the same core objectives.