Labour

126,000 benefited from the SkillsFuture Credit scheme The Straits Times article on 8 January, “126,000 Singaporeans pick up new skills in first year of SkillsFuture Credit scheme” states that “The first year of a government scheme to spur Singaporeans to pick up skills saw more than 126,000 people benefitting from it. Two million Singaporeans eligible The SkillsFuture Credit scheme, which was introduced last …

Logan Munusamy, a tour guide in Singapore, posted his concern on the Facebook post made by Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC, Desmond Choo on 4 January. Choo stated his concern about but the netizen voiced much dire situation which the MP has not replied. In his post, Mr Choo wrote that the Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union (AREU) was …

The Straits Times article, “Singaporean auxiliary police officers are paid more than foreigners, says Certis Cisco” on 30 Dec states that “Following the announcement that private security firm Certis Cisco is looking to recruit Taiwanese nationals to fill the need for auxiliary police officers (APOs) in Singapore, the company has come forward to dispel speculation that it is paying foreigners …

In one of the biggest downsizing moves to hit the local motor industry, about 120 employees will be retrenched from Toyota agent Borneo Motors and Suzuki agent Champion Motors soon in the beginning of 2017. The number of workers to be retrenched, represents 12-14 percent of Inchcape’s workers in Singapore. The Straits Times reported that the retrenchment is due to …

By Leong Sze Hian According to the Straits Times article, “More than nine in 10 companies paid retrenchment benefits in 2015: MOM survey” on 28 Dec, It states that “The proportion of establishments paying retrenchment benefits was 90.6 per cent in 2015, although it had fallen slightly from past years, a report by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed on Thursday …

Dentsu Inc. President Tadashi Ishii said on 28 December that he will step down next month to take responsibility over the incident involving suicide of Matsuri Takahashi, a new Dentsu recruit, caused by excessive work. Labour authorities sent papers on the company to prosecutors over the 24-year-old female employee’s death. Ishii said at a press conference on Wednesday evening, “I …

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced that amid softer economic conditions and ongoing business restructuring, there were more workers laid off in 2015 as compared to the numbers in 2014. 15,580 workers were laid off in 2015 while there were 12,930 who were retrenched in 2014. MOM said that in line with shorter employment tenures, the eligibility service period for …

By Leong Sze Hian The article by Straits Times, “Reflecting on 2016” (29 Dec), states that “December may just be a routine month in the calendar for some, but for others, the end of the year is a time for reflection, contemplation and New Year resolutions. We celebrate milestones, remember relationships lost and found, think about mistakes made”. The Top 10 …

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) charged a Singaporean with one count of conducting unlicensed Employment Agency (EA) activities without a valid EA license in court today (27 Dec). Mohamed Yasin S/O Hameed Sultan (45) pleaded guilty to his charge, he was convicted and fined $30,000, in default eight weeks’ imprisonment. In addition, he will also be barred from holding an …

By Leong Sze Hian After writing “407,400 earn less than $1,200 after CPF?” (Dec 27) – Terry Xu, the Editor of TOC sent me an email regarding the labour statistics. It got me thinking – are lower-income workers better off today compared to say eight years ago? 2007 – 495,800 earn less than $1,200? Well, in 2007 –  there were 495,800 …