Tharman Shanmugaratnam announces that he will be running for President
With the recent news announced by President of Singapore, Halimah Yaacob – that she won’t be running for presidency this year – there have been speculations about who will be the next President of Singapore. In a letter dated 8 June to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister Tharman stated that he would resign […]
Less discrimination of ex-offenders in the workplace but more can be done
Through the findings from three dialogues with ex-offenders and inmates, discrimination at the workplace has lessen but more can be done to cultivate a more inclusive work environment. The dialogue sessions were organised as part of the #EveryWorkersMatters Conversations. National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), together with co-hosts Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) and Singapore Prison Service […]
Enjoying Career Progression and Good Wages as Tradesmen in Singapore is No Longer a Distant Dream
TL;DR Made Possible by NTUC’s new Career Progression Model We get it, not everyone wants to lead that corporate life, me included. Given the chance, some of us might just want a job with more flexibility and one which work you don’t have to bring home, such as the job of tradesmen (i.e., plumbers, electricians, […]
Without active strikes in Singapore, are unions still relevant today?
Traditionally, unions are known to organise strikes to fight for better pay, better welfare, and better work prospects for workers. But with the number of strikes in Singapore today being close to zero, why do we still need unions? At the Institute of Policy Studies’ (IPS) flagship Singapore Perspectives 2023 conference on 9 January, labour chief […]
It is no surprise that Mr Ng Chee Meng is co-opted into the PAP CEC. Here is why.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. National Trades Union Congress Secretary-General (NTUC Sec-Gen) Ng Chee Meng is not a Minister of Parliament but is co-opted into the 37th People’s Association Party’s Central Elective Committee (PAP CEC) on Saturday, 26 November 2022. Is this possible? Yes, let me explain why. PAP and NTUC have a Symbiotic […]
National Wages Council recommends a 5.5% to 7.5% wage increment for lower-wage workers in new guidelines
TL;DR: Lower-wage workers earning up to S$2,200 a month should receive salary increments of 5.5% to 7.5% for the period from Dec1, 2022 to Nov 30, 2023. Amid an uneven recovery for business in different sectors, the National Wages Council (NWC) remains steadfast in fairly and sustainably raising the wages of workers to foster Singapore’s social and […]
There is no escaping the GST hike starting next year. Here’s how you can cope with rising costs.
Goods & Services Tax (GST) will proceed to increase from the current 7% to the proposed 8% from 1 Jan 2023 and subsequently to 9% from 1 Jan 2024. With the rise in GST, the cost of living goes up and workers bear the brunt, especially those from the lower to the middle-income group. Thankfully, […]
PME Taskforce call for stronger support for PMEs who become involuntarily unemployed
It’s been a full year since nine recommendations were made by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)-Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) PME Taskforce (PME TF) to strengthen PMEs’ employment and employability and enable them to compete fairly and more effectively in the labour market. Since the release of the recommendations, NTUC-SNEF has been working closely with the Ministry […]
Dilemma of a Food Delivery Rider
With the outbreak of COVID-19, businesses are scrambling to maintain a semblance of business continuity which enabled work-from-home arrangements as part of the new normal. As a result, gig workers like 23-year-old Mohd Rifqy become a crucial lifeline, delivering food and other supplies to people. Rifqy, who recently completed his national service, shared that working […]
PHV Driver by Day, Supermum by Night
We spoke with Angeline, a private hire vehicle (PHV) driver with Grab for over 3 years, to find out more about the demands of the freelancer industry and how she balances her time. Angeline started out driving for the JustGrab service where she worked 2 years before moving on to drive for GrabPremium. Her day […]