SINGAPORE - Fair treatment, income support and union representation for low-wage workers, as well as retaining and training workers despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, will position Singapore to deal successfully with future challenges post-circuit breaker, said analysts.
She suggested three ways to improve their employment resilience: strengthen fair treatment of them through government-paid sick leave and make fair treatment one of the assessment criteria for awarding government contracts; provide unemployment insurance or guaranteed basic income at least for the duration of the pandemic; and get unions to take on a larger role by enforcing the Employment Act and bargaining for more work flexibility and higher wages.
While the unions can look into legislative changes to improve employment conditions, the immediate concern must be to protect lives and livelihoods, he said. Since February, the Government has announced $63.7 billion in Covid-19 support measures, with up to $21 billion to be drawn from past reserves. A fourth round of measures is slated to be announced on May 26.