http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_409683.html
Go for quality
By Aaron Low
NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say serving foods to all cleaners on the Cleaners Day. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
THEY are on their feet for many hours, picking up trash, scrubbing toilets and working tirelessly to keep Singapore's public places clean and neat.
Often under-appreciated and in some cases, lowly-paid, cleaners were recognised for their work by the the labour movement this afternoon.
Some 300 cleaners were treated to high tea and games at Swissotel The Stamford Hotel on Wednesday afternoon.
But more than just treating them to a spread of food and drinks, the National Trades Union Congress also stressed that companies should not look for the cheapest source of cleaners available.
Instead, they should look for quality and performance, or Best Sourcing.
This will help cleaning firms that are willing to invest in their workers - who in turn benefit by having better skills and hence, better pay.
To encourage companies to think about 'best sourcing' and not cheap sourcing, $2-million is being set aside by the Workforce Development Agency for a scheme to help companies which are willing to pay more for better quality services.
The fund, disbursed under the Best Sourcing Early Adopters Scheme, will defray part of the costs of hiring higher quality cleaners.
The grant to companies will be capped at 5 per cent of the value of the cleaning contract, up to a maximum of $25,000 a year.
It will be given over a maximum of three years for contracts under the best sourcing initiative that start on July 1 this year.
Guidelines to ensure cleaners' safety while they go about their jobs were also launched at the event.
NUTC deputy secretary general Heng Chee How praised cleaners for the difficult work they do, and said they made an important contribution to Singapore by ensuring the country stays clean and hygenic.
'They earn their wages with honesty and diligence, quietly and mostly unnoticed. All the more they should be recognised and appreciated by all of us,' he said.
Go for quality
By Aaron Low
NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say serving foods to all cleaners on the Cleaners Day. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
THEY are on their feet for many hours, picking up trash, scrubbing toilets and working tirelessly to keep Singapore's public places clean and neat.
Often under-appreciated and in some cases, lowly-paid, cleaners were recognised for their work by the the labour movement this afternoon.
Some 300 cleaners were treated to high tea and games at Swissotel The Stamford Hotel on Wednesday afternoon.
But more than just treating them to a spread of food and drinks, the National Trades Union Congress also stressed that companies should not look for the cheapest source of cleaners available.
Instead, they should look for quality and performance, or Best Sourcing.
This will help cleaning firms that are willing to invest in their workers - who in turn benefit by having better skills and hence, better pay.
To encourage companies to think about 'best sourcing' and not cheap sourcing, $2-million is being set aside by the Workforce Development Agency for a scheme to help companies which are willing to pay more for better quality services.
The fund, disbursed under the Best Sourcing Early Adopters Scheme, will defray part of the costs of hiring higher quality cleaners.
The grant to companies will be capped at 5 per cent of the value of the cleaning contract, up to a maximum of $25,000 a year.
It will be given over a maximum of three years for contracts under the best sourcing initiative that start on July 1 this year.
Guidelines to ensure cleaners' safety while they go about their jobs were also launched at the event.
NUTC deputy secretary general Heng Chee How praised cleaners for the difficult work they do, and said they made an important contribution to Singapore by ensuring the country stays clean and hygenic.
'They earn their wages with honesty and diligence, quietly and mostly unnoticed. All the more they should be recognised and appreciated by all of us,' he said.
