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[GPGT] PM consulted NCM on cabinet reshuffle!!!!
- Thread starter TerrexLee
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Theindependent
People's Voice has been calling for prioritising HR jobs for locals
Lim Tean, Ng Chee Meng. (Photos from Facebook)
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Singapore— The task force on professionals, managers and executives (PME) is considering whether certain jobs should be reserved for Singaporeans, said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng on Thursday (Apr 29). But lawyer and opposition leader Lim Tean accused him of being “always behind the curve!”
In a Facebook post, Mr Lim, the head of the People’s Voice (PV) party, said the talk about ring-fencing certain PME jobs such as human resources (HR) for Singaporeans shows “how out of step this NTUC Sec-Gen is with the majority of Singapore workers whom his Union claims to represent.”
He claimed that PV has been calling for prioritising Singaporean workers for HR jobs for some time now.
A report in The Straits Times (ST) said that Mr Ng gave an update regarding the progress of the PME Taskforce headed by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).
The task force’s goal is to put together recommendations on how to support PMEs and submit it to the Government by the end of 2021.
“Since the formation of the PME Taskforce in October 2020, we have been close to the ground in engaging our PMEs. Through these engagement and feedback sessions, we now have a better and deeper understanding on the concerns and issues close to their heart, such as the lack of job security, employment and career progression opportunities,” wrote Mr Ng in an Apr 29 Facebook post.
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The NTUC head said that some PMEs suggested “ring-fencing” specific jobs such as those in HR, as this would let local PMEs “have the first call.”
Mr Ng added that the NTUC will “look seriously into how we can actually refine the thinking and suggest, maybe in time to come, certain possibilities of protecting Singaporean PME jobs where we have the skills,” ST reported.
But this needs to be carried out very carefully, he warned, saying that the right balance must be struck.
“We have to be very, very selective and careful to make sure that we do not deprive ourselves of the best talents that can bring value to Singapore, but at the same time, take care of our local teams. That balance is a difficult one, but nevertheless, we need to try to do it.”
Mr Lim called this “A totally unacceptable position which this government has done nothing to redress!”
/TISG
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People's Voice has been calling for prioritising HR jobs for locals
Author
- Advertisement -
Singapore— The task force on professionals, managers and executives (PME) is considering whether certain jobs should be reserved for Singaporeans, said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng on Thursday (Apr 29). But lawyer and opposition leader Lim Tean accused him of being “always behind the curve!”
In a Facebook post, Mr Lim, the head of the People’s Voice (PV) party, said the talk about ring-fencing certain PME jobs such as human resources (HR) for Singaporeans shows “how out of step this NTUC Sec-Gen is with the majority of Singapore workers whom his Union claims to represent.”
He claimed that PV has been calling for prioritising Singaporean workers for HR jobs for some time now.
A report in The Straits Times (ST) said that Mr Ng gave an update regarding the progress of the PME Taskforce headed by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).
The task force’s goal is to put together recommendations on how to support PMEs and submit it to the Government by the end of 2021.
“Since the formation of the PME Taskforce in October 2020, we have been close to the ground in engaging our PMEs. Through these engagement and feedback sessions, we now have a better and deeper understanding on the concerns and issues close to their heart, such as the lack of job security, employment and career progression opportunities,” wrote Mr Ng in an Apr 29 Facebook post.
- Advertisement -
The NTUC head said that some PMEs suggested “ring-fencing” specific jobs such as those in HR, as this would let local PMEs “have the first call.”
Mr Ng added that the NTUC will “look seriously into how we can actually refine the thinking and suggest, maybe in time to come, certain possibilities of protecting Singaporean PME jobs where we have the skills,” ST reported.
But this needs to be carried out very carefully, he warned, saying that the right balance must be struck.
“We have to be very, very selective and careful to make sure that we do not deprive ourselves of the best talents that can bring value to Singapore, but at the same time, take care of our local teams. That balance is a difficult one, but nevertheless, we need to try to do it.”
“We listened to Singaporeans on the ground who told us that foreign HR managers were favouring the hire of their own people over indigenous Singaporeans,” he said.
Mr Lim called this “A totally unacceptable position which this government has done nothing to redress!”
/TISG
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Where is Palmer these days?If you're with the PAP, even if you're voted out you'll still retain your money, influence and prestige.
Refer to Dr Anus Koh, Backdoor Bubble Ong, George Yeo. Even the scandal-ridden Michael Palmer who pumped Laura Ong... he's doing well.
I thought he was an MP for one term, and was a Minister or Minister of State.
He's a partner in a legal firm.
Thank you.
It looks like he rejoined his former firm.
It not so much about consultation but PR stunt.
After all what can NCM offers with his short experience in the cabinet?
The intention is to maintain his public exposure and perceived 'relevance' so that voters won't forget him 5 years later.
After all what can NCM offers with his short experience in the cabinet?
The intention is to maintain his public exposure and perceived 'relevance' so that voters won't forget him 5 years later.
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Beware the Ng brothers.
LOL. I remember ng chee meng lamenting about how his jobless brother had difficulty finding job. With this kind of family connection? Come on!
The Straits Times speaks to incoming labour chief Ng Chee Meng. Brother's struggle to re-enter job market has made him keenly aware of challenges PMETs face after being laid off
I would appreciate it if you or any one with access to that newspaper, ould kindly copy and post it here. Thank you.
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When workers' woes hit home for Ng Chee Meng
Singapore recently saw a major Cabinet reshuffle, during which fourth-generation ministers stepped up to take on key positions. These younger leaders will also feature prominently in the new Parliament session which opened on Monday. In the fifth and last of a series of interviews, The Straits Times speaks to incoming labour chief Ng Chee Meng. Brother's struggle to re-enter job market has made him keenly aware of challenges PMETs face after being laid off
Tham Yuen-C
Senior Political Correspondent
MAY 11, 2018
As the incoming labour chief, it is Mr Ng Chee Meng's task to improve the lot of workers, especially those who lose their jobs.
One of them is someone at home.
His older brother, 55, a corporate trainer, was retrenched two years ago and has tried multiple times since to re-enter the job market, with no success.
At a job interview, he was even penalised for saying he did not expect the company to match his last-drawn pay. The recruiter took it as a sign that he was looking to coast in the role and cut short the interview.
Recounting his brother's experience, Mr Ng says of the challenges that professionals, managers and executives face when they are laid off in middle age: "The Government has put in good measures, but the ground reality is still tough. The first step is to get employed."
Moving ahead, more needs to be done to encourage workers and employers to be more flexible when looking for jobs and when hiring, he adds. This is on top of programmes already in place to help workers upskill and retool.
He returned from his studies at the United States Air Force Academy in 1992 with a job waiting for him in the Republic of Singapore Air Force, and rose through its ranks to become Chief of Defence Force (CDF) before leaving in 2015 to join politics. Right after the general election, he was appointed Acting Minister for Education (Schools) and Senior Minister of State for Transport, and one year later, he became a full minister.
But the challenges that workers face have a particular resonance with him, he says in an interview with The Straits Times.
Besides his brother's experience, Mr Ng also felt first-hand the apprehension of a family when a breadwinner loses his job.
In the 1970s, his father was laid off as a manager at a textile factory when the industry moved out of Singapore. With seven mouths to feed, including five growing boys, times were tough, Mr Ng recalls.
A student at The Chinese High School then, he ate the same 30-cent dish of stewed cabbage with rice every recess for the three years his father was without work.
"One of my favourite vegetables is still yellow cabbage," he quips, on what he describes as a childhood experience he will never forget.
Then, in 1997, during the Asian financial crisis, he saw friends being let go too. By then, he was 29 and interested enough to look at the forces behind these upheavals.
That is when he became more aware of the role played by the labour movement. "You start to be aware that, hey, there are these things that are quite invisible but necessary in society."
In the recent Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Ng was appointed deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). He is slated to take over from Mr Chan Chun Sing as labour chief.
He volunteers that it is a role he wanted, though he would not say if he asked Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for the posting.
But he says: "I wanted to join the labour movement because I recognise the key role it plays in Singapore society. At the same time, ironically, many Singaporeans, including myself when I was younger, do not fully appreciate the importance of the labour movement in the whole set-up of Singapore."
THREE Ws
Even before he has fully moved into his new office at the NTUC Centre, Mr Ng has already coined a catchphrase to describe his key priorities.
He calls them the three Ws - wages, welfare and work prospects.
Where wages are concerned, he wants to help workers earn more, by working less.
Singaporeans are already among the most productive people in the world, and the country is ranked higher than, say, France, he cites. But when it comes to productivity per worker per hour, the French do much better, he notes.
Mr Ng believes the labour movement can convince the Government to do more to help businesses - especially small and medium-sized enterprises - and workers to embrace technology, so that each worker can be more productive per hour worked and wage growth can be sustained.
Asked if he has adopted any emerging technologies to cut down his own work hours, he laughs and says: "I use established technologies - coffee."
Many Singaporeans, including myself when I was younger, do not fully appreciate the importance of the labour movement in the whole set-up of Singapore.
MR NG CHEE MENG, on wanting the role of labour chief.[/QUOTE]
In terms of welfare, he hopes to address the anxieties of Singapore's ageing workforce, by helping workers to remain healthy and better prepare for retirement.
As for ensuring that people have good work prospects, the labour movement has to cooperate more closely with employers to find out exactly what they need as the economy restructures, he says.
It can then act as the middleman to prepare workers for jobs of the future so they can seize the opportunities that come along.
Has he set any targets?
He laughs when asked the question, describing it as "really Singaporean". "No, no, I'm not that in a rush," he says. "I intend to consult, to learn and then, well, eventually we'll come to certain decisions."
APPRECIATING TRIPARTISM
Another of his aims is to help the average person understand what tripartism - the collaborative relationship between the Government, unions and employers - is about.
In the 1950s and 1960s, relations between labour and management were adversarial, and work stoppages, lockouts and strikes were regularly staged. It was during this period that the NTUC threw in its lot with the People's Action Party (PAP).
If not for this "opportune time" in history, they may never have forged this symbiotic relationship that underpins the political, economic and social progress of the country, says Mr Ng.
Likening this to a war strategy that helps to put a country in good stead, the former military man says the stable political situation attracted investments into the country and boosted the economy.
"Even if we want to do it today, we may not be able to replicate it," he says. "Without some of the conditions we had in the 60s, we may not be able to politically move all these pieces together."
So, he does not think this symbiotic relationship or the tripartite system will survive a change in government. "I don't think it will (last)," he says. "It's not just about the labour movement but it's about the politics, the political economy of Singapore. We have been allies for 60-odd years."
Disarmingly amiable, he chafes only at the question on perceptions that the relationship serves to prolong the PAP's rule. "Some people say that. We go to the ballot box every five years or so," he says, adding that such views must "pass scrutiny" otherwise they enter the territory of fake news.
Some cynics have wondered if this close relationship really best serves the workers - the labour movement merely executes the Government's wishes, they say.
To that, Mr Ng, who sits in the Cabinet as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, says the track record speaks for itself. The relationship has benefited workers, companies and the country, the engineering graduate adds, citing "data sets" such as the rise in median family income and economic growth.
But things have "become so well oiled" that many are no longer aware of the key role of tripartism, Mr Ng laments. He, however, describes it as a "happy problem", adding: "I will trade awareness for a smoother running country, and then I'll work hard at raising the awareness because we really have something in Singapore that is very, very unique."
WINNING TRUST
The labour movement is seen as a tough testing ground for Singapore's political leaders. Besides policy smarts, the role of labour chief demands persuasive charisma to win over the rank and file.
Can a former CDF, whose troops snapped to attention at the sight of him, step up to the plate?
Mr Ng points out that the assumption that military leaders automatically command respect is wrong.
"They may obey you (but) you don't necessarily have their respect. We set out to earn the trust and respect of the people we lead as well, not just by sheer positional authority but by moral conviction."
To better understand the challenges faced by young soldiers, he went for a 32km march at the "ripe old age of 45" when he took over as CDF. "That is a lot of heart, and a lot of work," he quips.
Now, as incoming labour chief, understanding his fellow "brothers and sisters" involves drinking copious amounts of coffee.
As part of his previous transport portfolio, he had already been meeting union leaders in the aviation, transport and taxi industries, who shared their anxieties about how ride-sharing apps were affecting their livelihoods. "Sometimes we speak in dialects, so it can be more colourful," says Mr Ng - who speaks Cantonese and Hokkien - of what he describes as "coffee shop talk".
So what is his strategy to win the trust of unionists?
"I will just be myself," he says. "If I am sincere and they can see that I'm really here to serve their needs and their future, I think they will accept me."
Correction note: An earlier version of this story got the age of Mr Ng's brother wrong. We are sorry for the error. It also said he was a senior bank executive when he was retrenched. This has been updated for accuracy.
Singapore recently saw a major Cabinet reshuffle, during which fourth-generation ministers stepped up to take on key positions. These younger leaders will also feature prominently in the new Parliament session which opened on Monday. In the fifth and last of a series of interviews, The Straits Times speaks to incoming labour chief Ng Chee Meng. Brother's struggle to re-enter job market has made him keenly aware of challenges PMETs face after being laid off
Tham Yuen-C
Senior Political Correspondent
MAY 11, 2018
As the incoming labour chief, it is Mr Ng Chee Meng's task to improve the lot of workers, especially those who lose their jobs.
One of them is someone at home.
His older brother, 55, a corporate trainer, was retrenched two years ago and has tried multiple times since to re-enter the job market, with no success.
At a job interview, he was even penalised for saying he did not expect the company to match his last-drawn pay. The recruiter took it as a sign that he was looking to coast in the role and cut short the interview.
Recounting his brother's experience, Mr Ng says of the challenges that professionals, managers and executives face when they are laid off in middle age: "The Government has put in good measures, but the ground reality is still tough. The first step is to get employed."
Moving ahead, more needs to be done to encourage workers and employers to be more flexible when looking for jobs and when hiring, he adds. This is on top of programmes already in place to help workers upskill and retool.
He returned from his studies at the United States Air Force Academy in 1992 with a job waiting for him in the Republic of Singapore Air Force, and rose through its ranks to become Chief of Defence Force (CDF) before leaving in 2015 to join politics. Right after the general election, he was appointed Acting Minister for Education (Schools) and Senior Minister of State for Transport, and one year later, he became a full minister.
But the challenges that workers face have a particular resonance with him, he says in an interview with The Straits Times.
Besides his brother's experience, Mr Ng also felt first-hand the apprehension of a family when a breadwinner loses his job.
In the 1970s, his father was laid off as a manager at a textile factory when the industry moved out of Singapore. With seven mouths to feed, including five growing boys, times were tough, Mr Ng recalls.
A student at The Chinese High School then, he ate the same 30-cent dish of stewed cabbage with rice every recess for the three years his father was without work.
"One of my favourite vegetables is still yellow cabbage," he quips, on what he describes as a childhood experience he will never forget.
Then, in 1997, during the Asian financial crisis, he saw friends being let go too. By then, he was 29 and interested enough to look at the forces behind these upheavals.
That is when he became more aware of the role played by the labour movement. "You start to be aware that, hey, there are these things that are quite invisible but necessary in society."
In the recent Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Ng was appointed deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). He is slated to take over from Mr Chan Chun Sing as labour chief.
He volunteers that it is a role he wanted, though he would not say if he asked Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for the posting.
But he says: "I wanted to join the labour movement because I recognise the key role it plays in Singapore society. At the same time, ironically, many Singaporeans, including myself when I was younger, do not fully appreciate the importance of the labour movement in the whole set-up of Singapore."
THREE Ws
Even before he has fully moved into his new office at the NTUC Centre, Mr Ng has already coined a catchphrase to describe his key priorities.
He calls them the three Ws - wages, welfare and work prospects.
Where wages are concerned, he wants to help workers earn more, by working less.
Singaporeans are already among the most productive people in the world, and the country is ranked higher than, say, France, he cites. But when it comes to productivity per worker per hour, the French do much better, he notes.
Mr Ng believes the labour movement can convince the Government to do more to help businesses - especially small and medium-sized enterprises - and workers to embrace technology, so that each worker can be more productive per hour worked and wage growth can be sustained.
Asked if he has adopted any emerging technologies to cut down his own work hours, he laughs and says: "I use established technologies - coffee."
Many Singaporeans, including myself when I was younger, do not fully appreciate the importance of the labour movement in the whole set-up of Singapore.
MR NG CHEE MENG, on wanting the role of labour chief.[/QUOTE]
In terms of welfare, he hopes to address the anxieties of Singapore's ageing workforce, by helping workers to remain healthy and better prepare for retirement.
As for ensuring that people have good work prospects, the labour movement has to cooperate more closely with employers to find out exactly what they need as the economy restructures, he says.
It can then act as the middleman to prepare workers for jobs of the future so they can seize the opportunities that come along.
Has he set any targets?
He laughs when asked the question, describing it as "really Singaporean". "No, no, I'm not that in a rush," he says. "I intend to consult, to learn and then, well, eventually we'll come to certain decisions."
APPRECIATING TRIPARTISM
Another of his aims is to help the average person understand what tripartism - the collaborative relationship between the Government, unions and employers - is about.
In the 1950s and 1960s, relations between labour and management were adversarial, and work stoppages, lockouts and strikes were regularly staged. It was during this period that the NTUC threw in its lot with the People's Action Party (PAP).
If not for this "opportune time" in history, they may never have forged this symbiotic relationship that underpins the political, economic and social progress of the country, says Mr Ng.
Likening this to a war strategy that helps to put a country in good stead, the former military man says the stable political situation attracted investments into the country and boosted the economy.
"Even if we want to do it today, we may not be able to replicate it," he says. "Without some of the conditions we had in the 60s, we may not be able to politically move all these pieces together."
So, he does not think this symbiotic relationship or the tripartite system will survive a change in government. "I don't think it will (last)," he says. "It's not just about the labour movement but it's about the politics, the political economy of Singapore. We have been allies for 60-odd years."
Disarmingly amiable, he chafes only at the question on perceptions that the relationship serves to prolong the PAP's rule. "Some people say that. We go to the ballot box every five years or so," he says, adding that such views must "pass scrutiny" otherwise they enter the territory of fake news.
Some cynics have wondered if this close relationship really best serves the workers - the labour movement merely executes the Government's wishes, they say.
To that, Mr Ng, who sits in the Cabinet as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, says the track record speaks for itself. The relationship has benefited workers, companies and the country, the engineering graduate adds, citing "data sets" such as the rise in median family income and economic growth.
But things have "become so well oiled" that many are no longer aware of the key role of tripartism, Mr Ng laments. He, however, describes it as a "happy problem", adding: "I will trade awareness for a smoother running country, and then I'll work hard at raising the awareness because we really have something in Singapore that is very, very unique."
WINNING TRUST
The labour movement is seen as a tough testing ground for Singapore's political leaders. Besides policy smarts, the role of labour chief demands persuasive charisma to win over the rank and file.
Can a former CDF, whose troops snapped to attention at the sight of him, step up to the plate?
Mr Ng points out that the assumption that military leaders automatically command respect is wrong.
"They may obey you (but) you don't necessarily have their respect. We set out to earn the trust and respect of the people we lead as well, not just by sheer positional authority but by moral conviction."
To better understand the challenges faced by young soldiers, he went for a 32km march at the "ripe old age of 45" when he took over as CDF. "That is a lot of heart, and a lot of work," he quips.
Now, as incoming labour chief, understanding his fellow "brothers and sisters" involves drinking copious amounts of coffee.
As part of his previous transport portfolio, he had already been meeting union leaders in the aviation, transport and taxi industries, who shared their anxieties about how ride-sharing apps were affecting their livelihoods. "Sometimes we speak in dialects, so it can be more colourful," says Mr Ng - who speaks Cantonese and Hokkien - of what he describes as "coffee shop talk".
So what is his strategy to win the trust of unionists?
"I will just be myself," he says. "If I am sincere and they can see that I'm really here to serve their needs and their future, I think they will accept me."
Correction note: An earlier version of this story got the age of Mr Ng's brother wrong. We are sorry for the error. It also said he was a senior bank executive when he was retrenched. This has been updated for accuracy.
Now, I see that he has other brothers besides the other two ( MG and 2 star Rear Admiral ). May I suggest that the 3 financially better beothers help the other two.
I admire NCM for completing the 32 km route March when he was age 45.
However, even without meeting them, I prefer that the NTUC Sec Gen comes from the rank and file.
Forget about a Minister becoming or hiding the Sec Gen position.
The union members should have a vote, and never consider someone from the PAP.
What have the past Sec Gen, who were PAP Ministers (Swee Swee, extra curricular activities Lim, CCS) done for the union members. Is the current Sec Gen willing to earn less than the equivalent pay of a Minister?
I will offer him a salary of $25,000 a month as the NTUC Sec Gen, if he performs.
It is an advantage that he speaks Hokkien and Cantonese. Malay would also be useful.
I admire NCM for completing the 32 km route March when he was age 45.
However, even without meeting them, I prefer that the NTUC Sec Gen comes from the rank and file.
Forget about a Minister becoming or hiding the Sec Gen position.
The union members should have a vote, and never consider someone from the PAP.
What have the past Sec Gen, who were PAP Ministers (Swee Swee, extra curricular activities Lim, CCS) done for the union members. Is the current Sec Gen willing to earn less than the equivalent pay of a Minister?
I will offer him a salary of $25,000 a month as the NTUC Sec Gen, if he performs.
It is an advantage that he speaks Hokkien and Cantonese. Malay would also be useful.
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