Overcoming Singapore's labour crunch "can be done": Lim Swee Say

By Qiuyi Tan, Channel NewsAsia, 1 May 2012

Labour shortage will be a long-term reality for Singapore, National Trades Union Congress secretary-general Lim Swee Say said in his annual May Day Rally.

The only way to overcome the labour crunch is to raise productivity and wages at the same pace, he added, coining yet another phrase to put his message across.

"The world of CBD is very well alive. By the way, CBD does not stand for central business district. CBD stands for the world of 'Can Be Done'," Mr Lim said.

"Forget about growing the workforce from three million to five million to four million. Forget about that, because that will not lead us to a better world."

"Let us accept that we do need to slow down, contain the growth of the workforce, especially foreign manpower," Mr Lim added.

"Therefore, labour shortage will continue for the next many years. For that reason, every one of us should think about how to value every worker, make better use of every worker."

That includes more opportunities for women who want to return to the workforce, as well as Singaporeans who may not have paper qualifications, Mr Lim said.

As the labour movement celebrated May Day with a reaffirmation of its commitment to "cheaper, better, faster", the low wage worker was not forgotten.

Unionist Nasordin Mohamad Hashim said cleaners often tell him their pay is too low.

"Some of them have to do two jobs. And some instead of working eight hours, they have to work twelve hours to make up for the extra salary."

Even so, unionists said workers are ready to take on the productivity challenge and up-skill, as long as they can see the impact on their wages.

"I feel, very strongly, that employers must pay wages according to the level of productivity that they want the workers to perform," said Zainal Sapari, director of contract and casual workers unit at NTUC.

Employers have to take the lead and those in senior management have to do more, unionists said.

"They need to talk to the workers, talk to the union. They need to hear a little bit more, they need to open their ears and open their eyes," said Fahmi Abu Bakar, the general treasurer of the United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries.

President of the Singapore National Employers Federation Stephen Lee said part of the problem was that not enough small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were stepping up to raise productivity levels.

"The figures show only about 30 per cent of SMEs are responding, so we need more. It's a difficult task," he said.

"It requires different ways of thinking, it requires management to change their practices and it requires most of all, sustained effort of at least two, three years to see the results. It's not something you can just do for six months, or one year."

Mr Lee said government funds for companies are waiting to be tapped, and the key work now is to make sure companies, especially SMEs, take the leap.