|
On May Day, appreciate foreign workers, elderly
29 April 2014
SINCE the 1960s, Labour Day, or May Day, has been celebrated on the first day of May each year. This day is set aside as a public holiday to mark workers' solidarity and as an acknowledgement of our workers' contribution in nation building. It is an important day and we should reflect upon its significance. Two issues in particular are worth highlighting this year.
First, there continues to be some uneasiness among Singaporeans on the issue of foreign talent. More recently, some Singaporeans have even taken umbrage against Filipinos wanting to celebrate their country's independence day on Orchard Road. Second, our fellow Singaporeans who are relatively older continue to experience challenges re-integrating into the workforce when they are retrenched.
The adverse feelings towards foreign workers are misplaced and unwarranted. Singapore has had a cosmopolitan workforce for as long as I can remember. The reality is we need foreign workers for some of the occupations that employers find challenging to recruit local staff, for example construction and building. We also need foreign professionals to be able to compete internationally. Many of the foreign professionals working in our financial services industry, for example, bring with them not just global experience, but also a global mindset. Over the past decade, our professional workforce has gotten more "global-combat-ready", but there is still some room to improve.
On the second issue, the challenges associated with our ageing population will continue. Age-related hiring discrimination must stop. Over 50 does not equate to "over-the-hill" - provided we maintain our employability. There are many examples of local corporate leaders who make a conscious decision to retire from the business world to serve the community - many of them are in their late 50s, and even 60s. They will continue to make a difference to our society.
If our multi-national workforce is a key component of our economic success, so is a multi-generational, multi-skilled workforce. We need to continue to embrace foreigners, relatively more-experienced workers, and welcome them to be among our midst.
Singapore's hugely successful tripartism model has worked well for us in the past. It is now time to tweak it by officially adding another leg - representing foreign talent/labour. Like the four legs of a chair, Singapore will become even stronger, as we move towards our next 50 years.
Paul Heng
|
Programs 
