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‘Think Singaporeans first or face calls for more drastic measures’

SINGAPORE — Speaker of Parliament and veteran unionist Halimah Yacob has warned employers that calls for “more drastic measures” will grow louder if companies try to game the Fair Consideration Framework.

SINGAPORE — Speaker of Parliament and veteran unionist Halimah Yacob has warned employers that calls for “more drastic measures” will grow louder if companies try to game the Fair Consideration Framework.

The framework — which will require employers making Employment Pass applications to first advertise the positions in a job bank administered by the Workforce Development Agency for at least two weeks — is “the first strong signalling” on the part of the Government that companies must give priority to Singaporeans, said Mdm Halimah.

The requirement will apply to jobs that pay less than S$12,000 in monthly fixed salary. Small firms with 25 employees or fewer will be exempt, but could come under scrutiny and have work-pass privileges curtailed if there are complaints of unfair hiring practices.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a community event in her Bukit Batok East ward, the Jurong Member of Parliament pointed out that there had been “no such programme” implemented since Singapore gained independence that emphasised the need to hire Singaporeans first.

“This is the first major signalling on the part of the Government that you must give priority to Singaporeans ... Singaporeans first,” Mdm Halimah, a longtime unionist and former deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), said.

She noted that there have been some criticisms levelled at the framework since it was announced last Monday, one of which is that there is no mechanism mandating companies to show proof of efforts to hire Singaporeans besides advertising on the job bank.

“Of course, people can say after 14 days, (employers) can just do what they want,” she said.

“But let’s give this initiative a chance. (It is the) first, strong signalling (by the Government) so at least you tell employers, don’t try to go for the easy option (to) just go and employ a foreigner. It’s important that you give Singaporeans a chance.”

She said employers “must do something because otherwise there will be a lot of demand for even more drastic measures. So it’s in their interest to first go for Singaporeans and make sure that this (system) works”.

The tripartite partners can also pitch in to ensure that the framework is effective: The Singapore National Employers Federation could tell its members to actively try to recruit Singaporeans, while the NTUC’s role is to monitor to ensure companies are not simply going through the motions.

Companies should not wait until August next year when the new rules come into effect to change any less-than-desirable hiring practices; they should start thinking through their recruitment processes, said Mdm Halimah.

Workers will benefit from the framework as the new job bank could serve as focal point in their job search, instead of having to scour print media, social media and go by word-of-mouth, she added.

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