TIME OFF FOR MILITARY TRAINING (Deduction of pay)

Mr Bernard Rodrigues asked the Minister of Defence if he is aware that some employers deduct the pay of their workers who take time off for training in one of the military or para-military organisations; and whether and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that no employees suffer any loss merely by reason of their voluntary participation in such organisations.

The Minister of State of Defence (Mr Wee Toon Boon) (for the Minister of Defence): Mr Speaker, Sir, the training undergone by the People's Defence Force volunteers comprises evening parades, weekend camps or training and annual camps. The evening parades are held after office hours. Similarly the weekend camps or training held at weekend camps hardly interferes with the civilian work of such volunteers. In cases where the evening parades interfere with the working hours of the volunteers, the officers in charge of the training depots usually request the employers concerned that the volunteers he allowed to leave their work early. At present, however, there is no law compelling the employers to do so.

The question raised by the Member for Telok Blangah, therefore, really relates to the annual camp. When they attend such annual camp, the volunteers are given the same rate of military pay as their regular counterparts of corresponding rank. Attention has recently been drawn to the cases of daily-rated employees who are unable to get time off for attending annual camp and whose civilian pay is greater than the military pay that they would draw in attending annual camp. To meet the problem, it has been decided that in such cases a special allowance up to a maximum of $2.50 per day may be paid for the difference between the civilian and military pay. There are 448 daily-rated employees in the People's Defence Force, and the majority of 240 attended annual camp last year.

Consideration is being given to making legal provision to cover such cases.

I may add that in respect of Government employees, both the monthly paid and the daily-rated, there are provisions for granting them full pay leave for a certain number of days a year for purposes of attending volunteer camps of recognised organisations.

Mr Bernard Rodrigues: A supplementary, Sir. Will the Minister introduce legislation to see that employers are not allowed to deduct the wages of the employees for such training?

Mr Wee Toon Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, with regard to this question, probably the Member is aware that the National Service (Amendment) Bill will he introduced at this sitting. Those who are requested to render national service will, of course, be covered by the National Service (Amendment) Bill.