RETRENCHMENT (Private firms)

Mr Bernard Rodrigues asked the Minister for Labour whether the Government will consider introducing legislation to ensure that Singapore Citizens shall be the last to be retrenched when private firms retrench employees who are not represented by a trade union.

Mr Jek Yeun Thong: The Honourable Member for Telok Blangah is fully aware that the policy of the Government is to encourage the development of a strong, healthy, democratic trade union movement and that collective bargaining is the corner-stone of our system of industrial relations. The Government would like every worker to be a member of a trade union. However, on the question of retrenchment, irrespective of whether the workers are members of a trade union or not, the Government's stand is clear: that is, the interests of our citizens should have priority over non-citizens and that the citizens should be the last to go. It is considered that there is no necessity just now to introduce legislation to this effect. However, if the need arises, the Government will not hesitate to do so to safeguard the interests of our citizens affected by retrenchment.