EMPLOYMENT BILL

Order read for resumed consideration in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

3.45 p.m.

The Chairman: The Committee will now consider the four postponed clauses - clauses 15, 44, 46 and 47.

May I say that any debate today will be confined to these four clauses.

Clause 15 -

Question proposed, "That clause 15 stand part of the Bill."

Mr Seah Mui Kok (Bukit Ho Swee): Mr Speaker, Sir, it is intended that the Question, "That the clause stand part of the Bill", be negatived for the reasons given in the last sitting.

I do not like to waste the time of Members of this House. I would just say that this clause should be deleted in fairness to people who reach the age of 55. They are human beings. They have family responsibilities. Therefore, they should be given the chance to carry on working, if they are capable.

The Chairman: Mr Rajaratnam, do you intend to speak?

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour (Mr S. Rajaratnam): No.

Question put, and negatived.

Clause 15 accordingly disagreed to.

The Chairman: As a result of clause 15 not standing part of the Bill, amendments will be made to the numbering of clauses subsequent to clause 15.

Clause 44 -

Mr Seah Mui Kok: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 21, line 37, to leave out "twenty-eight" and insert "sixty".

Mr Speaker, Sir, as we have already said in this House at the last sitting, I move this amendment for the simple reason that 28 days for sick leave, including hospitalisation, is rather inadequate. I am quite sure that persons admitted to hospital must be suffering from serious illnesses, otherwise they will not be admitted. In order to assist a patient to regain his health so that he can carry on with his work efficiently. It is necessary that the period of sick leave, including hospitalisation, should be 60 days instead of 28 days only.

Amendment agreed to.

Mr Seah Mui Kok: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 21, line 42, to leave out "fourteen" and insert "forty-six".

This second amendment is just to regularise the provision. The purpose of my amendment is that if a person is paid sick leave for 14 days, it is quite natural that the remaining number of days should be 46. So the total for the paid sick leave will be 14 days' sick leave and 46 days for hospitalisation, making a total of 60 days.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 44, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 46 -

Mr Seah Mui Kok: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 22, line 36, to leave out "seven" and insert "five".

Mr Speaker, Sir, it is common practice that most employers in Singapore pay retirement benefits when an employee has completed five years' service. Therefore, it is quite logical that my amendment should be accepted by the Government so that retirement benefits will be paid when an employee has completed five years' service.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 46, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 47 -

Question proposed, "That clause 47 stand part of the Bill."

Mr Seah Mui Kok: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is intended that the Question, "That the clause stand part of the Bill," be negatived.

The reason is that it is common practice that most employers in Singapore do pay an annual bonus. Therefore, it is excessively unfair to deprive the workers of their annual bonus, as it will not achieve the purpose of increasing productivity.

Question put, and negatived.

Clause 47 accordingly disagreed to.

New Clause - "Payment 47.- (1) A contract of service of bonus. or collective agreement made after the date of the coming into operation of this Act between an employer and his employees or a trade union representing his employees may contain a provision for the payment of an amount not exceeding the equivalent of one month's wages of an employee as a bonus or ex-gratia payment. (2) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall be construed as preventing an employer at his discretion from paying as a bonus or ex-gratia payment an amount that exceeds the equivalent of one month's wages as an incentive to his employees, or any particular employee, to increase their or his productivity or as a reward for their or his services, as the case may be. (3) This section shall not apply to the Government or any statutory body or employees thereof.". - [Mr Seah Mui Kok].

Brought up, and read the First time.

Mr Seah Mui Kok: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the clause be read a Second time."

Mr Speaker, Sir, it is very necessary that workers in Singapore be given a chance to negotiate with employers for the annual bonus. The National Trades Union Congress is most reasonable, and it did recommend that bonus should be negotiable up to a maximum of one month. Anything more than that should be for mutual negotiation or agreement between employer and employee.

As I have stated earlier, the payment of annual bonus is very important to the workers, because they require money especially at the end of the year for expenses incurred during the various religious festivals. In addition, if the workers have families, they will need extra money to buy school uniforms, school books, etc, for their children. In this respect, we therefore request that (a) bonus should be negotiable (b) it should be up to a limit of one month, and (c) anything more than that should be by mutual consent between the employer and employees. It is quite natural that the workers will definitely know how to save any surplus money after incurring various expenses. Unless they get their annual bonus, their chances of saving money are almost negligible.

Question put, and agreed to.

Clause read a Second time and added to the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments; read a Third time and passed.