INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL

3.52 p.m.

The Minister for Labour (Mr Ong Pang Boon): Mr Speaker. Sir, 1 beg to introduce a Bill intituled "An Act to amend the Industrial Relations Act (Chapter 124 of the Revised Edition)."

Bill read the First time.

Second Reading

Mr Speaker: Second Reading, what day?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Now, Sir.

Certificate of Urgency signed by the President in respect of the Bill, laid upon the Table by the Minister.

Typed copies of the Bill distributed to Members.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill he now read a Second time."

Sir, consequent to the amendments, to the Employment Act which I have just presented to the House, it has also been found necessary to amend certain sections of the Industrial Relations Act, 1968. Under the present Act, the tenure of collective agreements or awards is between three and five years. Both employers and trade unions represented on the National Wages Council have expressed the view that this period is unduly lengthy and restrictive. The Government has accepted this representation, and therefore proposes to reduce the number of years for which a collective agreement or award is binding from three to five to two to three years.

Section 34 of the Industrial Relations Act currently provides that in determining a trade dispute the Industrial Arbitration Court may have regard not only to the interests of the persons immediately concerned but also to the interests of the community as a whole and, in particular, the condition of the economy of Singapore. It is now proposed that, in addition to the above, the Court also pays due regard to the recommendations made by the Minister in relation to wage increases. Such recommendations, made on the advice of the National Wages Council, would be published in the Government Gazette from time to time.

The Bill also seeks to provide that on or after the 1st day of May, 1974, the parties bound by a collective agreement or award made prior to the enactment of this Bill, may make an application to the Industrial Arbitration Court to vary the said agreement or award.

Mr Speaker, Sir, as the Employment (Amendment) Bill has been committed to a Select Committee, I shall similarly commit this Bill to the same Select Committee for consideration.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.

Resolved,

"That the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill be committed to the Select Committee appointed to consider the Employment (Amendment) Bill." - [Mr Ong Pang Boon].