MINISTRY OF LABOUR

The Ministry of Labour will work with labour and management to improve productivity in our economy and enhance our competitiveness in the international market. Labour Relations and Productivity

We must preserve our excellent industrial relations climate. The Ministry will build up a team of professional labour officers to work towards this goal through the promotion of more harmonious labour-management relations.

The National Productivity Board will promote positive work attitudes - pride in work, a sense of responsibility, self-improvement and teamwork. It will train managers in people-centred management, so that they will treat workers as their most important asset. It will emphasize training to upgrade the workers' skills and productivity.

Foreign Workers and Manpower Utilization

We will progressively reduce our dependence on foreign workers. Only those who have critical skills of economic value to Singapore will be considered for employment on a longer basis. We will encourage our workers to work beyond the present retirement age, stay healthy and be financially independent. Employers will be encouraged to employ them. We will encourage more married women to remain in the workforce.

Social Security

Besides schemes to finance homeownership the Central Provident Fund Board will introduce other schemes to allow Singaporeans a wider choice to securely invest part of their CPF savings without, however, eroding the fundamental objective of providing financial security for old age.

Industrial Safety and Health

The Ministry will strive to reduce the number of accidents, especially in the construction and the shipbuilding and repairing industries. It will promote self-regulation in industries, where management and workers will draw up and observe their own safety rules and practices. It will step up education and promotion programmes to foster greater awareness of safety and health at workplaces. More workplaces where workers may be exposed to occupational health and safety hazards will be brought within the ambit of the Factories Act. The Ministry will scrutinize new processes and chemicals used in industries to minimize any potential health hazards to workers.

LEE YOCK SUAN Ag Minister for Labour