SINGAPORE – Deliverymen, cabbies and ride-hailing drivers who use platforms like Grab, Foodpanda and Lalamove for jobs are set to gain more bargaining power over issues such as earnings and their welfare.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Wednesday said the Government has accepted recommendations from a tripartite workgroup that will pave the way for representative bodies to champion platform workers’ interests under a new legislative framework, which will be implemented from the second half of 2024.
This means that the more than 88,000 platform workers here can soon negotiate for better working conditions as a group, through representative bodies that are legally empowered and act almost like trade unions.
Like unions, these bodies will be able to sign legally binding collective agreements with platform operators on behalf of workers, to ensure accountability from the companies.
There will also be a formal process to resolve collective disputes, with MOM being the first port of call for conciliation before the matter is brought before the Industrial Arbitration Court.
During a dialogue with about 120 workers at the Lifelong Learning Institute on Wednesday, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon said the issue of platform worker representation is complex as companies have different operating models while workers have different priorities.
The workgroup’s recommendations create a win-win framework for both platform operators and workers while taking into consideration the unique features of platform work, especially flexibility, he added.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said the new framework, when implemented, paves the way for the labour movement and its affiliated associations to officially represent platform workers.
NTUC noted that platform workers cannot form unions under existing laws as they are not recognised as employees, and hence face challenges in resolving disputes and during negotiations.
While the National Taxi Association (NTA), National Private Hire Vehicles Association and National Delivery Champions Association have been advancing the interests of platform workers, the associations are limited by the current lack of process for them to get a recognised mandate from the workers they want to represent.
The recommendations for the new framework were mooted by a tripartite workgroup formed in August 2022 to look into the issue of platform worker representation.
It comes on the heels of other protections that the Government is also working to implement for platform workers, including requiring Central Provident Fund contributions for those under 30 and standardising work injury compensation insurance.
The workgroup – which comprise representatives from MOM, NTUC, the Singapore National Employers Federation and platform operators – drew heavily from how trade unions in Singapore currently operate, noting that the existing rules of engagement between unions and employers have worked well in preserving industrial harmony here.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMid2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vc2luZ2Fwb3JlL3BsYXRmb3JtLXdvcmtlcnMtaW4tc2luZ2Fwb3JlLXRvLWdldC1tb3JlLWJhcmdhaW5pbmctcG93ZXItYmV0dGVyLXJlcHJlc2VudGF0aW9u0gEA?oc=5
2023-07-12 08:00:00Z
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