SINGAPORE: Approximately one-third of Singaporean workers are concerned about their job security, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said at a media briefing a few days before the national budget is rolled out on Feb 18.
The figure he cited on Thursday (Feb 13) is from NTUC’s Survey on Economic Sentiments 2025.
Despite Singapore’s economy growing by over four per cent in 2024, 34 per cent of workers are worried about their job security in the next three months, making it “top of mind for many working Singaporeans including PMEs”, according to Mr Ng.
This is actually an improvement over last year’s survey, which said that 52 per cent of respondents worried about losing their jobs or were unsure about their job security in the next three months, with NTUC noting back then that the figure was especially high among those working in the information and communications sector.
The NTUC has initiatives to address these concerns, such as the Company Mentorship Circle (CMC), a pilot programme that connects unionised enterprises with over 1,200 mentors and seasoned industry leaders in the NTUC network. These mentors will provide skills and career coaching to employees at these companies.
Mr Ng expressed high hopes for the CMC, saying that many CEOs have told him they cannot get Singaporeans into their workplace.
“We hope that through this CMC scheme, our unionised companies can have a leg-up and attract graduates from our IHLs (Institutes of Higher Learning), be it from universities, polytechnics, or ITEs,” he said.
More information on the programme would be released soon, according to the NTUC, which also urged the government to back its initiatives in the next budget.
Last year’s survey showed that cost of living was an issue for many, with 63 per cent disagreeing with the statement that their income rose sufficiently in the past year to meet higher costs of living. Singaporeans aged 55 and above disagreed with the statement the most (77 per cent) while those from the ages of 20 to 34 (47 per cent) disagreed the least.
Individuals with monthly incomes under S$2,500 disagreed with the statement the most (68%) while those with monthly incomes exceeding S$7,000 disagreed the least (54%).
Nevertheless, more than half of those surveyed said that initiatives from both the government and NTUC helped mitigate rising living costs, and 70 per cent expressed confidence that the government would provide more support if needed. /TISG
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