SCHOOL BUS

02 OCTOBER 201660 CENTSMCI (P) 028/12/2015

THE LEARNING JOURNEY

It doesn't matter what stage of life you may be at, NTUC Social Enterprises

are by your side at every step of your education journey.

We find out how they have been helping you prepare for jobs of tomorrow.

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TOP STORIES

Man, Method and MachineCertis Cisco steps up to set an example of how the security industry is able to raise standards by integrating manpower and technology in its day-to-day operations.

Boost for Landscape IndustryThe landscape industry is getting a little help for a big spruce up with a funding to enhance productivity, capabilities and professionalism.

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Inaugural Union ElectionsCreative Media and Publishing Union holds its inaugural Delegates’ Conference and elects its first executive committee.

Zupervising Young ChildrenJournalist Ryan Chan goes to the KidZania playground to help kids find out what’s it is like to be in a working world.

NTUC Social Enterprises are pulling together their resources to enable Singaporeans to progress through education. Initiatives by NTUC First Campus, NTUC FairPrice, NTUC Income and NTUC

LearningHub will help Singaporeans of all backgrounds and economic status gain access to education and training at different stages of life.

This was revealed during a Children’s Day celebration by My First Skool (MFS) at Chin Swee Road on 29 September 2016.

NTUC First Campus, which operates MFS, also announced the enhanced Child Support Model

(CSM) – a slew of programmes and initiatives to address the diverse needs of preschoolers and their

families. These include financial, developmental and social needs. These initiatives are part of the four social enterprises' second

phase of efforts to help Singaporeans meet pressing social needs by ensuring their services remain affordable for everyone.

The first phase was the Healthy Eating and Living initiative launched on 23 June 2016, which aimed to make healthy food

options accessible and affordable for Singaporeans.NTUC Secretary-General Chan Chun Sing, who was at the Children's Day event,

said that the CSM announcement is part of a larger plan to address social inequality and social mobility.

He added that this was why the NTUC Social Enterprises have come together to provide help to Singaporeans who need it throughout their entire life-cycle.

“Some programmes are pioneering new concepts, while others have been around for longer. Yet, all of them are able to catalyse social change and help

Singaporeans make progress through life,” he said.

SUPPORTING EVERY CHILDThe enhanced CSM, announced during the event, is the latest concept among the NTUC Social Enterprises. The model ensures each child’s needs for social, developmental and financial assistance are met in a holistic and integrated manner.

NTUC First Campus CEO Chan Tee Seng said there are two groups of children – those from the lower-income families and those with mild developmental needs – with overlapping needs.

He explained: “Not all children from lower-income families have developmental needs. Likewise, not all children with developmental needs come from lower-income families.” He added that they all deserve to be supported.

CARING FOR ALLNot only preschool students can benefit from the initiatives by NTUC Social Enterprises. Students from primary, secondary and pre-university schools, who come from underprivileged families, can also receive help from NTUC FairPrice’s Share-A-Textbook programme.

It is a community project under NTUC U Care Back to School initiative, which aims to alleviate expenses on textbooks for students from lower and middle-income families.

Students from the Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnics, who are disadvantaged and might otherwise drop out of school because of financial difficulties, can also receive financial aid from the Future Development Programme offered by NTUC Income’s OrangeAid.

Adults who have left school are also in the minds of the social enterprises. Those who are working or are unemployed can remain relevant by either reskilling or upskilling at NTUC LearningHub.

See pages 3–5 for more details on these initiatives.

NTUC Social Enterprises are banding together to help Singaporeans fulfil their potential and aspirations at every stage of life through education.By Shukry Rashid

Enabling Singaporeans Through Education

SOCIAL ENTERPRISES NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 20162

From preschool to adult working life, NTUC Social Enterprises have been by the side of Singaporeans

along their lifelong education journey.

Here are a few ways they have been helping.

EDUCATION:NTUC Social Enterprises Working Together for U

Adult Education – NTUC LearningHub

è Enables them to find employment or progress in careers

è Equipped more than 1.9m adult learners with new and relevant skills since 2004

è More than 600 courses currently offered

Website: www.ntuclearninghub.com

Share-A-Textbook in Primary and Secondary School – NTUC FairPrice

è Books collected are given to lower- and middle-income families

è Helped 200,000 students save on textbook expenses

è Community project under NTUC U Care Back to School initiative

è More than 3.9 million textbooks collected and recycled since 1983

Website: www.fairprice.com.sg

Child Support Model in Preschool – My First Skool

è Social supportè Well-being programmesè Early intervention programmesè Classroom co-facilitators

programmeè Parent partnership è Provides financial and

placement support for children from lower-income families

Website: www.ntucfirstcampus.com

Future Development Programme in Tertiary School – NTUC Income

è Bursary pays for school fees and contributes towards living expenses

è Recipients will learn about financial planning and management

è Programme also offers internships and contract positions

è For the less financially well-off ITE and polytechnic students

è 1,000 bursaries to be given out over 3 years from 2015

è Committed a total of $2.5m

Website: www.income.com.sg

NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 SOCIAL ENTERPRISES 3

Preschoolers in My First Skool (MFS) who have various needs will not be left behind while others progress on the education

journey. More support is coming their way to meet financial, developmental and social needs through the Child Support Model (CSM).

More than $5 million will be invested into the initiative, with funds coming from NTUC First Campus’ own reserves, the Government and the Bright Horizons Fund.

MFS has supported more than 8,000 needy children over the last five years.

SOCIAL NEEDSMFS ensures that children from all backgrounds are catered to, paying special attention to those who need help the most.

MFS provides children from low-income families with priority placement at its centres. According to NTUC First Campus CEO Chan Tee Seng, 16.5 per cent of its enrolment in 2016 made up this priority placement.

It has also established the new job role of Child Enabling Executive (CEE) under the KidStart initiative to monitor the well-being of these children while encouraging them to attend preschool regularly.

There are currently 40 CEEs employed by MFS who come from multi-disciplinary backgrounds such as education, therapy and social work.

The KidStart centre at Chin Swee Road is one of seven operated by MFS, and it supports some 220 children. Plans are in the pipeline to further expand the initiative next year.

Preschool teachers and CEEs from these centres also work with early interventionists to support the social development of children.

CEEs may also be deployed to other MFS centres with a higher number of children from low-income families to work with community partners such as family service centres and social service offices.

This is to provide social support to vulnerable families through giving parenting advice, career counselling and provision of household items.

In meeting the social needs of children, upbringing at home matters too. Therefore, MFS has introduced the “Parenting Years” series of workshops to equip parents with practical parenting skills with the aim of helping them foster closer bonds with their children.

At My First Skool, the Child Support Model aims to provide assistance to every child who needs it.

By Shukry Rashid

Supporting Every Child

DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDSMFS preschoolers with mild developmental needs will also benefit from early intervention programmes in the form of learning support and therapy. These will help children in areas such as language, literacy and social skills. Mr Chan said that early intervention is crucial.

“If we really want to impact society, we have to start early and invest in their early years,” he added.

One programme that is already in place is the Development Support Programme, which is conducted by in-house Learning Support Educators and external therapists. Preschoolers in this programme will go through either a one-to-one instruction or small group sessions.

FINANCIAL NEEDSSome 860 children from low-income families received financial assistance from MFS in 2016. Parents with dire financial difficulties pay fees as little as $4 per month after subsidies from the Bright Horizons Fund.

The fund will also pay for expenses such as enrichment classes, birthday celebrations, uniforms and school bags for children from low-income families. This is so that these less-fortunate children will not be deprived of a happy childhood experience.

If we really want to impact society, we

have to start early and invest in their early years.”NTUC First Campus CEO Chan Tee Seng

For more information on NTUC First Campus and its assistance schemes, visit www.ntucfirstcampus.com.

GOOD TO KNOW

SOCIAL ENTERPRISES NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 20164

NTUC FAIRPRICE - SHARE-A-TEXTBOOK PROJECT (PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND PRE-UNIVERSITY)An annual project since 1983, NTUC FairPrice’s Share-A-Textbook project seeks to help primary, secondary and pre-university students from low-income families alleviate their financial burden and save resources through donated used textbooks.

To date, the project has collected about 3.9 million textbooks ranging from primary to pre-university levels, storybooks, dictionaries, encyclopaedias and assessment books.

FairPrice also partners with volunteer welfare organisations and community development councils to shortlist names of students from low-income families who will be given priority to collect textbooks before the general public. About 20,000 students registered under the priority scheme benefited from the project last year.

A survey of 600 parents by FairPrice in 2015 found that the Share-A-Textbook initiative continues to meet the needs of the community. Key findings saw 84 per cent of low-income respondents agreeing that the scheme was a good way to encourage their children to be thrifty.

Perceptions toward receiving used textbooks were also positive, with almost nine in 10 agreeing that there is no stigma in using pre-owned textbooks and they would not feel embarrassed using them. Ninety-seven per cent also agreed that they would recommend the scheme to someone who needs it.

NTUC INCOME – ORANGEAID – FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (TERTIARY)Launched on 14 July 2015, NTUC Income’s Future Development Programme under its OrangeAid initiative aims to create a better future through education for students from low-income families who are likely to forego tertiary education in favour of entering the workforce to support their families.

NTUC Income committed $2.5 million to help needy students studying in the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnics, and will offer a total of 1,000 bursaries over three years. Some 200 bursaries have already been disbursed in 2015. By the end of this year, 400 will be disbursed and another 400 in 2017.

According to NTUC Income, the bursary funding was designed to assist with the living expenses of the students so that they have more time to concentrate on their education, beyond helping them with their school fees.

The bursaries provide $3,000 annually to each beneficiary studying in polytechnics and $1,800 each to those in ITE.

The programme also provides these students with financial literacy and planning training to help them make sound financial decisions. These students may do internships and contract jobs with NTUC Income during their vacation and may be given an opportunity to work with the social enterprise upon graduation.

NTUC LEARNINGHUB (ADULTS)NTUC LearningHub (LHUB) offers working or unemployed adults looking to enhance their qualifications and skills with more than 600 courses that span across subjects such as infocomm technology, soft skills and literacy, workplace safety and health, and customer service training, among many others.

SkillsFuture Credit can be used for these courses.

With its pool of qualified trainers, LHUB has helped to train more than 1.9 million workers in Singapore since 2004.

LHUB’s executive training arm, Next U, also offers courses from best-in-class global

Besides the Child Support Model, NTUC Social Enterprises have other initiatives to help Singaporeans progress at every stage of their education journey. Here’s a recap of several initiatives.By Fawwaz Baktee

Something for Everyone

GOOD TO KNOW

and local training providers, covering topics such as productivity, innovation, service excellence, infocomm technology, soft skills and advanced professional skills.

With an aim to get more professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) future-ready, Next U’s progressive curriculum offers new pathways in continuing education.

As a group, NTUC Social Enterprises are able to offer a

suite of solutions to address major concerns of our society. In this case, we are able to address our fellow Singaporeans’ fear of being left behind, and offer practical solutions to enable them – young and old – to make progress through life.”

NTUC Enterprise Group CEO Tan Suee Chieh

To find out more about the initiatives, visit ntucsocialenterprises.sg.

NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 SOCIAL ENTERPRISES 5

Singapore boasts a world-class tourism infrastructure, excellent hospitality services and consistently ranks as one of Asia’s

premier tourist destinations.In 2015, international visitor arrivals stood

at 15.2 million, with a 0.8 per cent year-on-year growth in gazetted hotel room revenue that stood at $3.2 billion.

Today, the hotel industry employs about 35,000 individuals. But even with a healthy Singaporean core, there are now 2,100 job vacancies in the hotel and accommodation services industry, with 40 per cent of them for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET).

To boost skills development efforts and create a talent pipeline for the hotel industry, Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say unveiled the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) for Professional Executives and the Skills Framework for Hotel and Accommodation Services (HAS) on 23 September 2016.

“The quality of jobs in the hotel industry have improved and will continue to improve. Our hotels in the future will not only offer new and better services for the hotel guest, but also new and better jobs and careers to the hotel staff. As we speed up the transformation of the hotel industry, the profile of jobs will change for the better. We will see more PMET jobs being created for our people,” said Minister Lim.

ADAPT AND GROWCreated by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) under the Adapt and Grow

Thinking of a mid-career change to the hospitality industry? Here’s your chance. See how a newly-launched programme can help PMETs transition in smoothly. By Fawwaz Baktee

initiative, the PCP for Professional Executives seeks to help mid-career Singaporeans build a career in sales, project management, and administrative roles.

The PCP will be the first for professional executives and will be rolled out in the hotel industry in October this year.

Operating under the Place-and-Train model, participants will undergo a four-and-a-half month programme consisting classroom and on-the-job training.

Classroom training will be conducted by the Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC) and upon completion of the programme, participants will receive a Workforce Skills Qualifications Advanced Certificate in Hotel and Accommodation (Sales and Marketing).

Eighteen hotels are currently participating in the programme. Participants hired through the PCP for Professional Executives (Hotel Industry) will join one of these hotels as hotel sales executives or assistant sales managers. They will then have opportunities to progress in these roles to take on positions such as hotel sales managers.

According to Minister Lim, the roles of sales executives and assistant sales managers are currently in demand in the hotel industry as well as in other sectors.

“With this new PCP in place, local and mid-career PMETs will have a smoother transition into the hotel industry. They will be provided with job opportunities to adapt and grow in their new careers,” he said.

SKILLS FRAMEWORKMeanwhile, the Skills Framework for Hotel and Accommodation Services will provide up-to-date information on employment, career pathways, occupations, job roles, existing and emerging skills and competencies, as well as education and training programmes.

Launched under the national SkillsFuture initiative, the framework for the hotel industry is the first among more than 20 sectors that are currently going through industry transformation and manpower development. It was jointly developed by the Government in partnership with industry leaders and associations, unions and training providers.

According to WDA, the framework will be a guide for individuals, employers and training providers, and will serve as a common reference to identify key skills and competencies in new areas such as digital marketing, data analytics, revenue management and business process design.

Commenting on the framework, NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) CEO Gilbert Tan said: “With the vibrant growth of the hotel industry, there are good career opportunities for both existing hotel executives as well as new entrants. The training and skills framework will allow e2i and our tripartite partners to continue our efforts to attract and develop a strong Singaporean core, and support more hotel professionals to grow and deepen their competencies.”

For more information on the initiatives, visit www.wda.gov.sg.

Hospitality: Creating Exciting Careers

6 HOTEL FOCUS NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016

The Labour Movement has repeatedly called for the procurement processes in the private security industry to be based

on outcome rather than headcount. Currently, it is common practice to procure

security technology and manpower separately. However, this can lead to a lack of synergy and flexibility, especially given the shortage of manpower in the industry.

GOING FOR INTEGRATIONSecurity provider Certis Cisco understands the need to integrate technology and manpower, and it has implemented this in its five-year contract with CapitaLand. In a learning journey to Certis Cisco’s headquarters in Paya Lebar on 28 September 2016, the security agency showcased its Business Process Re-engineering Operations (BPRO) Command Centre.

The command centre has a team of three senior security officers and one supervisor that monitors, commands and controls the security of Plaza Singapura, IMM and the Atrium @ Orchard with the use of smart CCTVs. All three malls belong to CapitaLand.

By using the BPRO framework, which synergises man, machine and method, Certis Cisco is able to reduce the reliance on manpower at the three malls by about 20 per cent.

Certis Cisco said: “We started off by conducting a security risk assessment to define the security needs for CapitaLand malls in Singapore. Our full-time operations development team spent weeks studying the operating terrain of the participating malls, mapping out the myriad daily processes and understanding the consumer sentiments, so that we can design the most efficient BPRO plan for implementation.”

Certis Cisco gave the example of taxi and vehicle drop-off point monitoring when explaining the system. Instead of having to deploy an officer at the site round-the-clock, the smart CCTVs will do the monitoring. A security officer will only be deployed when a congestion is detected, hence freeing up officers to perform other duties like patrolling the mall, managing incidents, and doing crowd control.

There needs to be a change in mindset among private security providers and buyers for jobs and services to professionalise the industry. We visit Certis Cisco to see what they are doing right. By Fawwaz Baktee

Synergising Processes

Touching on the security industry’s procurement practices at the learning journey, Union of Security Employees (USE) Executive Secretary Steve Tan said: “Our procurement behaviour has not kept up with world standards. So my biggest takeaway from the learning journey is that if more security agencies do this, and start off towards the right direction with the buyer, we will all be in a better place.

“Procurement of manpower and technology must be done together, and buyers must be enlightened enough to not use security agencies’ proposals to maximise benefits for themselves.”

MINDSET CHANGESpeaking to reporters at the sidelines of the learning journey, NTUC Secretary-General (SG) Chan Chun Sing said that the cutting of manpower should not be the only intent behind implementing a system like the BPRO Command Centre – it should also be meant to create quality jobs for workers.

SG Chan said: “In the past you might have 90 security prowlers. After the review, you have 60. You save about 30, but you have created 10 new jobs that are behind the scenes, of a higher quality and allow us to pay our workers better and at the same time the jobs are more meaningful.”

He added that the remaining workers saved can be deployed to other jobs in the manpower-tight industry.

There also needs to be a change in mindset before it is possible to improve processes such as man, machine and method, said SG Chan.

“Security companies and buyers must change the fragmented mindset where each of the process is done in stages, to one that is integrated ... Only then can we have a lower cost for operations and quality jobs for our workers,” he said.

SG Chan also urged service buyers to not tender short-term contracts, saying that they deter security providers from working with them to develop and implement long-term plans and invest in technology.

The BPRO Command Centre monitors the security situation at three malls under CapitaLand.

NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 SECURITY FOCUS 7

Looking beyond spades, soil and shrubbery, Singapore’s landscape industry is working hard to spruce up its capabilities and

professionalism.To achieve this, the National Development

Ministry announced a funding boost of $5.6 million over the next four years to improve productivity and at the same time undertake manpower and industry surveys to prepare the sector for the future.

The announcements were made at Green Thumbs 2016, an event held at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park River Plains on 24 September 2016 to celebrate the development journey of the landscape sector.

SECTORAL MANPOWER PLANNTUC’s e2i (Employment Employability Institute), which was present at the event,

The Landscape Apprenticeship Programme is one of various initiatives to raise the sector’s professionalism.It is a 24-month programme which combines work assignments, on-the-job and formal training. It is under the Landscape Framework of the Workforce Skills Qualifications System. A total of 22 people have been trained under the programme so far.

More information is available at www. cuge.com.sg/contact-us.

Alternatively, interested workers can email ask_cuge@nparks.gov.sg.

explained that the landscape industry has been unable to attract new workers.

Its spokesperson said many graduating students shunned the career as they perceived the work to be manual, labourious and lacking in career progression.

Sharing similar concerns was NTUC Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) Zainal Sapari, who has worked closely on the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the landscaping sector.

A Sectoral Manpower Committee has also been formed to push efforts to get the young to take on careers in the landscape sector, said ASG Zainal, who was also at the event.

The committee comprises representatives from National Parks Board (NParks), NTUC, the Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees’ Union (BATU), the Singapore Workforce Development Agency

and educational institutions such as polytechnics and Institute of

Technical Education.“We need to chart

a very clear path for some of these

youngsters for them to see that the landscape industry is a viable career option where they can actually grow and be a master

craftsmen in this area.

“More importantly, we also

have to make sure that

GOOD TO KNOW

Landscape Apprenticeship Programme

Funding Boost for Landscape Careers

Working in the landscape industry is about to get more attractive with new funding. By Ramesh Subbaraman

the workers can earn good wages when they join this industry,” said ASG Zainal.

LANDSCAPE PWMA total of 250 companies have sent their workers for skills upgrading in order to meet the Landscape PWM requirements. The PWM came into effect in June this year.

NParks said this is nearly 97 per cent of companies registered on the Landscape Company Register.

The PWM for the landscape industry was developed by the Tripartite Cluster for Landscape Industry to uplift the industry’s image.

The aim is to provide a clear training and career progression pathway for resident landscape workers to earn higher wages as they obtain better skills and become more productive.

The landscape Sectoral Manpower Committee is looking to attract young workers into the landscape industry by helping them chart a clear career progression path.

LANDSCAPE FOCUS NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 20168

“I will fall asleep if I sit in the office,” said Alekxandrene. At 28, she could have very well taken up a job in engineering or the

shipping industry.

HER STUDIES Instead in 2005, she began her three-year course in landscape studies at Ngee Ann Polytechnic at the School of Horticulture and Landscape Management.

Subsequently, she furthered her studies at the University of Queensland and obtained a degree in Applied Science Plants. She now works as a project manager in a local landscaping company. Her work involves coordinating landscape design projects with designers, suppliers of materials and the client and ensuring the project is done according to specifications and on time.

HER PASSION“We live in a city in a garden. Being around plants all the time, you would want to learn how to take care of it, rather than complain about the soil that it is dirty and about the insects. It’s part and parcel of living in Singapore,” said Alekxandrene, a union member with the Building Construction And Timber Industries Employees’ Union (BATU).

Next on the cards – a Masters in Botany which she would have to explore abroad as the course is no longer offered in the local university.

Landscape Project Manager Alekxandrene Huang’s office

is out in open spaces amidst greenery.

Working with Nature

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council have

launched a WSH Awareness Booster Campaign to reach out to nearly half a million workers across all industries with the message “Look, Think, Do”. A total of 52 workers have died this year at workplace accidents as of 7 September.

WSH NUMBERS – JANUARY TO JUNE 2016The WSH Council released statistics on workplace health and safety for the first six months of 2016 on 26 September this year in the WSH Report January to June 2016.

There were 42 workplace fatal injuries, an increase from 30 in the same period in 2015.

Construction continued to be the top contributor of fatal injuries. The leading cause of fatalities in this sector was workers falling at the worksite (16 fatalities).

As for workplace injuries, it went up to 6,149 cases, up from 6,009 cases in the same period in 2015.

Here, manufacturing had the highest overall injury rate since 2012, followed by the construction sector.

THE OUTREACHThe WSH Awareness Booster Campaign was launched by Minister of State for Manpower Sam Tan on 23 September 2016 during a visit to a condominium development at Upper Serangoon Road.

Seven hotspots have been identified – working at heights, roof works, workplace

Look, Think, DoMOM calls on employers and workers to

join hands in making the workplace safer.By Ramesh Subbaraman

What is U SAFE?

AT A GLANCE

Definition U SAFE stands for “Union Safety Agenda for Everyone”.

Description U SAFE Roadmap comprises of the 3Es: Enlighten, Enable, Empowerment

Enlighten: Creating WSH awareness for all our affiliated unions.

Enable: Training for our union leaders/advocates with Risk Diagnostic tools and Risk Management Framework so that they have a proactive approach towards reducing WSH risks.

Empowerment: Empowering the unions/clusters to address their key concerns in sectoral level through tripartite efforts.

Roadmap conceptualisation start year: 2011

No. of clusters covered: 12

traffic safety, loading and unloading on vehicles, using machinery, electrical work and safe lifting operations.

To drive home the safety message, both MOM and the WSH Council are using pictograms to highlight simple and practical steps that workers can take to prevent injuries.

Next, 14 roadshows will be organised till March 2017 at workers’ dormitories featuring videos of workers’ aspirations to go home safely. Educational materials in the languages of the workers will also be distributed.

Staff from the Singapore Institution of Safety Officers, a U Associate member, will also conduct talks and hold simple quizzes on safety issues.

LM’S EFFORTSOn its part, NTUC’s WSH Secretariat is encouraging organisations to proactively build and enhance strong practices that safeguard their employees. This is under the U Safety Agenda for Everyone @ Work (U SAFE).

“We will be focusing our efforts on a cluster-based approach. By doing so, this will effectively generate the demand from both workers and employers to create a safe working environment for all,” said secretary of NTUC WSH Committee Melvin Yong.

Other programmes include regularly communicating WSH issues through the U Safe Bulletin and continuing to recognise outstanding individuals and companies through the U SAFE Awards.

NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 WSH 9

The Creative Media and Publishing Union’s (CMPU) inaugural Delegates’ Conference on 28 September 2016 at

the Devan Nair Institute of Employment and Employability saw the union lay the foundation for the next four years.

The 12-strong executive committee will see Mr David Teo of the Singapore Press Holdings Employees (SPHE) branch and Ms Mindy Kwok of the Singapore National Union of Journalists branch (SNUJ) continuing as president and general secretary respectively, with three new faces – Ms Lau Min Qi of the Biz Connectivity branch, and Mr Henry Ong and Mr Swee Kian Yang of the SPHE branch – joining the committee.

Ms Lau and Mr Ong will join as a committee member, while Mr Swee will take over Latiff Mohideen Ghani as general treasurer. Mr Latiff is now the vice-president.

The previous committee was a pro-tem one when the union was founded on 1 January 2015, following the merger of the Singapore Press Holdings Employees Union (SPHEU) and SNUJ.

ACHIEVEMENTSCMPU General Secretary Mindy Kwok shared the union’s achievements in the past year,

The Creative Media and Publishing Union (CMPU) holds its inaugural Delegates’ Conference while looking into the next four years to continue

serving members better. By Ryan Chan

Keeping the Good Work Going

highlighting the work done under the Labour Movement’s motto of Care, Fair and Grow.

The report highlighted that through the NTUC GIFT programme, CMPU disbursed $24,500 to families of members who had passed on. The union has also distributed hardship grants to members who are in need.

In 2015, CMPU renewed collective agreements with four of its branches and signed one with a new branch to help its members enjoy better workplace protection and employment benefits. They also looked to strengthen labour-management relations by holding a retreat with employers.

Membership drives have also seen numbers increasing in the union. The union had 1,170 members when it was first formed in January 2015. The number has since risen to 1,436 as of June 2016, marking a 23 per cent jump.

Three of CMPU’s leaders also flowed on, with Ms Song Waileen, Mr Ngoh Seng Joon and Ms Kho Swee Har stepping down to allow for younger leaders to continue the good work. These leaders served SPHEU and SNUJ and were instrumental in ensuring the smooth merger of both unions. CMPU recognised the contributions of these leaders at the

conference with a plaque presented to each of them.

NEW LEADERSWith an eye on the future, the union said they will continue to reach out to the creative media companies and look to deepen their partnerships with them for the next term.

Speaking on some of CMPU's other goals for the next four years, Mr Teo said: “The major thing is to grow our membership to have a bigger pool of members we can serve. I feel that our workers receive adequate protection currently, but it doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels. If there are areas which require attention, CMPU will definitely be there for its members.

“The new committee members will require time to grow. We will send them to all the courses available in OTCi (Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute) to ensure they are well equipped.

“New leaders will also be mentored by the more experienced ones. Our footprint [for leadership continuity] will not change much and we will inculcate this as an important ingredient in growing their leadership qualities,” said Mr Teo.

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EDITORIAL CONSULTANT LIM LI YIN liyin@ntuc.org.sg

SENIOR JOURNALIST/NEW MEDIA MANAGER JONATHAN TAN jonathan_tan@ntuc.org.sg

SENIOR JOURNALIST FAWWAZ BAKTEE fawwazf@ntuc.org.sg

JOURNALISTS SHUKRY RASHID shukryr@ntuc.org.sgRYAN CHAN ryan_chan@ntuc.org.sg

NTUC THIS WEEK

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The Creative Media and Publishing Union elects its new 12-member executive committee and looks to serve its members better under the Labour Movement's motto of Care, Fair and Grow.

UNIONS NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 201610

Seven-year-old NTUC-U Care Fund scores big on “being a responsible and

responsive charity, fully accountable to all stakeholders.” Congratulations on receiving

the Charity Transparency Award 2016!By Shukry Rashid

A Fund that is Big on Transparency

GOOD TO KNOW GOOD TO KNOW

The NTUC-U Care Fund was established in 2009 to better the welfare of low-income union members and their families. NTUC-U Care Fund supports various assistance programmes such as discount vouchers for groceries, Back To School vouchers and funding support for bursaries and scholarships.

For more information, visit www.ntuc.org.sg/ucare.

The NTUC-U Care Fund has been named a winner of the Charity Transparency Award 2016 for its exemplary transparency and disclosure practices. The inaugural award

was presented to NTUC-U Care Fund at an awards ceremony organised by the Charity Council on 28 September 2016.

The award is a huge confidence boost, considering the fund is only seven years old.

NTUC-U Care Fund Chairman David Wong said: “As a relatively young charity, the NTUC-U Care Fund is very pleased to be recognised for our efforts in upholding good transparency and disclosure practices. We strongly believe in being a responsible and responsive charity, fully accountable to all stakeholders.”

The NTUC-U Care Fund is one of 37 charities to receive the award. Over 700 charities in Singapore were assessed on financial statements, annual reports and governance evaluation for this award.

HELPING WORKERSOne of the beneficiaries of the NTUC-U Care Fund is 50-year-old Khairudin Salim, who is the sole breadwinner of his family. A union member since 2001, Mr Khairudin is grateful for the assistance from the fund and other U Care assistance programmes. These helped to alleviate the financial burden of supporting his family of five, including his wife and mother-in-law who just underwent surgeries this year.

Through this difficult time, his union’s bursary was also an additional source of help for his three school-going children.

“My children feel motivated knowing that their hard work in school is being recognised. It is not easy to get the bursary award and I am very grateful that my three children managed to get it each year,” he said.

Drivers under private hire operator Grab can look forward to more representation after the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Private Hire Vehicles

Association (NPHVA) on 29 September 2016.The MOU will see more frequent dialogues between both parties,

giving Grab’s drivers a platform to voice operational difficulties and other issues faced on the ground. To facilitate this, Grab will form NPHVA’s pioneer branch.

NPHVA Executive Adviser S Thiagarajan said: “This MOU will bring our engagement with private hire drivers to another level. The Labour Movement will now have access to over 40,000 drivers. The Grab branch will also facilitate a two-way flow of communication to share ideas, raise individual concerns and discuss collective issues with Grab.”

HELPING MOREGrab will sponsor the first six months of NTUC membership for full-time drivers interested in joining NPHVA.

Mr Lim Kell Jay, head of Grab Singapore, said: “NPHVA aims to ensure drivers’ interests are properly represented and we believe that this is a key step in supporting the long-term sustainability of private hire car driving in Singapore.”

Beyond this MOU, the association will roll out various driver-centric activities in the coming months. These include a Drivers’ Empowerment series, which will cover topics like CPF contributions, and how to drive smarter to earn more.

NPHVA has also already started rolling out driver-centric benefits to ease expenses like mobile plans, fuel and in-vehicle cameras. The association is also tapping on the Labour Movement’s network and sharing activities like legal clinics with members.

Private hire driver Edwin Tan, 27, has been an NPHVA member for four months and feels that drivers have more confidence when “there is an entity to back us up”.

He said: “I start the day, my engine, ferry passengers and end the day, but with this association, it makes me feel I’m not alone. We also get to raise any concerns and be in the know of the latest industry updates that may affect our livelihoods.”

Be an NPHVA Member

To join as an NPHVA member, email nphva@ntuc.org.sg. To stay updated of association membership benefits, visit unions.ntuc.org.sg/wps/portal/nphva/home or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NPHVAKakis.

The National Private Hire Vehicles Association’s first Memorandum of

Understanding with Grab will see more assistance provided to private hire drivers.

By Ryan Chan

Assisting Private Hire Drivers

NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 AWARD 11

Oh how I wish I had this as a kid. I could only watch in envy as KidZania opened its doors in April this year at Palawan

Kidz City in Sentosa – a gargantuan facility that gives kids 7600 sqm of space to role play in various jobs. After all, like any young boy, I very much aspired to be a policeman or a firefighter.

KidZania is built for children aged four to 17 and, while I’ve been told I have a boyish face, it isn’t enough to pass off as a teenager. Nevertheless, when presented with the opportunity to be a Zupervisor – basically supervisors that facilitate and oversee the kids’ activities – I jumped at the opportunity at the next best thing.

NTUC This Week journalist Ryan Chan becomes Peter Pan for a day to help kids fulfil their dreams of what they want to be when they grow up. Well actually, he landed a role as a Zupervisor at KidZania.

FIGHTING FIREMidway through a training session covering the basics of fire safety, a call for help suddenly came in from the fire station, putting the mini firefighters’ training to the test.

They boarded the fire truck quickly, but orderly, as they rushed to the “burning building”. The police were already on hand to clear a path for the firefighters as they entered the scene to hose down the flames.

It is one of the many frequent scenarios that take place daily in KidZania. To ensure the children receive the best experience, Zupervisors play a supporting role quite literally. They have to memorise scripts, need good product knowledge and must be ready to act out the planned scenarios like the one above.

For example, to drive home the key message of what to do in the event of one’s clothes catching fire, I had to stop, drop and roll on the floor together with the kids. As one of the Zupervisors pointed out to me, these activities are edutainment – allowing the kids to have fun while learning simultaneously.

ESTABLISHING INDEPENDENCEEstablishments in KidZania are strictly off limits to all adults, parents included. The aim of KidZania is to allow the kids independence and

at the same time give them an insight into the adult working world, with more than 60 roles available.

The key to achieving this lies in maintaining authenticity. KidZania partners with real-world organisations so that kids get the real deal. Upon entering, children first head to a kid-sized version of Maybank to receive a debit card with a credit limit in the form of kidZos, which is their official currency. This gives them a taste of what it is like to manage their finances.

The fire station too has gear provided by the Singapore Civil Defence Force. The fires aren’t real of course, so the firefighting experience is essentially, ahem, watered down for obvious safety reasons.

WHIPPING UP PIZZASAfter my morning exploits at the fire station, the afternoon saw me take my shift at Pizza Hut, where kids can come in and learn to make a personal pan Hawaiian pizza for themselves.

The instructions were easy enough to follow and Zupervisors merely had to dish out ingredients to the kids as they took creative licence to style their pizza. Although Zupervisors at Pizza Hut are referred to as head chefs, the key role they play emphasises safety and hygiene.

A Day in the Life of a… Zupervisor

Firefighters save the day as they successfully put out the fires of a "burning building".

Mini firefighters preparing to board

the fire truck as they rush to the scene of

an emergency.

At Pizza Hut, Zupervisors ensure cleanliness and safety in the kitchen are observed while the kids enjoy making their pizzas.

JOBS NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 12

The little chefs are taken through the different steps of properly washing their hands and are taught why it is important. They are also told to walk and not run in the kitchen as the floor may be slippery.

The lesson of recycling and reusing also comes through. Kids who reuse their hair net and surgical masks at other food-related activities within KidZania are rewarded with 1 kidZo.

HANDS-ON LEARNINGFrankly, I thought this was going to be a walk in the park. Afterall, how hard could it be to role play and handle a few kids after all? As I soon discovered, being a Zupervisor requires both mental and physical responsiveness to ensure guests receive a fulfilling experience. Apart

from handling overeager kids, the job also came with managing parents’ expectations.

A parent came up to ask me what was the overall lesson kids can gain from the activities. I was stumped.

Rosiaty Shah, a 52-year-old Zupervisor stationed at Pizza Hut, answered this later while best summarising what KidZania is about.

She said: “The roles kids can try in KidZania are intended to give them a better idea of what they want to do when they get older.

“But no one is asking them to be a pizza chef or a window cleaner when they grow up. It’s about giving them that insight so they have a better appreciation for these roles.

Kids these days are glued to smartphones too much and KidZania lets them get more hands-on.”

The Singapore Workforce Development Agency and NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) signed

a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KidZania to help out the company with placement opportunities, professional development and increase productivity.

Through a career fair organised in August last year for the positions of Zupervisor and team leads, e2i successfully placed 46 job-seekers. There is also a Place-and-Train programme that will see employees undergo 10 weeks of structured training to equip them with necessary skills like customer service.

INCREASING PRODUCTIVITYKidZania has also tapped on funding from e2i’s Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP) to boost productivity. With IGP, the company took time-consuming, manpower-heavy tasks and made them easier through implemented initiatives.

Examples of these include a radio-frequency identification (RFID) wardrobe management system to reduce manual counting and tracking of uniforms and an automatic scheduler system. Theme parks with a lot of manpower sometimes require a dedicated team to plan schedules for all the staff. The system eliminates this need, allowing staff to be deployed to other jobs.

Working with the Labour MovementHow has NTUC helped

to boost productivity and place workers at KidZania?

Here are their efforts.

To ensure the children receive the best experience, Zupervisors play a supporting role

quite literally. They have to memorise scripts, need good product knowledge and must be ready to act out the planned scenarios.”

NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 JOBS 13

SnapshotsA quick round-up of what went on in and around the Labour Movement recently.

By Ramesh Subbaraman

FairPrice: Corporate Social ResponsibilityHow can Singaporeans help supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice save 11 million plastic bags this year?According to FairPrice, they can do so by bringing their own bags when they shop.That’s the aim of FairPrice’s community engagement campaign to promote awareness on sustainability, environmental protection and volunteerism.On 22 September 2016, NTUC FairPrice published its inaugural FairPrice Sustainability Report covering four key areas–responsible retailing, community care, sustainable environment and wonderful workplace. The report highlighted that FairPrice employees contributed over 12,000 hours to its Volunteer Programme, through volunteering to pack and distribute food to the needy, and taking the elderly and people with special needs on excursions. Between January and June this year, FairPrice saved 5.3 million plastic bags through its bring-your-own-bag campaign. Last year, it saved 10.1 million plastic bags. The target this year is 11 million plastic bags. Turning to community care, the report highlighted that more than $98 million was donated to the FairPrice Foundation since 2008 and $2.6 million was raised in 2015 for the NTUC-U Care Fund.

Less Kopi, More WaterSingapore’s taxi drivers have a craving for a cuppa during their break times, often stopping by a coffeeshop to have a quick sip.

The National Taxi Association (NTA) wants them to change that habit by drinking more water or reducing the amount of sugar intake in the coffee beverage in a bid to fight against diabetes.

In line with that, NTA held its first walkathon for some 500 taxi drivers and their families to raise awareness on ways to prevent diabetes. Joining them was Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.

NTA Executive Adviser Ang Hin Kee explained: “We understand from many of them that they rarely consume water to reduce the need to visit the toilet. Instead, they satisfy their thirst by drinking coffee or kopi, which also energises them due to the high sugar content.”

As a follow up from the walkathon, NTA will be collaborating with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to conduct a free health screening in November for all its 21,000 members. The screening will include a blood test for diabetes.

SMRT Forms Appeal PanelSMRT is convening an Appeal Panel to review the appeal put forth by the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) pertaining to the dismissal of two staff following the fatal rail accident on 22 March 2016 at the Pasir Ris MRT station.

On that day, two SMRT maintenance staff who had joined the rail company in January 2016 died in the accident. Following the mishap, SMRT convened its own internal investigations.

On 14 September 2016, NTWU confirmed that the two employees had been dismissed by the company. NTWU submitted an appeal on 19 September 2016.

THE APPEAL PANEL In a joint statement issued on 26 September 2016, both SMRT and NTWU said the Appeal Panel will be made up of senior management from SMRT’s business units but management staff from the trains group will not be included in the panel make-up.

The panel will review the appeal, and ensure fair and due process. Its findings will not prejudice the ongoing investigations by the various authorities.

SMRT said it shared NTWU's concerns for the well-being of the workers and their families and will work with the union to secure employment soonest for the two workers while the panel reviews the case.

Meanwhile, both SMRT and NTWU agreed on the need to strengthen the safety processes and workplace culture in the company to promote a safer work environment for all workers.

WEEK IN REVIEW NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 201614

U Fame is back this year and the 12 finalists are raring to go. Here’s a sneak peek at the faces behind the voices.

Spotlight on U Fame 2016!

U Fame 2016 is back for the eighth time to put a spotlight on the best singers in the Labour Movement! Organised by NTUC Club, the inter-union singing competition has been an iconic event since 2008.

The U Fame 2016 finals will be held on 14 October 2016 when 12 finalists will vie for the top three spots. But before they hit the microphone to belt out their best tunes, we go backstage to find out a little bit more about them.

MOHAMAD RAZAN MOHAMED, 37 SINGAPORE PORT WORKERS UNION A fan of Malay songs and slow rock, truck driver Razan likes singing as it allows him to show his emotions and his heart.

HOO LEE PIN, 40 UNITED WORKERS OF ELECTRONICS & ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIESHer quiet demeanour will surprise you when she starts singing. Lee Pin often sings and records herself at home to train and improve her skills.

GARY TAN, 39 NATIONAL TAXI ASSOCIATIONThis is Gary’s first time participating in U Fame, and the taxi driver loves singing and the ability to showcase what he has through songs.

EDDIE LEE, 51 THE SINGAPORE MANUAL & MERCANTILE WORKERS' UNIONEddie is a veteran when it comes to singing competitions as he has been doing this since the 90s. This will be the second time that Eddie has joined U Fame and he relishes the opportunity to enjoy himself, singing alongside a live band.

AISYAH SALIM, 20 nEbOA nEbO music champion, Aisyah has been regularly invited to perform for corporate events. She hopes to make friends with the other participants from the unions by the end of the competition.

SAM SIM, 50 DNATA SINGAPORE STAFF UNIONThe pastry chef with dnata flight kitchen has been singing since he was 17. Occasionally, he will spend part of his lunch time to practice at the company’s karaoke room.

ROZAIMI ABDUL RAHIM, 31 SINGAPORE TEACHERS’ UNIONIf you find Rozaimi familiar, that may be because he was previously a child actor with Suria channel. The teacher often uses songs to build rapport with his students.

WAN MOHD FUAD, 27 SINGAPORE PORT WORKERS UNIONPrime mover operator Wan believes in giving his best through his songs. The support from his family also encourages him to keep chasing his dream and live out his passion on the stage.

AIDA WONG, 60 U CLUBNot your typical grandmother, retiree Aida enjoys dressing up and regularly goes to karaoke sessions with her friends. Titles under her belt include Classic Mrs Singapore World 2011 and Best Dressed for U Fame 2014.

PRINCESS JEAN BATALLER KYAW, 22 nEbOWith a passion for singing since young, Jean – also a nEbO Music Champion – performs at singing gigs under nEbO and gets to share her experiences with younger singers who are just starting on their singing journey.

AINUL SUHAIDAH ABDULLAH, 31 SINGAPORE TEACHERS’ UNIONAinul is no stranger to singing competitions, having competed in various titles since she was 17. The art teacher from Punggol Secondary was a finalist in U Fame 2013.

ERNAWATI SULASTERI MOHD SHAHRIN, 25 HEALTHCARE SERVICES EMPLOYEES’ UNIONThe frontline staff from Tan Tock Seng Hospital hopes to motivate people around her through her songs and encourage them to continue moving on even though life is tough.

NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 LM AT PLAY 15NTUC This Week 02 OCTOBER 2016 LM AT PLAY

职总社会企业 关照国人的教育

职总社会企业协力合作，为满足国人在各不同生活阶段的所需。单就教育方面而言，职总社会企业推行的广泛计划、措施和服务，造福了各种背景和

各个阶层的国人。

儿童援助模式—职总优儿学府

è社会援助è保健计划è早期干预计划è针对性小组活动课程（Classroom

co-facilitator programme)è育儿工作坊è协助低薪家庭的幼儿入学

网站: www.ntucfirstcampus.com

大专生未来发展计划 —职总英康

è协助家境不好的工艺教育学院和理工学院的学生

è自2015年起，将在3年内颁发1000份助学金

è助学金用以协助学子支付学费和生活费

è助学金总额约250万元è安排助学金者学习财务规划和管

理è计划也提供工作实习与合约工作

机会

网站: www.income.com.sg成人教育—职总恒习

è自2004年起安排190万名成人学习新技能，以及与工作相关的技能

è加强他们的受雇能力，协助他们拓宽职业前程

è目前共提供600多种进修课程

网站: www.ntuclearninghub.com

平价课本分享计划—职总平价合作社

è将所搜集到的课本分发给中低收入家庭

è职总之开学了计划辖下的社区援助计划è自1983年共搜集了390万本旧课本供循环

使用è协助20万名学子节省购买课本的费用

网站: www.fairprice.com.sg

2016年10月2日售价 60cMCI (P) 028/12/2015