REACH 414 - What are your views on the new policies to better support platform workers? How can we build a fairer and more balanced relationship between platforms and their workers?

(SK)

28 Nov 2022 (10am - 7pm)

REACH

[9:45 am, 28/11/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,

Welcome back! 😊

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The topic will be posted shortly.

Thank you

Megan 😊

[10:00 am, 28/11/2022] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢

Aiming to improve the lives of about 73,200 platform workers here, the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers released a report containing 12 recommendations on Wednesday. The new policies, which have been accepted by the Government, will take effect progressively from the second half of 2024.

💬 What are your views on the new policies to better support platform workers? How can we build a fairer and more balanced relationship between platforms and their workers?

Highlights from the report are as follows: 

📌 1. Ensuring platform workers receive adequate financial protection in case of work injury

The report said that compared to workers in sectors such as logistics, platform workers do not have adequate financial protection if they are injured at work. The committee recommended that all platform companies be required to provide the same scope and level of work injury compensation as employees are entitled to under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA).

📌 2. In case of injury, platforms should compensate workers for all lost earnings

In case of injury, said the report, the worker should be compensated for all potential earnings in their platforms' sectors, including what the worker would have earned from other platforms during the period they could not work due to their injury. The report also recommended that a commonly accepted definition of what it means for a platform worker to be “at work” be created.

📌 3. Mandatory CPF contributions by platform companies to those under 30, opt-in for older workers

To help platform workers set aside the same level of CPF savings for housing and retirement as employees with similar earnings in other sectors, the committee proposed that platform companies that exert significant level of management control over platform workers should provide CPF contributions at the same rates as employers.

Older cohorts of platform workers aged 30 and above can also opt in to the same CPF contribution regime once it is implemented, if they wish to do so.

📌 4. Mechanism for regular, not just yearly, MediSave contributions to be developed

The report recommended that platform companies work with the Government to develop a mechanism to deduct CPF contributions from platform workers’ earnings as and when the platform workers receive their income. This would include the deduction of MediSave contributions for all platform workers, including those who do not choose to opt in to the full CPF contribution regime stated above.

📌 5. Ensuring increased representation for platform workers

Platform workers should be able to form new representative bodies to formally seek a mandate to represent workers, proposed the report. They can then negotiate and enter into binding agreements with platform companies.

While platform workers have formed associations such as the National Delivery Champions Association, unlike unions, there is currently no legislative framework that allows these associations to formally represent workers, so agreements are not binding and there are no formal dispute resolution processes.

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[10:41 am, 28/11/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors

We’d love to hear more from you on today’s topic 😊

We hope that we can keep the discussion related to the topic robust and active! 

Megan 😊

[11:43 am, 28/11/2022] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢

Aiming to improve the lives of about 73,200 platform workers here, the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers released a report containing 12 recommendations on Wednesday. The new policies, which have been accepted by the Government, will take effect progressively from the second half of 2024.

💬 What are your views on the new policies to better support platform workers? How can we build a fairer and more balanced relationship between platforms and their workers?

Highlights from the report are as follows: 

📌 1. Ensuring platform workers receive adequate financial protection in case of work injury

The report said that compared to workers in sectors such as logistics, platform workers do not have adequate financial protection if they are inju…

[1:13 pm, 28/11/2022] +SL: If delivery will be a career, on top of WICA compensation, CPF contribution, lost earnings, Medisave, and unionist, the platform should consider the following: 

1) The computation of each trip should be included factors not only the time taken and distance, but factors such as weather, food hygiene, fatigue, optimized route, and road safety should also be included.

2) platform should upskill the delivery person, such as knowledge for a better route, and undergo training for road safety, food hygiene, and exercise courses to indifferent this industry from other service lines.

[1:18 pm, 28/11/2022] +SL: If the insurance industry is also going to provide insurance for the delivery person, it will be something great for the delivery industry.  

The platform may be able to work with food outlets to standardize the food packaging to increase the load per trip while maintaining the food quality and freshness. I.e., the delivery persons can stop over several delivery points per trip, which improves their earnings per trip.

[1:21 pm, 28/11/2022] +SL: Not sure whether currently got a primary and satellite holding area for the delivery persons to rest while waiting for orders in each region. 🤔

[1:21 pm, 28/11/2022] +SL: Provided by the platform

[1:54 pm, 28/11/2022] ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. 73,200 workers in delivery platform - is a large group of workers that will require protection - in terms of retirement savings, housing, medicare that are provided through CPF - in ordinary account (housing), special account (retirement), medisave (medicare).

Hence this new policies to provide for the gig economy - specifically delivery platform - come timely.

Understand that workers in delivery platform will have less take home pay - if contribution to CPF is mandated for such workers. 

But it is for their own good to have CPF protection - as they need to be cover by housing, retirement and medicare benefits - just like other workers. Else when they grow older without CPF coverage - they will have big problem in paying for housing, save enough for retirement and pay for their medical needs.

2. Workers in delivery platform are more vulnerable on the roads - as they need to deliver foods in a stipulated time - failing which, their order could be cancelled and they would incur loss.

Hence they have a tendency to rush and this may result in accidents.

Thus it is imperative that they need to be covered by insurance from the platform companies should they be injured during the course of works - like any other sector companies.

3. I fully support the Government new policies to support the delivery platform workers - to ensure they are accorded the same right, protection and benefits like all other workers.

4. However, just wonder what will be their career progression path for these delivery platform workers?

[1:56 pm, 28/11/2022] +SL: Chief delivery officer, chief optimization officer and others chief operations officer in platform company in the service lines

[1:57 pm, 28/11/2022] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Possible but only a few roles for 73,200 workers.

[1:58 pm, 28/11/2022] +SL: If the team is big enough, it can consider venturing into other products, not limited to Food only.

[1:59 pm, 28/11/2022] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Another ninja van.

[1:59 pm, 28/11/2022] +SL: The message, customer product, and letters etc.

[2:00 pm, 28/11/2022] +SL: Not quite the same as ninja van, as this is a premium service. Door to door within the hour.

[2:01 pm, 28/11/2022] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢

Aiming to improve the lives of about 73,200 platform workers here, the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers released a report containing 12 recommendations on Wednesday. The new policies, which have been accepted by the Government, will take effect progressively from the second half of 2024.

💬 What are your views on the new policies to better support platform workers? How can we build a fairer and more balanced relationship between platforms and their workers?

Highlights from the report are as follows: 

📌 1. Ensuring platform workers receive adequate financial protection in case of work injury

The report said that compared to workers in sectors such as logistics, platform workers do not have adequate financial protection if they are inju…

[3:11 pm, 28/11/2022] +Smiley face: 28 November, 2022

Peace of Mind and No Worry?

"Maximum protections and minimal disruptions to all workers and their families "

- - anonymous 

Legislate?

Given the 73,000+ workers, insurers could underwrite policies to cover a spectrum of benefits from permanent disabilities to death. Part time or full time workers are compulsory to subscribe to this insurance policy payable by either their employers or self paid if he or she is self employed.

The annual insurance premium plan varies from $150, $200, $250, $300 and $500 The top tier plan will have maximum payout (non negligence) of $1,000,000 upon disabilities or death and others benefits to include various claims from minor injuries or temporary unemployment due to accident.

Can we also extend targ…

[3:19 pm, 28/11/2022] +Smiley face: Government perhaps should encourage employers and self employed by chipping-in $50 to $200 for the next 5 years, this "care & share" package insurances.

[4:00 pm, 28/11/2022] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢

Aiming to improve the lives of about 73,200 platform workers here, the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers released a report containing 12 recommendations on Wednesday. The new policies, which have been accepted by the Government, will take effect progressively from the second half of 2024.

💬 What are your views on the new policies to better support platform workers? How can we build a fairer and more balanced relationship between platforms and their workers?

Highlights from the report are as follows: 

📌 1. Ensuring platform workers receive adequate financial protection in case of work injury

The report said that compared to workers in sectors such as logistics, platform workers do not have adequate financial protection if they are inju…

[4:02 pm, 28/11/2022] +Uncle Law: Perhaps those above 30 could be made compulsory. Implementation to shift earlier.

[4:22 pm, 28/11/2022] +Ken: The issue of doing those… they have better control of their time, and no need to contribute to CPF. 

Last time when I work in restaurant anything about $800 will need to contribute to CPF not even given a choice 😅

If they were to work in those platforms, think it would be good to have certain levels of contribution. To ensure their retirements and able to buy house with CPF. 

But of course those cost will pass on to users 😅 but no choice.

[6:00 pm, 28/11/2022] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢

Aiming to improve the lives of about 73,200 platform workers here, the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers released a report containing 12 recommendations on Wednesday. The new policies, which have been accepted by the Government, will take effect progressively from the second half of 2024.

💬 What are your views on the new policies to better support platform workers? How can we build a fairer and more balanced relationship between platforms and their workers?

Highlights from the report are as follows: 

📌 1. Ensuring platform workers receive adequate financial protection in case of work injury

The report said that compared to workers in sectors such as logistics, platform workers do not have adequate financial protection if they are inju…

[6:45 pm, 28/11/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,

⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight!

Megan 😊

[6:59 pm, 28/11/2022] +Smiley face: 28 November, 2022

To: Our Distinguished Leaders, Our Outstanding Charities and All Honorable Members

"Lifetime Coverage"

"If life is a long journey, whether is a good one or a bad one, moments of joyfulness or a long period of sadness. Life itself is a finite route that continues and move on".

- - anonymous 

What about total coverage?

Can we quantify that all platform workers are lower wage earners? The total household monthly income of $4,000 and below with dependents who are too young to work or unable to work due to medical reasons or too old to work? What are the existing minimum insurance coverages, is it sufficient for these platform workers especially when they are doing outdoor jobs and/or mobile jobs? Who will pay for the insurance premium?

Policymakers will have to re-examine and if need to, add more protections to cover these workers on a "limited" and calibrated lifetime supports from medical, education, monthly allowances to housing bills just in case unfortunate accidents happened.

Coverages?

On permanent disabilities, we assume workers are insured and that insurance company will award a one-time payment of a few hundred thousands dollars or lesser amount to this disabled worker? 

The need for medical services will be another big cost that can be long term and policymakers need to find the funds to set asides for the affected workers and how about their family members? 

Perhaps the total amount awarded by insurance should be redirected (up to 50%) into this individual medisave account for future cost of this "extraordinary subsidised" medical treatments and the rest in cash to this claimant.

Efficient? 

The disbursements of monetary helps must be swift and the other intangibles services should also be efficient too.

In the case of more than two dependents in this household, the monthly assistance should be more than $1,200 for extended period of time till these dependents are able to support the family. When there is seniors in this household, more assistance are needed to cover all of their medical for free. Other supports to include educations, monthly assisted income, housing, utilities & fees.

In the unfortunate event of death, the same privileges are given to this household as long as the dependents are under the age of 21 years old and seniors that is 60 years and older. The monthly assisted income of $1,200 or give more to lessen financial obligations on a case by case basis. 

Case to case, it will be assess on a six months basis whether to add more helps, or to reduce helps or succeeded in uplifting and thus no future helps are needed for this family.

Sufficient?

Besides the successful claim from insurance and the existing worker's compensation under the labor laws. For permanent disabilities or death, often, the compensated money may not be sufficient for this individual to live through her/his entire life span, not enough for the family to survive, or temporary (one year or two unemployed) injured worker who maybe the sole breadwinner or the worse situation is this individual has already passed on.

There may be a need to engage counsellor and/or psychologist to help the affected person and the family members to guide them through the difficult and sudden painful experiences, mental shocks and future challenges?

All of the above situations, are either temporarily, permanently disabled or death. Hopefully through private efforts, donation from charities and government helpings, those seriously injured or disabled individuals and their immediate families will have top priority access to MND rental housing, subsidised utilities and waiver of fees, free MOH medical cares, free MOE education, job placements through MOM and monthly allowances from MSF. 

   - -  in progress - -

[7:00 pm, 28/11/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,

We will be closing the chat for today.

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight!

Megan 😊

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