2022-05-01 05:04:25
𝗪𝗣 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮
𝘞𝘗 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘋𝘢𝘺 2022 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦
This Labour Day will be our third successive one in the COVID-era. Over the last two-and-a-half years, we have seen Singaporeans demonstrate their resilience in adapting to the challenges brought on by the pandemic.
Despite the worst of the pandemic hopefully behind us, the Workers’ Party worries that rising prices will bite ever harder in 2022. Singaporeans, especially lower income workers, are struggling with the increased cost of living arising from the higher prices of utilities, public transport, food and other essential items. For the sandwiched class, these cost rises are eating into precious wage gains, even as they have to support retired parents and their school-going children. They deserve more support.
The Workers’ Party is concerned that the Government’s planned GST hike will exacerbate inflationary pressures. We therefore cannot agree with the Government’s decision to raise the GST. We have put forward in Parliament four alternative levers for raising revenue: adhering to the OECD’s proposed global minimum corporate tax rate, taxing wealth, increasing the reserves contribution and taxing externalities. Each lever on its own can generate more than what a 2% GST hike will. We should exhaust these revenue-raising possibilities before turning to a GST hike.
We repeat our General Election 2020 manifesto calls for the introduction of a national minimum wage, anti-discrimination laws and a redundancy insurance scheme so as to improve outcomes for our workforce and strengthen safety nets. We are glad to note that the Government announced in 2021 that it will require companies hiring foreign workers to pay all their local employees at least the Local Qualifying Salary of $1,400, and will enshrine into law the current workplace anti-discrimination guidelines.
Singaporeans owe a debt of gratitude to the frontline workers in this battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Workers’ Party wishes to also express our appreciation to the public officers tasked with executing the new policies and unprecedented measures to help our country weather through the worst of the pandemic.
Last but certainly not least, we thank all caregivers who have to juggle their work with caring for family members at home. They too are essential workers, albeit unpaid and often under-appreciated. We thank them for their loving toil and sacrifice.
This Labour Day, the Workers’ Party renews our commitment to fight for a brighter tomorrow for Singapore and encourages all Singaporeans to take heart as we move forward together in these uncertain times.
Majulah Singapura.
1 May 2022
The Workers’ Party
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