We refer to the article “New job scheme for retires in North East” (Straits Times, Apr 15).
Pay only $5 an hour
It states that “Participants of the Community Employment Programme for Active Agers are paid $5 an hour, for up to 10 hours a week.
They can work part-time as mobile library assistants, estate inspectors and residents’ committee centre assistants who do administrative work, among others.”
Lowest hourly pay in Singapore?
- We believe this may be the lowest hourly pay in Singapore now. It may even be lower than the $5 plus per hour that some fast-food outlets’ part-time workers are getting.
In our view, we may inadvertently or otherwise, be setting a bad example and sending the wrong message to other employers – that it may be alright to pay elderly Singaporeans just $5 an hour.
Exploitation in the name of community service?
It may be akin to exploitation of the elderly to work at such low wages.
It may not be right to use the excuse that – “as it had received feedback from some seniors in the district that they have good health and free time, and want to “contribute to society or get employment”
- the key words here may be “or get employment”.
Thus, we should not assume that pay may not be important at all, to all these senior citizens.
How do we tell or know whether an elderly resident is working to pass the time “to contribute to society” or that he or she does not need the money at all?
Also, the fact that “A survey which the CDC conducted last month after it started planning the new scheme found that 66 per cent of the 56 respondents, aged 55 to 90, wanted to continue working after retirement” – may indicate that it may be due to financial reasons.
Reinforce age discrimination?
It may be ironic that it is bad enough that we do not have a minimum wage. The labour statistics also indicate widespread age discrimination – with real pay decreasing as workers get older from their mid-thirties in age – particularly for the lower-wage occupations like cleaners and service workers.
$5.1m surplus, but pay $5?
In the district, Pasir-Ris-Punggol town council had a surplus for the year and accumulated surplus of $1.7 million and $5.1 million, respectively.
So, why are we arguably, being so stingy in paying these senior citizens?
Surely, the jobs and tasks that they do, would need to be done by others – who may not be so willing to work for just $5 an hour?
SY Lee and Leong Sze Hian