SINGAPORE — The Labour Movement and its tripartite partners, the Manpower Ministry and the Singapore National Employers Federation, will issue a set of guidelines to better articulate changes proposed in the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill by the end of the month.

Changes to the bill, first sketched out in Parliament on Monday (Nov 3), will pave the way for greater union representation for professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) in two broad strokes.

First, PMEs will be represented as a group by rank-and-file unions. These unions typically champion the causes of blue-collar workers.

Second, PMEs will be able to turn to the unions for individual representation, if they face re-employment issues. Under current laws, unions are able to assist PMEs individually in four areas — retrenchment, unfair dismissal, breach of contract and victimisation under certain circumstances. The next reading of the bill will take place in January.

NTUC assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay said today that the upcoming guidelines would offer clarity on these legislative changes.

He said: “The tripartite guidelines will be more instructive. They will also give you more explanatory and implementation details on how the tripartite partners will work and navigate these changes.”

The proposed amendments to the bill come at a time when the profile of the workforce is evolving rapidly. One in three employees are PMEs now, but this figure is expected to increase to two in three by 2030.

Mr Tay, who is also a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency, said: “We recognise that the profile is changing. So we’re actually changing in anticipation to future-proof ourselves. We’re doing things proactively so that we can start work, rather than wait for things to happen and have PMEs left out.”

As such, the NTUC is stepping up its efforts to reach out to white-collar workers.

It launched two help centres for PMEs this year. Those in need can visit either PME centre for career and legal advice.

Mr Tay estimated that roughly half of the cases seen at the PME centre stem from workplace grievances, such as employment contract or retrenchment issues.

NTUC’s latest outreach endeavour is the inaugural PME Week, which kicks off next Monday in the Central Business District.

During the week, PMEs can attend lunchtime and evening events, designed to improve themselves. The events are wide-ranging: a career fair; a networking session; and talks on healthy living, parenting and legal advice. All activities are free.

The Labour Movement expects some 2,500 participants throughout the week.