It's still a struggle for jobless over-40s
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It's still a struggle for jobless over-40s
By Radha Basu
MADAM T. Nalaayini, 58, has been looking for a job since early this year.
The unmarried woman is the primary caregiver to her mother, Madam N. Karrapiah,
87, who has dementia. When the laboratory where Madam Nalaayani worked as an office attendant for the past 23 years decided to outsource some of its functions, she lost her job. She received a retrenchment payout, but she claims that after paying off debts, the money will not last her even a year. She used to earn around $1,200 a month.
She approached the Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) for
help to find a job, but there has been no luck yet. 'I think it's my age,' she lamented, sitting in her two-room rental flat at Lengkok Bahru as her mother looked on vacantly. 'I need to take care of my mother. What if I can't find a job again?'
Her fears are not entirely unfounded. The Government has been working hard to
ensure that older workers find jobs, but at least one set of statistics made
available to The Straits Times shows that the efforts have yet to bear fruit.
Despite a booming economy and nearly full employment, the CDCs were able to find
work for only one in four of the 36,000 older job-seekers who sought their help
last year. The figures pertain to workers aged 40 and above. This despite the fact that all five CDCs have extensive job-matching efforts in place, offering career guidance and training to workers and persuading companies to employ them. The obstacles lie with workers and employers, say CDC officers.
The workers are often limited by circumstances, said Ms Charlotte George, who
manages employment assistance operations at Central Singapore CDC. The district
is home to more than 150,000 people aged 60 and above. Many of the vacancies that companies ply CDCs with are for jobs that are 'physically demanding' and unsuitable for older people, she said. These include jobs in warehouses, as crane operators or welders, or in dispatch and courier positions. 'The general perception is that the younger you are, the more fit you are and the older folk lose out, even though some may be very fit,' said Ms George.
Many are hampered by family and caregiving responsibilities that prevent them
from doing shift work. Madam Nalaayini, for instance, said she could not work
the night shift as it would distress her mother. 'She is used to not seeing me during the day, but I worry that if I leave her alone at night, she may not be able to take it.'To make matters worse, many workers are rigid in their likes and dislikes, said
Mr Vengadesh Naidu, Ms George's counterpart in South East CDC. Some, for instance, want only jobs they are familiar with. Recently, a retrenched 45-yearold who had been a welder all his life asked for help. The CDC offered him jobs as a delivery assistant or gardener but he was not interested. 'He kept wanting a welder's job, saying that is the only thing he knew how to do,' said Mr Naidu.
Not all workers are as choosy. Mr Tay Teck Choon, 71, has been scouring job
advertisements since September last year when the art gallery where he worked
folded. He used to earn about $1,200 per month then, a far cry from the $15,000 he
earned before retiring as training manager of a multinational company in 1994. He knows the Government is encouraging older people to remain employed and he,
for one, is game. 'I have sent out more than 30 applications and have yet to go
for a single interview.' Even those seeking to fill training-related posts, for which he has experience, have turned him down. 'I've been told quite a few times that I am just too old,' said Mr Tay.
Yet, CDC staff such as Mr Naidu say that when approached by their officers, most
companies say they are open to hiring older workers. 'However, their recruitment patterns often show otherwise,' said Mr Naidu. One of his clients, part-time dishwasher Pushpa Rani, 54, was sent to an interview for the job of a laundry assistant with an old folk's home. 'I went for the interview and was told later that the position had already been filled,' said Ms Pushpa. But the CDC found the firm continuing to advertise for the post after that, said Mr Naidu.
Employers such as Mr Gary Haris of KH Security Agency say it is not ageism that
keeps older workers out in the cold. Market dynamics often play a deciding role. Close to 80 per cent of the company's estimated 170 security officers are aged 50 and above, thanks to a deliberate decision to hire older workers. But the policy has come with a price. 'We often find ourselves losing contracts to competitors who have a younger workforce,' said Mr Haris. 'We may want older workers, but our clients don't.'There are other pitfalls. Last year, after asking for the 'age profile' of its
workers, the company's insurer hiked insurance costs from $10,000 to $70,000. Although the company found another insurer who offered a lower price, Mr Haris
said it was virtually impossible to insure an employee older than 70. 'Exorbitant premiums may thus dissuade companies from hiring older workers.'
Labour MP Halimah Yacob acknowledges that finding jobs for older workers is an
'uphill task', given Singapore's steady supply of cheap foreign labour. Companies that hire substantial numbers of older local workers should be 'more favourably considered' when they apply for work permits for foreign workers, said Madam Halimah, who is deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress. 'That could nudge employers to hire more older workers,' she said. -
seems like cheap foreign talents are giving alot of problems.
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... you see... there's something wrong with the whole picture in Singapore...
... why is it that this is not a problem in countries like Australia, New Zealand, USA, etc..?
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Because Aus , US pay their general workers high wages, same in Japan. But not in Spore, a democratic country, a one party state!!!
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Originally posted by t_a_s:
Because Aus , US pay their general workers high wages, same in Japan. But not in Spore, a democratic country, a one party state!!!
... well, it appears to me that the problem here is that there are too much financial liabilities in hiring older workers; for example, Medical Costs, & as indicated by TS - Insurance...... it basically boils down to the system; high living costs, high medical costs, ZERO welfare, & a "government" that's centered ONLY on MONEY...
... hence I believe, the Brain Drain shall contiue, and eventually into Low Citizenship...
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There may come a day, one of the Ministers may be from PRC, given the alarming rate of migration of our citizens and the low birth rate
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some of my 40-50 years old friends are facing this now. this is not a joke.
i believe most forumers here are in their 20-30... still havent hit the 40 mark and facing the danger of unemployment.
well i know that all dont care about those senior singaporeans that fall into this category, but eventually, your time will come.
think long term, please.
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so what have you done to protect yourself?
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Originally posted by t_a_s:
Because Aus , US pay their general workers high wages, same in Japan. But not in Spore, a democratic country, a one party state!!!
maybe cuz they have minimum wage law?
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A govt with a wealth of experience in ruling (not governing) a country should not find this a teething problem.
Just hold on to the solution until it's close approaching 2011.
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Originally posted by TCH05:
so what have you done to protect yourself?
do i need to think for u?
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The foreign workers are cheaper mah. If singaporeans dont want the job or cannot tahan, the foreigners will take it. Somemore they are cheaper and young mah. After they earn enuff, they will go back to their hometown and enjoy their old age.
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I sincerely do not think people into their 40's will not be frightened about their future.
Last time, people into their 40's are holding stable, secured positions heading towards choice retirement, meaning they can choose to retire at anytime.
Now time, people into their 40's are competiting not just in the little tiny dot but with any FT coming in from any part of the world, basically. Salary has remained competitive due to this. businesses should be enjoying this cost effectiveness. but costs have risen after risen and then risen some more on top of some more risen.
unless someone has connections, kuanxi and lobang and able to somehow hold on to his job using office politics or pushing people down, stealing credit, saboing others, back stabbing, its really anything can happen for those into their 40's.
congratulantion for a better future as well as retiresments. why?
like this sg very competitive what. so good good. yeh!
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Originally posted by xiaoxui:
The foreign workers are cheaper mah. If singaporeans dont want the job or cannot tahan, the foreigners will take it. Somemore they are cheaper and young mah. After they earn enuff, they will go back to their hometown and enjoy their old age.
the same happens in any other country.
Furthermore, companies like Seagate changes almost all its staff when they change technology => save on some salary cost employ newbies and training costs still the same.
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For Hong Kong, there are many entrepreneurs; thus they still have jobs after 40 becuz it is their own job.
In Singapore, the largest employer, the government, have many employees over 40 I believe. Of course, only if you start working in the government from young do you get such benefits.
I believe that those jobless over 40s are in danger not from foreign talents, but more from the younger generation, who also usually cost cheaper than them.
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Originally posted by eagle:
the same happens in any other country.
Furthermore, companies like Seagate changes almost all its staff when they change technology => save on some salary cost employ newbies and training costs still the same.
are you then justifying for the status quo?
so like this no need to improve liao?
btw, other countries are true big countries with many many cities.
sg only has 1 city. 1 city country.
overseas, they have ample opportunities to explore if they cannot compete in office arena , they can become farmers or invest in farming or other things. in sg, only office jobs available which is available to the entire world FT who is anyone with some qualification, even normal qualification.
sg is different. we employ the world record talents not for nothing.
would it be right or wrong to expect or demand the best?
if you look at things from a CEO performance perspective, you can then get enlightened. in the private sector, high pay = high performance is the least of all expectations. nothing less. u r in private sector right or no rights?