Forum: How unions have been helping drivers

A long queue of taxis at Ang Mo Kio Hub on May 19, 2020. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Union leaders from the National Taxi Association (NTA) and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) have been working closely with our tripartite partners since the onset of Covid-19.

The tripartite partners are the Ministry of Manpower, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Singapore National Employers Federation.

The unions have conveyed the concerns of drivers to them and given feedback through various dialogues, and the Government has responded promptly, rolling out the point-to-point support package in March, which has been enhanced and extended twice.

The latest extension will continue to provide financial relief for drivers whose incomes have suffered from a lack of tourists and a drop in local passengers.

NTUC and its Employment and Employability Institute have also been helping to match drivers to alternative job options.

In March, NTUC linked up Fei Siong Food Management with SMRT Taxis to provide taxi drivers with additional transport jobs.

A pop-up Driver Care Centre was also set up to support point-to-point drivers in applying for financial assistance such as the NTUC Care Fund (Covid-19) and the Government's Driver Care Fund.

NTUC also offered additional training allowance through the NTUC Training Fund, on top of course fee subsidies through the Union Training Assistance Programme.

The NTA and NPHVA have assisted drivers to take up courses in areas such as security so that they can earn while they train, diversify their income streams and pick up skills they can fall back on.

We have also guided drivers to apply for the Government's Self-Employed Persons Income Relief Scheme.

Our focus now is to ensure that they can continue driving safely - we encourage them to go for the free coronavirus swab test, track their own temperature, maintain personal hygiene and disinfect their vehicles.

In the long term, the unions will work with stakeholders on the land transport masterplan and the industry transformation map to ensure that drivers can earn a sustainable income.

The tripartite relationship strengthened during this trying period must continue to grow stronger as it is needed to put us on the recovery path towards future growth.

We hope that more restrictions can be lifted to stimulate activities which will benefit our drivers greatly.

Ang Hin Kee

Adviser

National Taxi Association and National Private Hire Vehicles Association

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 23, 2020, with the headline Forum: How unions have been helping drivers. Subscribe