Condominium management flagged for discriminatory hiring
Clauses in its tender for security services show race and age bias, says security association
The managing agent of Hillview Heights condominium has been flagged by the Security Association Singapore for discrimination against non-Mandarin speakers and older workers in its tender for security services.
In a Facebook post and statement to the press on Monday, the association highlighted clauses of the tender by Savills Property Management which stipulate that a security agency must provide a "Chinese-speaking" security guard for more than six shifts each month, with those who speak dialect acceptable.
Penalties for not complying include a warning letter and a deduction of $100 per shift. The security agency could also be fined $100 if the guard provided is not within the age range of 21 to 60 years. The tender, which lasts a year - from Nov 1 to Oct 31 next year - closed last Friday.
The security association said while there were other clauses that were of concern, it shared these particular ones "because they appear to penalise security agencies unless they exercise discrimination in their hiring and deployment of security officers".
The statement said Mandarin and dialects are not the same, "so what exactly is the job requirement here?"
It added: "Furthermore, for a Singapore condominium, is it a reasonable requirement for a Chinese-speaking officer to be deployed at all times?
"It appears that the intention is for an ethnically Chinese officer to be deployed on a frequent basis at the condominium. This would be race discrimination."
As for the age limit, the association pointed out there is nothing in the tender document that indicates the basis on which the management would give or withhold its approval to deploy a guard. "It appears there is just an intention for older workers not to be deployed at the site," it said.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for Savills said: "This is an unfortunate situation created by historical tender documentation language from 2000. We sincerely apologise for any confusion caused and have taken steps to ensure all tender documentation reflects current Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices."
The company said it has been "invited by the Singapore Police Force to introduce outcome-based contracts, and will be reviewing the terms and conditions for our clients' approval".Savills also welcomed dialogue between the Security Association Singapore and the Association of Strata Managers "to ensure we are all aligned in the future".
The Security Association Singapore said it would raise the matter with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices as well as the Ministry of Manpower. It also highlighted a "gap in the law", where "managing agents like Savills and service buyers like Hillview Heights may get away with forcing service providers like security agencies to carry out discriminatory practices".
The association said it raised this with MOM last year and urged that its guidelines on fair employment be extended to buyers of outsourced services. Currently, the guidelines apply only to employers.
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