Update on Number of Mediation Requests and Their Outcomes since Establishment of Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked the Minister for Manpower since the establishment of the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management in April 2017 (a) what is the number of mediation requests that do not result in a mediation session; (b) what types of cases typically result in amicable resolution and which do not; and (c) what are the outcomes of cases that cannot be resolved through mediation, broken down by type of case and outcome.

Between April 2017 and December 2019, there were 26,000 mediation requests lodged with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM), of which more than 70% went to mediation. Of the remaining cases, most claimants withdrew their claims before mediation took place.

Of the claims that went through mediation, more than 80% were resolved amicably by TADM. These tend to be cases where the facts were clear or salary arrears had not been accumulated over a long period. Claims that could not be resolved through mediation would be referred to the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) for adjudication. About 40% of cases that were referred to the ECT resulted in money orders issued to employers to settle the claims. The remaining claims were dismissed by the ECT or withdrawn by the claimant.

For more details, the Member may wish to refer to the Employment Standards Report published by MOM in October 2019.