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Spearheading A First Chapter In The Real Estate Industry: Voices For Agents

Latest Property Real Estate News - Published on 07/10/2021

 7 OCT 2021 – PropNex with close to 10,000 salespersons*, (9,727 salespersons as at 30 September 2021) would like to empower salespersons and strengthen our platform as a fair and progressive Real Estate Agency. PropNex marks another milestone by entering an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Singapore Industrial and Services Employees’ Union (SISEU) in setting up the PropNex Real Estate Salespersons Chapter – Agents’ Voice Matters, which will be the first real estate agency to have a formalised framework supported by SISEU, that serves to look into the welfare, promoting professionalism in enhancing the business and industry practices and allows a platform for raising issues and protecting real estate salespersons.

L - R : Mr Goh Kee Nguan (Chief Strategy & Development Officer of PropNex Realty) Mr Ismail Gafoor (CEO, PropNex Realty), Mr Ng Chee Meng (NTUC, Secretary-General), Mr Richard Sim (SISEU General Secretary), Mr Kelvin Fong (Executive Director, PropNex Realty)

This collaboration will allow PropNex salespersons to take the lead in playing a more active and vital role in voicing their concerns and educating fellow PropNex salespersons of fair practices in the industry. The internal representative committee of the PropNex Real Estate Chapter comprising of salespersons will be the voices for our salespersons. They will be working closely with the guidance of SISEU on improving the competencies of the salespersons as well as an avenue for bi-partite deliberation with SISEU to provide workplace advice. PropNex will also adopt applicable Tripartite Guidelines issued by the Tripartite Partners – National Trades Union Congress, the Ministry of Manpower (Singapore) and the Singapore National Employers Federation.

PropNex is setting aside half-a-million dollars as subsidies for all our close to 10,000 salespersons* to be part of the PropNex Real Estate Chapter in supporting their rights as well as promoting and advancing the interests of its members. A total of 8 members were nominated into this salespersons’ internal committee, they are - Stella Thio, Bobby Sng, Maxie Tay, Jennifer Tan, Zacson Ong, Zai Fadillah, G.Rajan with Mr Goh Kee Nguan as the Advisor.

The real estate business is one of the key economic pillars of Singapore, being supported by a huge workforce in this sector ranging from developers, construction firms, interior designers, electrical works and many in the downstream supply chain. Thus, salespersons play a vital role in this sector as they chart the journey of real estate investors in the purchase of their properties.

As real estate salespersons are self-employed persons, their plight or interests are often not heard. In the recent news article in Straits Times dated 20 September 2021, agencies are handing out incentives and unfair practices with inflated hefty penalties for leaving the companies. Many salespersons are in these situations and their concerns were not looked into.

“Being the market leader and in reaching the 10,000 salespersons mark, it is timely now for this partnership with SISEU so as to strengthen PropNex’s offering as a fair and progressive Real Estate Agency as we adopt Fair Recruitment and best practices within the industry when contracting with salespersons and establishing a dispute resolution mechanism for salespersons,” commented Mr Ismail Gafoor, CEO of PropNex Realty.

“Providing sound workplace advice is one of the core functions of SISEU. SISEU helps protect workers' rights by helping workers in the issues that they faced at work. Real estate salespersons, as freelance workers, will need guidance with their work concerns. We shall be assisting to build a progressive organisation, such that the terms and conditions within the contracts for services between PropNex and PropNex’s salespersons shall be fair, in accordance with the industry’s best practices and per relevant legislation.” remarked Richard Sim, General Secretary, SISEU.

Besides the platform to raise concerns, committee members can utilise the UTAP training credits of up to $500 to defray costs at approved training providers which will come in handy as part of our agents’ continual career development. These committee members will also be part of the Company Training Committee to identify the right skills set and map out new skills and competencies for the Company’s real estate salespersons, to enhance professionalism and capabilities to stay relevant in the ever-changing industry transformation. There are other benefits that include Free Group Insurance Coverage (death & total permanent disability) of up to $40,000, and discounts of admission rates at places of attractions and more.