SINGAPORE’S long-running industrial harmony cannot be taken for granted, said labour chief Ng Chee Meng at the National Trades Union Congress’s (NTUC) May Day Rally on Wednesday (May 1).

“Industrial harmony is not the natural state of things. It takes careful nurturing, give and take,” said Ng, who is the NTUC’s secretary-general.

This year’s May Day celebrations take place “in an increasingly uncertain and tumultuous world”, he noted. There is a trade war, a tech war, and hot wars in Europe and the Middle East.

Societies are under pressure from inflation, inequality and societal divides – and workers in many countries are turning to strikes to resolve their issues, said Ng. These include professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) such as nurses and doctors striking in the UK and South Korea.

“Increasingly, PMEs have heightened job insecurities and anxieties,” he said. “Technologies that once only displaced skills-based jobs, today are threatening more and more knowledge-based jobs, PME jobs.”

But in Singapore, the labour movement, government and employers have built industrial harmony over the years. This tripartism remains key to Singapore’s success, said Ng.

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In his speech, he paid tribute to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was attending the May Day Rally for the last time as prime minister before he hands over on May 15.

“Your strategic leadership and unwavering support have strengthened the bond between the PAP (People’s Action Party) and the NTUC,” said Ng.

“Having the government to be on the side of workers and on the side of employers at the same time is really the secret sauce of our tripartism.”

Ng also recalled an anecdote from a Cabinet meeting in 2019, when the Southern Waterfront redevelopment plan was being discussed.

Ng told the prime minister that the plan was missing something and that “workers should have a place” in this. He recalled that PM Lee simply replied: “So what do you suggest?”

Ng proposed a Downtown South development in Sentosa for workers, and the prime minister readily agreed. Said Ng: “I saw your leadership care in action that day.”

Ng called for a standing ovation for PM Lee, with cheers, whistles and applause from the crowd.

Apart from thanking PM Lee, Ng assured incoming prime minister Lawrence Wong – who was also present at the rally – that he has the labour movement’s fullest support.

“You have been a consistent and strong advocate for workers,” said Ng, noting Wong’s early engagements with union leaders while he was still at the Energy Market Authority before entering politics.

More recently, as co-chair of the multi-ministry taskforce on Covid-19, Wong “made many key decisions to protect workers and their livelihoods”, said Ng. These included setting aside S$100 million to scale up Company Training Committees (CTCs).

Earlier in his speech, Ng had highlighted CTCs in an overview of the labour movement’s recent efforts and achievements, noting that over 2,100 CTCs have been formed.

To Deputy Prime Minister Wong, Ng added: “I hope to call on you, DPM, soon, to scale our CTC grant as well.”

Doing more

In his recap of the labour movement’s achievements, Ng noted that unlike unions elsewhere with declining membership, NTUC has grown its membership base by 30 per cent in the past three years, with over 1.3 million members today.

In particular, NTUC is doing more for PMEs, who will eventually form the majority of the Singapore workforce, he added. It is protecting PMEs better, with workplace fairness legislation and improved human resource practices.

He gave the example of Lazada’s retrenchments earlier this year, where union negotiations resulted in a better package. “Our unions today can protect all members, whether you are PME or rank-and-file,” said Ng.

The labour movement will also do more to help PMEs progress in careers, with CTCs, career guidance and placement services.

Ng assured workers that the labour movement would continue to champion their interests, whether they are “a youth, a caregiver, a mature worker or a low-wage worker”.

“To PMEs, even as we celebrate our initial successes today, know that this is only a base from which we will scale new heights together with you,” he added.