Good Morning,
Prime Minister Brother Lee Hsien Loong, Cabinet Ministers
NTUC, spread across the whole room,
PAP comrades,
Sisters and Brothers.
Welcome to May Day Rally 2024!
Today we are here today to celebrate the dedication and hard work of the Labour Movement:
a) Towards bettering lives and livelihoods; and
b) Towards our nation building to achieve happiness, prosperity, and progress for our nation.
Just this morning, I received a text from a dear friend and a loyal supporter of the Labour Movement. He told me that May Day is actually the birth of the symbiotic partnership between the PAP and the NTUC all the way back in the1960s.
a) When the PAP rose to power in 1959, it delivered on a promise to make May Day a Labour Day, a holiday.
b) So even as we celebrate May Day today, let us celebrate it with gusto, because it marks the journey we have taken together as a country; and as a symbiotic partnership of the PAP to build Singapore to where we are today.
c) Happy May Day again!
INTRODUCTION
Brothers and sisters, we celebrate May Day in an increasing uncertainty in a tumultuous world.
a) There is a trade war ongoing, reversing globalisation, impacting economies.
b) There is a tech war bifurcating frontier technologies:
i. In Artificial Intelligence (AI),
ii. In computer chips,
iii. And even upstream materials, into the raw materials.
c) Most worrying, hot wars have re-surfaced in Europe, in the Middle East, and
d) Closer to home, flashpoints across the Taiwan Straits and Korean Peninsula remain potential flashpoints.
Societies around the world are under pressure.
a) Inflation has remained elevated,
b) Income and Wealth Inequality have widened across different working classes in society; and
c) Political and Social Divides have sharpened.
In many countries, more workers are turning to strikes to resolve their issues.
a) voice their unhappiness and resolve their issues. In the US, the number of workers involved in major strike activities increased by 280% in 2023 compared to the year before.
i. The Automobile Workers' strike is one of the largest in their history.
ii. Even Writers and Actors in Hollywood went on a strike to fight for better pay, working conditions, and even protest against artificial intelligence using their likeness without fair compensation. It is a different world.
b) PMEs are agitated too across the United Kingdom.
i. Nurses, doctors, including surgeons have gone on strike since 2022.
ii. In particular, the nurses' union, who have had labour management harmony for 106 years, went on strike.
c) Closer to home,
i. In South Korea, some 12,000 junior doctors walked off their jobs to protest the government’s plan to increase the number of medical students. Which the country knows.
ii. They say they are underpaid, overworked, and want to be heard.
Increasingly, PMEs have heightened job insecurity and anxieties.
a) Technologies that once only disrupted skills-based jobs are now threatening PME knowledge-based jobs.
b) PMEs jobs, across different parts of the world, even the ones from tech giants like Google, are ready to take Industrial Action for their voices to be heard.
TRIPARTISM IS KEY
But thankfully, brothers and sisters in Singapore, we have enjoyed industrial harmony for decades.
a) But sometimes, we do take this for granted, and we think that the harmony is a natural state of things. Come what may.
b) But we know that this is not true.
We need to guard against such complacent thinking.
Industrial harmony is not the natural state of being. It takes careful nurturing, give, and take.
It took the Labour Movement of Singapore government and our employers to work hard to build and enforce trust.
a) Took concerted action,
b) Forged win-win outcomes,
c) That transformed Singapore from a third World nation to where we are today
Tripartism remains key to Singapore’s success:
a) To achieve economic growth,
b) And to achieve Better wages, Better welfare, and Better work prospects for all workers, including PMEs.
NTUC HAS DONE WELL FOR OUR WORKERS
Achieving economic growth, achieving Better Wages, Better Welfare and Better Work Prospects for all our workers, including our PMEs.
Over the years, we have in NTUC championed our workers' interest across all worker segments. Whether you are youth, caregiver, mature worker or lower-wage worker, we have done our very best to champion for the future.
We have listened deeply during our #EveryWorkerMatters Conversation (EWMC), and:
a) Helped the youths jumpstart their career and navigate the workplace.
b) Championed flexible work arrangements,
i. Supporting those Brothers and Sisters that need to balance dual roles at job and the home, and in so doing it kept many in employment, and brought some, many of our Sisters, back into employment.
c) We have strengthened employability, enhanced retirement adequacy, and
d) Uplifted workers’ wages by driving productivity at the same time.
Apart from these, more companies, I’m glad, are coming forward to establish Company Training Committees, our CTCs. To date, we have formed over 2,100 CTCs across all sectors of our economy. [responding to the applause] It must be from the people in charge of the CTC.
CTCs institutionalise training for all our workers to improve their productivity, on one end, and to have better business outcomes for the employers, on the other end. Thereby achieving win-win outcomes for businesses and workers.
a) In fact, when I visited ST Engineering Land Systems a couple weeks ago,
i. I asked ST what NTUC can do better,
ii. And the Vice-President Andrew De Silva quipped that NTUC should have started on CTCs earlier!
iii. He says it's a no brainer for win-win!
iv. That constructive criticism actually is music to my ears. Really. I wish NTUC had started CTCs earlier too.
b) Well CTCs are making a difference on the ground whether your SME or MNC you are glad to be able to partner businesses towards a better outcome.
On this May Day, let us take pride that Singaporeans continue to believe in the NTUC and tripartism. On this May Day, therefore, my brothers and sisters, let us take pride that Singaporeans, our employers, our government continue to believe in our NTUC and treasure our unique Tripartite arrangement.
Unlike many other countries in the world, especially in the unions, that are experiencing declining membership, NTUC has steadily grown our membership base.
a) In fact, over the last three years, NTUC has grown 30%.
b) Today I’m proud to say that NTUC has more than 1.3 million members!
c) Our innovations in the union business model, membership model and training model have borne fruit!
d) Brothers and Sisters, since 2019, our innovation in the union business model, our innovation in our membership model, and our innovation in our training model have borne fruit. So well done to all of you!
And therefore, this May Day let us celebrate our accomplishments and take heart because it is a testament to all the valuable work that all of you have done within your union, within NTUC ARU, to achieve all this alongside our Tripartite partners, and with our government and employers. Thank you so much for your hard work! And may we take pride in NTUC and the Labour Movement on this May Day!
NTUC CHAMPIONS PMEs
Amidst all the different challenges I highlighted, I'm glad your good work has extended to PMEs too. But humbly, we say we can do more to help our PMEs.
a) Today, PMEs constitute more of our workforce.
b) And in time to come, PMEs will form the majority of the Singapore workforce, given our evolving education landscape.
In this space, NTUC has worked hard. And I'm glad that we have achieved several milestones.
We are protecting PMEs better.
a) We have the COMPASS framework today, to level the playing field for Singaporean PMEs; and the upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation to promote workplace fairness, and safeguard workers against discrimination, will go some way to safeguard PME.
b) We are improving HR practices in Singapore by empowering HR professionals through collaboration with the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP).
c) During layoffs, we represent our members, whether blue or white collar, rank-and-file, or PMEs, to negotiate with companies and provide placement assistance to ease the transition.
The Lazada retrenchment earlier this year is a case in point:
a) NTUC and the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) stepped in to protect the rights of our members.
b) The workers affected were not only rank-and-file but included Senior Analysts and Managers from the Finance and Marketing divisions.
c) Younger, qualified PMEs who were previously had no idea what NTUC does, approached NTUC for assistance to advocate for their interests
d) After accepting that the exercise could have been done better, I'm glad Lazada came to the negotiation table with FDAWU to provide better support for retrenched members with an improved package.
And today, I am happy to share that PMEs make up about 45% of our union membership base; this is important because it mirrors the PME ratio at the national level. What it means, we are making good progress, and we are moving in the right direction as the Labour Movement, representative of workers across all workers segments. It doesn't matter where you are, we will represent you.
But more can be done. A Sister, I won’t tell you from what union, came up to me and said, “Brother, Happy May Day. Well done for the PMEs. But certainly, you will do more for us, right?”
Yes. Indeed, more can be done, just as we have done for all other worker segments. We can do more to help PMEs progress in their career.
a) Take ST Engineering Staff Union, STESU, an all-collar union, for example.
i. STESU and ST Engineering set up a CTC, in July 2021. With strong support from Vincent Chong and his management team, we started 12 CTC projects to enhance productivity and improvements.
ii. I had the opportunity to visit Ravi and ST Engineering Land Systems to see how projects like the 3D Scanner helped reduce the manhours required for production time, from a whopping 14 days in the past, now to 2 to 4 days. Almost a 700% productivity measure in manhours.
iii. Another project is the Robotics Painting System, to improve paint consistency and quality. What once required hours of laborious manual work can now be accomplished in half the time. Not only that, the solution also enhanced workplace safety by eliminating employee exposure to hazardous fumes!
iv. Our workers acquired new skills and now have better wages and gained an edge in the industry 4.0 age and better work prospects.
v. And of these completed projects, 60% of the workers benefited were rank and file. 40% up to engineering level benefited from this CTC project as well. And I could see in their faces when I visited, when they briefed me how proud they were to be able to lead such productivity drives in ST Engineering, and rightly so.
vi. Because the PMEs, the brothers that under rank-and-file stood shoulder to shoulder and did what they could and made a difference in their company and in their lives as well. So well done to ST Engineering Land Systems.
vii. But that's not the point of my story. What drove the point home for me was when I met Vincent separately, he and his team shared with me that ST Engineering wanted to join forces with NTUC to expand the CTC further. Nowhere else in the world have I seen employers proactively engaging unions to push workers interests and company interests together. They say by leveraging their influence as a Queen Bee in the sector, they want to encourage their to join NTUC programmes, so that their suppliers can benefit the good work from the Company Training Committees as well. So well done again! To all our workers! To our brothers and sisters on the ground. This is one of them. Thank you.
I very much encouraged by ST Engineering and very delighted to embark on this journey alongside them. The benefit of the CTC extends beyond ST Engineering, obviously. Across 100 and even unique companies that have accessed the CTC grant. More than 3000 workers will receive an average wage increase of 5% on top of their usual annual increment. And will benefit also from the enhanced career development. For partners, therefore, if you here in the red T-shirt. Our partner companies to have yet to embark on us with the CTC, I strongly encourage you to partner NTUC on this.
Besides the CTC partnering progression, we are also bringing our career guidance and placement services closer to our PMEs.
a) We have recently opened a Career Centre in OMB, in the heart of Shenton Way
b) So that we can make it more convenient for our PMEs to access our services.
In this short time, I’m delighted to hear that the majority of the clients were PMEs, with some earning more than $8,000!
What is more heartening, our career centres are now serving a wider ranging profile of PME. We have had:
a) An equity advisor,
b) Cyber security manager,
c) And even a chief operating officer from the finance sector.
Ms Nantana Boon is an example of a mid-career PME who has benefitted from career guidance at e2i.
a) Last year, she resigned from her managerial position in one of the Big Four Accountancy, and decided quite bravely, to transit into the dynamic world of IT consultancy.
b) At first, she needed some help.
c) Having gone through the relevant training, she turned to NTUC to seek career coaching services.
d) With the guidance of her career coach, she honed her networking skills, enhanced her digital profile, attended targeted workshops and customised her resume for the IT consultancy role.
e) Her hard work paid off.
f) In three months, Nantana secured a senior consultant role in a reputable IT company.
g) We are just proud to have made a difference in her journey of transition.
For over six decades, the Labour Movement has championed the interests of our workers.
a) As I said just now, regardless of whether you’re a youth, a mature worker, or a low-wage worker, a freelancer, PME, we will continue to journey with you and take action for you because NTUC cares.
b) To our PMEs, even as we celebrate our initial successes today, know that this is only a base from which we will scale new heights.
c) Together with you, together with your support, we will strive to do more and do better as a Labour Movement towards a better future, better lives, better livelihoods for all working people in Singapore.
TRIBUTE TO PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG
Brothers and sisters, let me switch gears. This May Day will be the last one that Brother Lee Hsien Loong will join us as our Prime Minister.
Since the PM transition announcement, there has been numerous tributes to thank PM Lee for his lifetime of selfless and distinguished service to Singapore.
Many union leaders have stepped forward to pay tribute likewise.
Indeed, PM Lee has made remarkable contributions to the Labour Movement as the leader of the country,
a) PM, you have been a steadfast partner in advancing the interests of workers to better their wages, welfare, and work prospects.
b) Your strategic leadership and unwavering support have strengthened the bond between the PAP and NTUC.
c) Your commitment to improve workers’ lives is admirable. Your advocacy for fair employment practices has created new opportunities for locals and uplifted the workforce.
d) And your support for initiatives like the Progressive Wage Model and SkillsFuture has empowered workers, leading to a more inclusive and equitable society.
e) During challenging times, like COVID-19, the implementation of the Jobs Support Scheme, SIRS and various financial aid initiatives served as a beacon of last hope for many desperate workers in the darkest of time.
All these underscores your dedication to safeguard workers’ interests and well-being, alongside the Labour Movement. Thank you, PM Lee. And PM, since I became a politician, I had the privilege to observe you up close. And I must say, you have achieved all these with utmost skill. You have carefully managed the dynamic balance between forging a strong economy for businesses to thrive, while ensuring that workers have a fair share in wages.
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 to tripartism. Many countries around the world, regardless of how desirable it is, are simply not able to do so.
Yet under your leadership, tripartite partners have forged together win-win-win outcomes for economic growth, better lives, and livelihoods, and most critically to build Singapore into a first world country that we are today. That is the utmost skill.
And I’m sure PM if you’ll forgive me, and absolved me from OSA if I tell these stories from cabinet back in 2019. Anyway, you mentioned it in NDR as well.
a) I recall a moment in Cabinet back in 2019 that left a deep impression on me. There was a briefing to Cabinet on the Southern Waterfront redevelopment plan – from Keppel Harbour, to Sentosa and Pulau Brani, to Labrador Park.
b) It was exciting, full of possibilities for the next bound of Singapore’s development.
However, as I went through the 100 plus 200 slides, I felt that something was missing, something important was missing. We needed a finishing touch, or what we call “画龙点睛”, the dotting of the eye on the dragon to make the plan complete.
Looking back, I must have been feeling quite brave that day. I told you Prime Minister, if you remember, that the plan was exciting but missing something – our workers should have a place in the new development. Your reply, simply, “What do you suggest”?
I said, “NTUC is very grateful for Downtown East. But it is tired. Can the Government consider a Downtown South in Sentosa for our workers”?
It is almost verbatim, according to my memory. According to PM Lee, I raised my hand. Well PM, you readily agreed, likewise the whole of Cabinet. I saw your leadership care in action that day and it left a deep impression on me. Thank you, PM for Downtown South, and keeping the worker in the centre of the development. And Brothers and Sister, this may very well be my best negotiation in the history of Ng Chee Meng. 30 seconds for Downtown South.
Credit to our Prime Minister and our government for putting workers in the center of Singapore’s growth and Singapore’s plans. Thank you, Prime Minister, again.
a) Your genuine care and connection forged with our union leaders goes beyond livelihoods.
b) While infusing your personal touch, PM, your influence has extended into their lives.
c) It is heartwarming to hear the daughters of our union leaders affectionately address you as “Uncle Loong”. Very endearing.
d) I don’t know anywhere in the world where union leader’s kids have the Prime Minister as uncle, except in Singapore.
Sisters and brothers, that shows what kind of leader we have in the Prime Minister that has served us for 20 years. A strategic leader with a heart for workers like all of us. Let us thank and give a standing ovation to our Prime Minister.
And to our incoming PM, Brother Lawrence Wong, you have the Labour Movement’s fullest support.
a) You have been a consistent and strong advocate for workers.
b) Your journey with the union has been longstanding.
c) You frequently engaged union leaders from the Union of Power and Gas Employees (UPAGE) when you were CEO at the Energy Market Authority.
d) And you continue to do so in your capacity as an advisor to UPAGE and the Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees’ Union (BATU).
You have always had a heart for the lower-income and vulnerable workers among us. You introduced the
a) Progressive Wage Credit Scheme to uplift wages and
b) Enhanced the Workfare Income Supplement scheme by expanding it to younger workers.
You guided Singapore through the crisis of a generation. As the Co-Chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on Covid-19, you made many key decisions to protect workers and their livelihoods, such as the Jobs Growth Incentive Scheme. Amongst the several national schemes to support workers, your support for the CTC initiative was particularly significant.
a) You and your team set aside $100 million to scale up CTCs,
b) Allowing both workers and companies to transform for the future and
c) ultimately, to help our workers achieve better wages, welfare and work prospects.
d) Since then, the success of CTC has surpassed our expectations, benefiting workers, benefiting companies, and the nation as a whole. It is truly a win-win-win.
e) I hope to call on you, DPM, soon, to scale up the CTC grant as well. Our NTUC is a learning organisation, seek every opportunity for businesses NTUC has learnt to do likewise.
Brother Lawrence Wong, when you graced the closing event at the #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations last year, many union leaders were moved when you said that NTUC is the most important partner of our Government. This sent a strong message that our uniquely Singapore Tripartite partnership will continue for many years to come under your leadership. We look forward to it!
CONCLUSION
Sisters and Brothers, let me conclude. The Labour Movement has positively impacted the lives and livelihoods of workers across all worker segments. We will continue to do more to champion workers’ interests, and do better, particularly in the PME space, because NTUC cares.
We will deepen the symbiotic relationship with the PAP. We will work with the PAP Government and Employers to build a more prosperous Singapore and strive for better wages, better welfare, and better work prospects for all.
Happy May Day to all you, our Sisters and Brothers. Thank you very much!
Before I invite PM Lee up to deliver his speech, let us watch a special appreciation video for PM Lee, highlighting his years of dedicated support for the Labour Movement.
