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~ Top awardee is NTUC Club Management Council Member Mr Bob Tan Beng Hai, recipient of the Distinguished Service (Star) Award ~
Held today at Fairmont Singapore, the NTUC May Day Awards 2022 honoured 149 deserving union leaders, tripartite partners and model workers, marking the highest number of awardees in the history of May Day Awards. This year's May Day Awards marks the return to a fully physical ceremony, signalling Singapore’s gradual recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years.
The ceremony was hosted by NTUC President Mary Liew and NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, with over 500 attendees including awardees, their families, colleagues, friends and tripartite partners. The NTUC May Day Awards is held yearly and seeks to recognise individuals and organisations who have exemplified NTUC’s steadfast commitment to help members and workers achieve better wages, welfare and work prospects.
NTUC President Mary Liew said, “This year, we are heartened to celebrate the highest number of exemplary leaders, workers and partners in the history of May Day Awards. 2022 bears witness to the gradual reopening of Singapore’s economy, which brought about challenges for our workers and companies while living with an endemic COVID-19 situation. Despite these challenges, the awardees this year have continued to put workers at the heart of all that we do, going above and beyond to push for better wages, welfare and work prospects for our workers. Their diverse contributions have upheld the true spirit of tripartism, and we honour them today at the NTUC May Day Awards.”
Consisting of union leaders, workers as well as management partners and companies, this year’s awardees have been recognised for their outstanding efforts and resilience in advancing workers’ interests and contributing towards our Labour Movement whilst battling against a challenging economic climate.
• Our union leaders have shown their dedication to championing workers’ interests by listening to concerns from the ground, addressing pain points surfaced by workers, and working tirelessly to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on workers’ wages and welfare.
• Our workers have exemplified resilience and adaptability in the face of the constantly evolving situation. They have shown their willingness to embrace new skills and technologies to take on expanded roles at work, helping them to stay relevant in tandem with the changing business landscape.
• Management partners and companies have been committed to tripartism, recognising that workers are the core of their businesses and actively supporting unions whilst balancing business considerations. In addition, despite the uncertain business climate for the past two years, these partners and companies have embraced and pushed for workplace transformation and upskilling to prepare their workers for the future of work.
Meeting the Evolving Needs of Workers and their Families through the Strategic Growth of NTUC Club
This year’s top May Day Award – the Distinguished Service (Star) Award – was awarded to Mr Bob Tan Beng Hai, Member of NTUC Club Management Council. The Distinguished Service (Star) Award is conferred on outstanding individuals who, after having received the Distinguished Service Award, are still active and continue to render significant contributions to the Labour Movement.
Mr Bob Tan Beng Hai has been a dedicated member of the NTUC Club Management Council since 2003. Synergising his extensive expertise in engineering and finance together with his strong business acumen, he has played a pivotal role in the milestones achieved by NTUC Club, from the establishment of NTUC clubhouses in the early 2000s to the successful completion of NTUC Club’s Downtown East Refresh project in 2018. As a forward-thinking individual who anticipates the needs of current and future members, Mr Tan continuously ensures that the Club’s decisions are progressive and business-savvy through exploring different business models and partnership possibilities. His contributions play a major part in helping NTUC Club fulfil its social mission of providing members with affordable recreational experiences of choice, guided by its core values of care, passion, trust and service.
Recognising Individuals and Organisations for Their Dedication to the Labour Movement and Heart for Workers
A total of 16 higher awards were presented this year. Amongst one of the most notable awardees was the late Mr Richard Magnus, Chairman of the Public Transport Council (PTC), who was conferred the Distinguished Service Award posthumously. Mr Magnus was honoured for his numerous contributions towards Singapore’s public transport industry. As the Chairman of the PTC, he invited the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) to be part of the council, valuing their opinions to improve the lives of our public transport workers. His valued recommendations have made Singapore's public transport service a more inclusive one for commuters and has helped our public transport workers to perform their duties better. One of his recommendations was for better-designed buses that will make moving to the rear of a bus more intuitive and convenient, easing the job of our Bus Captains.
28 organisations were recognised for strengthening labour-management relations and supporting the Labour Movement’s initiatives and their ongoing efforts to protect workers, ensuring workers’ wellbeing and improving workers’ prospects through transformation efforts during the pandemic. Organisations include Changi Airport Group, DBS Bank, Turbine Overhaul Services Pte Ltd, ABC Bargain Centre Pte. Ltd. and On Cheong Jewellery. 20 workers were also commended for being role models at their workplaces, in enhancing their employability through upskilling, as well as being adaptable to changing work environments.
