2020 was a disaster for pre-planned physical events.
With sizes of gatherings strictly regulated and social distancing measures in place, many events had to be cancelled, with only a handful being able to make the switch to online.
But I believe that we have learned much from last year.
Let us look at what 2021 has in store for us.
Previously, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and other Government officeholders accompanied members of the Labour Movement to various sites around Singapore.
Together, they spurred on and thanked those who had to sacrifice their time away from families and friends to keep our nation going during the festive season.
Watch this space as we will cover the Labour Movement visits, appreciating workers who are on shift on the first day of Lunar New Year.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will deliver Singapore’s 2021 financial year budget statement on Tuesday, 16 February 2021.
The statement will be broadcast live on television and radio, and there will be a live webcast of the delivery on the Singapore Budget website.
The full budget statement can be found on the Singapore Budget website after delivery.
International Women's Day – a day dedicated to honouring the achievements of women everywhere.
It is a day that also brings attention to gender equality and women's rights.
Keep your eyes and ears peeled to see how the Labour Movement will commemorate women this year (with social distancing in mind of course).
Last year, because of COVID-19, all physical May Day celebrations were cancelled.
There was no rally, no awards, no fiesta.
Instead, the May Day Rally was held virtually, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivering his May Day message on 30 April 2020 via national broadcast and social media channels.
Will physical May Day celebrations make a comeback this year, or will it be a hybrid event, consisting of both virtual and on-site programmes?
Only time will tell.
In light of the pandemic, the NWC convened earlier March last year, to formulate wage guidelines for the period from 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2021.
It called for employers, unions, workers, and the Government to stay united to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and position Singapore for eventual recovery.
In October, it issued the 2020/2021 Supplementary Guidelines to assist employers on how to sustain businesses and save jobs under challenging economic circumstances.
Applicable from the period of 1 November 2020 to 30 June 2021, the NWC’s recommendations this year will give a better indication of how our economy is fairing against the challenges brought about by the pandemic.
The National Day Observance Ceremony 2020 was held through a combination of online digital platforms.
The programme was broadcast in real-time from the NTUC Centre on 7 August 2020, with interactive games and songs held through Zoom, and live performances transmitted through YouTube.
Let’s see what this year will have in store for us.
NTUC’s last National Delegates’ Conference (NDC) was held on 26 October 2019, and it is time to do a stocktake of the Labour Movement's direction set almost two years ago.
The ODC is one of the largest gatherings of union leaders where every NTUC-affiliated union will send representatives to decide on important matters pertaining to the congress.
Held annually on 18 December, International Migrants Day recognises the efforts, contributions, and rights of migrants worldwide.
Together with the Migrant Workers’ Centre, we will continue to celebrate and honour our migrant worker friends for their untiring contributions to our nation.
