This morning, about 1,500 union leaders, tripartite partners and guests at The Downtown East witnessed a momentous milestone in the history of the Labour Movement as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled a refreshed look for the Labour Movement and National Trades Union Congress with an updated NTUC logo and U hallmark at the U Launch event.
In 2006, the Labour Movement embarked on a journey of re-discovery and developed the Labour Movement 2011 (LM2011) vision that aims to be an inclusive labour movement that helps to create a better and more meaningful life where working people of all collars, ages and nationalities can work, live and play together in Singapore.
To better reflect our intent and the changes that we have made, it’s time to change what we say and how we look. This is to ensure that our stakeholders have a better understanding of what we do and how we help working people and their families earn a better living and live a better life. This would allow us to reach out to more people and make a difference to their lives.
The 37-year-old NTUC logo is updated with a refreshed NTUC logo and a new U hallmark. Please see Annex A for more details of the refreshed NTUC logo and new hallmark.
A New NTUC and U
For the Labour Movement to succeed in serving working people of all collars, all ages and all nationalities at live, work and play, our diverse and growing range of initiatives will be presented in a simple yet effective manner.
The refreshed logo encapsulates the spirit of the Labour Movement – dynamic, progressive and keeping ahead of times. At the heart of the logo is the U hallmark which comprises three ‘U’s to represent:
a. every working people and their families (small ‘U’) in an inclusive Labour Movement
b. a united Labour Movement (big ‘U’) made up of our affiliated unions and associations, social enterprises, staff, members and partners; and
c. a Labour Movement that stands besides working people and their families at work, live and play
The essence of the refreshed branding is communicated through the tagline of “NTUC for U” as everything the Labour Movement does stems from, is developed for and will be delivered to every working people (everyone of “U”). The tagline is supported by three supporting messages to clearly convey how we make a difference to their lives by:
a. “Working for U” by ensuring good working conditions and a fair return for labour, and providing ways to train and upgrade the skills of working people
b. “Caring for U” by providing good quality products and services at affordable prices that help to stretch the dollar for working people, and
c. “Fun for U” by offering high-quality recreational facilities and services that are affordable and conveniently located for working people of all collars, all ages and all nationalities.
As the Labour Movement evolves and keeps ahead of changing times, we remain true to our vision and mission as a Labour Movement and this is always at the heart of what we do.
Hence beyond a logo change, every member the NTUC Family will ensure that our core values of working-people centric, passionate, trustworthy and caring are conveyed through our services and programmes. With concerted efforts from every member of the Labour Movement, we will demonstrate our attributes as a strong, innovative, inclusive and enterprising Labour Movement.
And being a Labour Movement that stays relevant to our stakeholders today and the future, besides embracing the values of the old logo, the new one is a forward-looking one. It ensures that Singapore has the best workforce for a competitive economy and an inclusive society by addressing the three social tensions of a widening income gap, ageing population and different nationalities.
Mr Lim Swee Say, Secretary-General of NTUC, said of the new look and feel for the Labour Movement, “Our new look reflects our aspirations for the future - to be an inclusive and dynamic movement for all working people of Singapore. It shows our collective commitment to serve the workers and union members, and to stay united as one labour movement.”
Annex A
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) logo is depicted in a bold font type to denote a dynamic labour movement raring to make changes to keep ahead of challenges. The italic font portrays a progressive and forward-moving labour movement.
Our colour is a strong, vibrant red to represent our unity and brotherhood; as well as our commitment to and passion for our cause.
At the heart of our logo is the U hallmark which is made up of three ‘U’s:
The U hallmark may appear in an array of vibrant colours and designs that demonstrate the vivacity and diversity of the Labour Movement in Singapore, for example:
The former logo, in use since 1971, was designed by industrial designer Mr William Wan Lim. It is made up of:
Red and white colours. Red representing the international brotherhood of workers; and white representing purity, honesty and integrity of the Labour Movement.
