A grounded belief in giving wholeheartedly without expectation and a love for meeting new people have kept veteran unionist Mahmood Idrose, 61, going strong for more than three decades in the Labour Movement. The Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU) executive council member takes time off his busy schedule as a Nurse Clinician at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) to share his story.
NTUC This Week: How did you first get involved with union work?
Mahmood Idrose: I was very active back then, when we were under the AUPE (Amalgamated Union of Public Employees), and I’d be taking part in sports and outdoor activities like mountain trekking. My union involvement started through that.
I became more strongly involved when the hospital (SGH) was about to undergo restructuring between 1988 and 1989. We were in a dilemma back then as AUPE wasn’t able to represent us anymore. So we needed to form our own union – the Health Corporation of Singapore Staff Union. There were 10 of us who got together to form the union. We only became HSEU when we merged with the National University Hospital’s house union.
What kinds of union activities were particularly close to heart?
I was very active in the union’s sports activities, where I got to meet a lot of people. At the same time, the welfare of fellow staff, especially those from the lower income group, was very close to heart because I worked with them.
Whenever there were issues, we would try to help. I’m not the kind who would bang the table, but instead, I’d prefer to meet up and talk and discuss the issue. That helped the union gain respect with the management. Only when there was no more room to talk, we’d go up to the Ministry of Manpower – no point quarrelling.
What’s your approach to resolving issues?
In any discussion, I’d rather not be the one starting off the conversation. I rather be the one listening first instead of judging. And if I have a solution to offer, I’ll come forward to say it. It is easier to address than to redress something that was said. In my early days, I would stick by my stand. As I grew older, I became more mature and would look at both perspectives. I rather win-win than win-lose.
What are three takeaways you’ve got from over 30 years as a unionist?
I grew up and matured with the Labour Movement. Union work gave me an opportunity to grow as a person, as a worker, as a family. It’s inclusive. As a union person, you see how the economy affects working people.
I also had the opportunity to contribute to both employers and employees. The structure of the organisation allowed me to participate, contribute and make a difference.
Lastly, the Labour Movement gave me a vast opportunity to meet people from all aspects of life. I think I’ve almost met people from across the entire workforce in Singapore. From the lowest to the highest points in the various industries, I’ve been able to learn from them.
Can you share some tips for young union leaders?
I will always ask them this: “As a person, what are you looking forward to?” As a young man, we have aspirations that we look forward to. As we grow older, we look forward to our families. In what way is any of this stable and guaranteed? There’s no way we can predict the future. As a union officer, we have to be flexible and open-minded for the single reason: the Labour Movement is all about people – people you’re working with, people you’re working for and people you live with. We need to enjoy meeting people, helping people, growing up together with people. If you can fulfil even a few of these things, you will have a role to play.
