After more than 20 years in the Labour Movement as the general secretary of the Singapore Teachers’ Union (STU) and vice president on the NTUC Central Committee, 46-year-old Edwin Lye has now moved on to Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) since 1 August.
He is one of three who was awarded the SNEF-Stephen Lee Award for Leadership Development in Tripartism and Industrial Relations.
The award aims to groom individuals for important positions in SNEF.
NTUC This Week: How did the move to SNEF come about and was it an easy decision?
Mr Edwin Lye: I was bit apprehensive when I was approached… having served as a union leader for so long and then to start all over again and take on a totally new role is not something you take lightly. I reflected upon it and asked myself a few critical questions.
Firstly, am I personally convinced that tripartism works and is it the way forward? My personal answer to that is yes. Having cleared that hurdle, it makes it easier, then the next question, if I believe in it, is there now an opportunity for me to contribute to tripartism? Would I then want to take up the challenge? A few factors prompted me to take up the challenge. First, I met SNEF President Dr Robert Yap, some of his council members and key staff like Executive Director Koh Juan Kiat. I felt they were sincere in wanting me to come on board and contribute. Second, was the fact that the STU team is in good stead, and I have no worries.
What will you be bringing to the table when you join SNEF?
For one, the networking – I am a known face in the Labour Movement so it will be easier to call up people and say we have this issue, let’s sit down and talk about it. Secondly, I will be able to define the common space faster having been in the Labour Movement for a while. Whether you like it or not, when three parties representing three different constituencies come together, you need to start with the common space and then grow from there. If you can’t in the first premise even define that common space, then it is a bit difficult to carry the conversation. Hopefully, I will be a bit sharper in trying to do that. It will be not without challenges. I have to for one assure members of SNEF that there will not be an overtone of Labour, after all my background is Labour.
What did you learn in your Labour Movement journey and your tenure as vice president on the NTUC Central Committee?
It gave me a more comprehensive view about what the Labour Movement is about and also better understand the issue of the other sectors and the concerns of my fellow leaders. In the public sector, we hardly talk about retrenchment. But when you move around with the other union leaders, for them retrenchment is a very real issue. In fact, some of our leaders got retrenched. When you see your friend getting retrenched and the subsequent issues that come with the loss of job, looking for a new job, then it hits you.
What would you consider your personal achievements at STU?
“I would say the fact that I could be there for my fellow teachers who needed help, that was more important to me than anything else. When they are at their wits end, they come to us, whether it is just for a listening ear or a formal representation. It can be as simple as asking for information about certain types of leave and their eligibility or it can be as complex as a full blown disciplinary inquiry.
Source: NTUC This Week
