President of SISEU, NTUC Central Committee, SISEU Council of Advisors and Executive Committee, Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen.
1 I am very happy to be here at SISEU’s 8th Triennial Delegates’ Conference (TDC). I believe this is the first Delegates’ Conference held here at the NTUC Centre since we moved into this new building in 2004. Well done, SISEU!
2 SISEU has made remarkable achievements since the last TDC held three years ago. One of your key achievements that I would like to acknowledge is in the area of leadership development and renewal. I understand that about 30 % of branch leaders elected in the recent branch elections are below the age of 40. This clearly reflects SISEU’s foresight, resolve and seriousness in nurturing young leaders, as well as your success in encouraging young activists to join the union and serve the workers.
3 This augurs well for the future of SISEU - for without continuity in leadership, progress will not be sustained. There will only be stagnation with unthinkable consequences.
4 This morning, I would like to share some thoughts with you on the challenges facing union leadership at all levels.
The first challenge is - Job, Job and Job.
5 Last month, I attended the International Labour Congress (ILC) held in Geneva. In his annual report to the Congress, the Director General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) expressed his concerns on the so-called “Global Job Crisis” phenomenon – he pointed out that while the global economy grew by about 5% in 2004, global job growth was only 1.6%.
6 As a result, more workers all over the world are either unemployed or under-employed.
7 Here in Singapore, the labour movement has always held the belief that full employment is the best protection for our workers. Today, even though we no longer enjoy full employment, we must continue to strive to keep unemployment as low as possible.
8 Why? It is because jobs will always be the best welfare for our workers. Also, as a labour movement, we can better protect the interests of our workers with a lower rather than a higher unemployment rate.
9 To go against the global tide of rising unemployment, we will have to focus on job, job and job – i.e. create new jobs, re-create old jobs, and reclaim jobs in sectors that are overly dependent on foreign workers.
The second challenge is worker, worker and worker.
10 At the ILC, I met with union leaders, employers and government officials from several countries to exchange notes and views. Not surprisingly, we are all confronted by growing concerns over ageing populations and structural unemployment in our respective countries.
11 With a faster pace of economic restructuring, more workers have become unemployed or gone into retirement long before reaching the official retirement age.
12 With longer life expectancy, it means that more workers in many countries could end up with not having enough pension, social benefits and/or savings, since they would now have to spend more years in retirement.
13 Here in Singapore, we are committed to help our workers remain productive for a longer period so that they can earn more and save more, and be better prepared for their retirement.
14 This is why we will pay more and more attention to worker, worker and worker – i.e. upgrade skills of workers, raise the effective retirement age of workers, and help unemployed and retrenched workers to be re-employed again.
The third challenge is union, union and union.
15 In many countries, union membership is on the decline. As more and more economies move up the economic ladder, their labour unions find it more difficult to reach out to younger and better educated workers. If this trend were to continue, these labour unions will be weakened and less able to look after the interests of the workers when needed.
16 Here in Singapore, we are not caught in the same situation. Our union membership has been growing – from about 234,000 in 1994 to more than 460,000 today, an increase of 97% over a period of ten years!
17 What is even more encouraging here is that we have been able to attract younger workers to join as union members – union members who are less than 35 years old currently account for about 30% of our total membership.
18 Looking ahead, we are going to pay even more attention to union, union and union – i.e. attract more workers, especially the younger ones, to join as union members; encourage more members to become union activists; and nurture promising, capable and committed union activists into future union leaders.
19 I am sure the union leaders of SISEU will see the relevance of these three challenges.
20 Take the textile and garment sector as an illustration. It is now going through a difficult time. With the removal of the quota system in January 2005, quite a number of textile and garment companies here find it difficult to compete with lower cost countries - China, Vietnam, Cambodia and India. Some have relocated their operations there. Others have downsized operations and in doing so, workers are retrenched.
21 I know SISEU has worked hard and closely with the employers and various industry partners to help the affected workers move into alternate industries/
22 SISEU also believes that effective communications and active involvement of unions and workers in change management at the workplace, are critical to good labour-management relations. You have, therefore, moved away from a hierarchical labour-management relationship to one that is based on shared ownership and leadership.
23 What is even more noteworthy is that SISEU also encourages innovation and investment at work - exploring new ways to help workers and employers work together to build stronger relationships and more productive organisations. Your active participation in the pilot programme, known as Customer Centric Initiatives, for the retail industry is a concrete example of your pro-active approach in pursuing a win-win-win outcome for the economy, businesses, and workers.
24 The launch of SISEU’s new logo today signifies the continuous evolution of SISEU in keeping with the changes in our economic and social landscape. It is commendable that with such a diversified range of industries, SISEU is able to remain cohesive and effective. I applaud you for your efforts in building and strengthening the foundation of a strong and constructive labour union.
25 I congratulate all EXCO and branch leaders of SISEU on your election and appointment, and wish all delegates a fruitful conference. Thank you!
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