Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon will be stepping down as Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC on 14 May 2021.
Under the recommendation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will join the Labour Movement following Dr Koh’s exit.
NTUC issued a media statement regarding the change of leadership on 23 April 2021.
On 21 April 2021, Mr Lee had written to NTUC President Mary Liew to request for Dr Koh to be released from his role in NTUC , to return full-time to Government service.
In response to Mr Lee, NTUC President Mary Liew wrote: "The symbiotic relationship between NTUC and PAP has served Singapore well since our nation's founding years, allowing us to create a stable and progressive environment that works well for our companies and workers ... I have discussed this with the NTUC Central Committee and we would be delighted to accept Brother Hong Tat to join us as he is no stranger to the Labour Movement."
Ms Liew also wrote that she is confident that Dr Koh will continue to have a heart for workers, and that the Labour Movement looks forward to working with him in his new role.
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng and Deputy Secretary-General Koh Poh Koon when they first joined NTUC in 2018.
Dr Koh was co-opted in the NTUC Central Committee as Deputy Secretary-General on 23 April 2018.
Since then, he has been a strong advocate for the improvement of wages for lower-wage workers through the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) – pushing for wage reviews in sectors where PWMs have already been established.
Dr Koh also drove NTUC’s training efforts, spearheading the formation of the NTUC Training and Transformation Unit (NTUC T&T), and playing a critical role in the push for companies to form Company Training Committees (CTCs).
CTCs have been vital in identifying and addressing skill gaps and training needs in companies, allowing them to seize the opportunities to adopt new technologies and boost productivity.
In a statement, the NTUC Central Committee said that it looks forward to working with Dr Koh in his new capacity and is confident that he will continue to promote and safeguard the interest of our workers.
The NTUC Central Committee also accepted PM Lee’s recommendation for Mr Chee to serve in the NTUC.
The former Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Market Authority has previously worked closely with the Union of Power and Gas Employees (UPAGE) to upskill the workforce in tandem with industry trends.
During his tenure at the Ministry of Health, he worked with the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU) – participating in frequent discussions and dialogues with its union leaders.
In 2018, Mr Chee took on an advisory role to NTUC U SME, working closely to engage SMEs when it came to formulating polices that impacted companies and workers.
The official appointment by the NTUC Central Committee is slated to take place before the end of May 2021.
