29 Jul 2010
In celebration of National Day this year, the Labour Movement, including our affiliated unions and association, calls on the tripartite partners and workers to "Live Our Dreams, Lift Our Productivity". This overarching theme is aligned to the National Day Parade (NDP) tagline, “Live Our Dreams. Fly Our Flag”, and is reminiscent of the Labour Movement’s rallying call for a “Cheaper Better Faster” economy powered by an inclusive workforce. The Labour Movement hopes tripartite partners and workers who have upturned the downturn together with us could once again join us in lifting our nation’s productivity.
Among the Labour Movement’s celebratory events this year are: (i) a series of cluster-based, theme-based and company-based National Day Observance Ceremonies (NDOCs) to create greater synergies and outreach, and celebrate NDOCs in a bigger way; (ii) Young NTUC’s annual signature event – Young NTUC Celebrates! National Day 2010; and (iii) NTUC’s marching contingent at the NDP to pledge the Labour Movement’s commitment to keep the Singapore spirit and flag flying high.
(i) National Day Observance Ceremonies (NDOCs)
Every year, the Labour Movement and our affiliated unions, association and unionised companies will organise a series of NDOCs to mark Singapore's National Day. These ceremonies reflect good union-management relations and celebrate achievements in the Labour Movement initiatives, all of which work towards building a robust and resilient Singapore. This year, a total of 11 Cluster-based, four Themed-based and 10 Company-based NDOCs will be held throughout the month of August, involving union leaders, workers and management representatives.
To streamline our ceremonies and create greater synergies and outreach amongst related unions, Cluster NDOCs are organised across various industries ranging from aerospace and aviation; construction and real estate services; education; electronics and precision engineering; financial and business services; healthcare; hospitality and consumer business; infocomm and media; transport and logistics services; marine and machinery engineering; to oil, petrochemical and energy.
In addition, four themed NDOCs have been organised to mark and celebrate key initiatives of the Labour Movement:
The NDOC by NTUC's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) kicks off the series of NDOCs with NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say as the Guest-of-Honour on 3 August 2010 at e2i. At this NDOC, the Labour Movement will announce how it will champion the efforts to up the productivity of low wage workers across sectors.
For the first time, the U Family community will bring together more than 100 babies aged 12 months and below and of various nationalities to celebrate Singapore’s 45th birthday on 14 August 2010. It will be the babies’ first National Day celebration. Guest-of-Honour Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education will be at the NDOC.
Under NTUC’s active ageing initiative, more than 100 older employees will gather at the Pinnacle@Duxton to celebrate active ageing with the Guest-of-Honour Mr Lim Boon Heng, Minister, Prime Minister's Office on 18 August 2010. As the re-employment of older workers legislation draws nearer, NTUC will send out a clear message to the unionised sector that more can be done to close the gaps in being re-employment ready.
Finally, National Day celebrations under the auspices of the Labour Movement will be incomplete without a tribute to the people who stand at the core of the trade union movement – our union leaders. The final NDOC, jointly organised by the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute and the Staff Union of NTUC (SUN), will celebrate the contributions of union leaders and NTUC staff towards making the Labour Movement a strong and progressive tripartite partner that is both pro-worker and pro-business. To be held on 23 August at the NTUC Centre Auditorium, the event will see NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say as its Guest-of-Honour.
(ii) Young NTUC Celebrates! National Day 2010
This year, Young NTUC Celebrates! National Day swings into its fourth year with more than 7,000 union members of all collars and nationalities and their families and friends gathered at the Promontory@Marina Bay to live their dreams and fly their flag. This is the first time a National Day celebration is held at the Promontory@Marina Bay of the new Marina Bay financial district. It will also be the single largest National Day congregation in that area.
(iii) NTUC Marching Contingent for National Day Parade
The parade will require the 72 member-strong NTUC Contingent to do a 2.3 km city march from the Padang to the stretch around the Marina Bay Area – allowing the parade to go beyond the Padang. The contingent will be led by contingent commander, Mr Rajendran s/o Govindarajoo, President of Chemical Industries Employees’ Union, who is also an NTUC Central Committee member. About 32% of the participants for this year’s parade are 51 years old and above, and these members represent 24 unions across various sectors. The contingent has been training at Nee Soon Camp and doing 2.8 km marches within the camp compound since April.
The NTUC NDP 2010 Contingent is made up of 56% Males and 44% Females, amongst whom 46% are Chinese, 43% are Malays, 9% are Indians and 2% Others. The youngest participant is a 13-year-old nEbO member, while the oldest participant is 70 years old. nEbO is an initiative by NTUC Club aimed to engage youths aged 12 to 21 years old who form the core of Singapore’s future workforce. By building an emotional connection with the youths at an early stage of their lives, the Labour Movement fosters a continual relationship with them when they enter the workforce in years to come. This is the first time nine nEbOians are part of the NTUC NDP 2010 Contingent.
NTUC Marching Contingent at a training session.
The Labour Movement calls on Singapore to live our dreams as One Singapore, lift our productivity as One Workforce, and fly our flag as One People.
