By Fawwaz Baktee
Singaporeans can overcome challenges that come with structural changes in industries, jobs and the workforce if they work together and adapt, assured Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his May Day Rally Speech at Downtown East on 1 May 2016.
PM Lee added that the changes are driven by globalisation and technology and that many other countries have been affected.
Addressing 1,500 participants at the rally, PM Lee said: “Our challenge is this: how do we keep growing the economy so that we can provide good jobs for Singaporeans? The only way we can do that is to transform our economy and provide opportunities for our workers to upgrade themselves.”
Changes in Industries
He said that new businesses such as Alibaba, Airbnb and Uber have disrupted existing business models and processes and that Singapore should not attempt “to stop this phenomenon.”
“[If we do] we would end up hurting ourselves because the new businesses have improved our lives as consumers, made things more convenient, given us better options, better deals and also helped the existing businesses up their game,” he said.
Instead, the Government will ensure businesses with new models compete on fair terms with existing ones and will help industries and companies compete better as they transform with the economy.
Changes in Jobs
Touching on jobs, PM Lee mentioned that as the country creates new jobs in emerging industries and grows the economy, it will lose old ones.
Singapore’s problem is not having a lack of jobs but in matching workers’ skills and expectations with the new market.
He added: “This means we have to prepare our workers for the jobs that are becoming available. Beginning with students, to equip them with relevant skills, including soft skills, such as being able to work in different cultures, taking initiative, resourcefulness and having EQ … And for those who are at risk of losing their old jobs, we have to help them make the transition by reskilling and upskilling them.”
Changes in Workforce
The Labour Movement has to also keep up with the changing landscape of the workforce and meet new needs to stay relevant, advised PM Lee.
Referring to the Labour Movement’s efforts to expand to include more segments of workers, PM Lee said: “That’s why when every other country is facing a decline in union membership, our Labour Movement’s membership is increasing. But you need to strengthen your movement further, so you can fight for workers’ interests more effectively.”
As more than half of workers in Singapore are professionals, managers, executives and technicians today, PM Lee urged employers to work with the Labour Movement to help this worker group, and in turn develop a more constructive and productive relationship.
Source: NTUC This Week
