In a busy and metropolitan city where Singaporeans rush from appointment to appointment, time with the family has become even more precious. To emphasise the importance of spending quality time and encourage stronger family-bonding, the Labour Movement organised an all-inclusive member-centric May Day Family Fiesta on 26 May 2012.
Held at the Downtown East, some 50,000 union members of all collars, ages and nationalities gathered to celebrate family-bonding amidst a slew of fun-filled activities.
Themed More Fun for All and centred around Music & Movement, this year’s Fiesta saw 3,000 participants groove to a mass dance courtesy of Kinect by Xbox. Guests-of-Honour, the National Trades Union Congress Central Committee (CC) members as well as special guests, Mdm Halimah Yacob, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Halimah Yaacob and Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister of State for Transport and Finance, and immediate-past CC members led the dance aimed at driving home the importance of spending more time and letting loose with the family in this time of often disproportionate work-life balances.
Co-chairperson for the May Day Family Fiesta Committee Nora Kang explained the significance behind the family-themed More Fun for All bash. “Having a good work-life balance and quality family-time is close to our hearts here in the Labour Movement. Due to heavy work schedules, bonding time with the family has become even more precious. Having a strong support system around you is a treasure that one should not take for granted. It is crucial to observe a healthy work-life balance as it leads to a positive cycle of increased motivation which in turn leads to increased productivity. We would like to take this opportunity to encourage families to embrace this and urge more families to spend more quality time with one another.”
In celebration of May Day, NTUC President Diana Chia and NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say also presented 10 prizes to winners of the Mass Dance lucky draw to 10 lucky participants. The top prizes included $2,000 travel vouchers and the latest iPads.
In a bid to encourage a better work-life balance and more harmonious family relations, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Cham Hui Fong delivered an address and unveiled the Labour Movement’s plans to get companies to adopt more family-friendly practices.
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Cham Hui Fong who delivered the announcement at the May Day Family Fiesta said, “As seen in recent media reports, survey results have revealed that being family-friendly is mutually beneficial to both employers and employees. The Labour Movement has long championed healthy work-life balances. With the Singapore National Employers Federation’s backing, we hope to get more companies to implement more family-friendly practices by the end of this year.”
