1 Union leaders are the voice for workers – negotiating with management; engaging and encouraging workers on the ground; driving employability and employment initiatives; and pushing for productivity improvements. Add work commitments, family obligations and sometimes, community volunteer duties and one would find them doing a tough but remarkable balancing act. It gets even harder when union leaders take on lifelong learning concurrently to upgrade themselves.
2 Yet, amid the multitude of roles and responsibilities, there are union leaders who have the determination and energy to attend classes outside of work hours, slog over project assignments, cram for examinations and pursue higher education qualifications – all so that they can serve their members and workers even better as union leaders.
3 Today, a total of 108 union leaders, industrial relations and human resource practitioners graduated from the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute’s (OTC Institute) milestone certificate and diploma programmes in industrial relations and employment relations at a ceremony held at the Downtown East. The annual OTC Institute Graduation Ceremony is a major platform for the Labour Movement to recognise their dedication and efforts in their lifelong learning journeys. These role models and their stories would serve as an inspiration to fellow union leaders, workers and management.
4 Receiving their certificates and diplomas from Guest-of-Honour Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry, are 47 graduands of the Advanced Certificate in Industrial Relations (ACIR) programme; 38 graduands of the OTC Institute-UniSIM Diploma in Employment Relations (DER) programme; and 23 graduands of the OTC Institute-NUS Extension Professional Diploma in Employment Relations (PDER) programme. Both ACIR and DER are programmes catered exclusively for union leaders, while the PDER is open to union leaders, industrial relations and human resource practitioners (Please see Annex for course descriptions).
5 Topping the ACIR class is Mr Tan Yong Eng, an NTUC Income Financial Consultant and a union leader with Singapore Insurance Employees’ Union, who received the Nithiah Nandan Award for his outstanding performance. He was also presented the NTUC Income Book Prize. Similarly, Mr Arasu s/o Duraisamy, a PSA Corporation Ltd Senior Technical Specialist and 2nd Deputy General Secretary with Singapore Port Workers’ Union, topped his cohort to win the Seah Mui Kok Award for the DER. He also won the Shell Book Prize.
6 As an established centre for labour education and training aimed at developing union leadership for the Labour Movement and promoting tripartism here, OTC Institute has a key role in the Labour Movement’s 3-Flow union leadership and development framework. This framework enables the Labour Movement to ensure a strong, progressive and relevant union leadership that is ready to face challenges in the new economy. In brief, the framework provides a systematic approach to union leaders’ induction (Flow in); capacity building and capability development (Flow up); and renewal and sharing of knowledge and experience (Flow on) in the unions.
7 Mr S Thiagarajan, Director, OTC Institute, said, “Union leaders come from all walks of life and with different educational background serving members and workers. What the OTC Institute does is to equip union leaders with know-how, strengthen their capabilities and prepare those who have aspirations and potential for higher responsibilities through the 3-Flow framework’s Flow up conduit. This way, they can better serve with their hearts and minds and continue to play a key role in the future of the Labour Movement.”
8 Besides grooming union leaders, the Labour Movement also wants to leverage the deep knowledge and wide experiences of veteran union leaders, including those who have retired, to coach and guide the next generation of union leaders. To this end, the OTC Institute has launched the OTC Institute Fellowship Scheme, which recognises the ability of outstanding retired union leaders who still have much to contribute to the workers’ cause. The OTC Institute Fellowship will tap these retired union leaders’ experience and expertise to further leadership development through sharing of their experiences, chairing of dialogues, mentoring younger leaders, supporting OTC Institute and NTUC’s leadership development efforts. OTC Institute Fellows are appointed for a one-year period subject to re-appointment on an annual basis.
9 During the graduation ceremony, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Finance and Mr Lim Swee Say, Secretary-General, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Minster, Prime Minister’s Office, jointly presented the inaugural OTC Institute Fellowships to two veteran union leaders, Mr Victor Pang Koon Seah, General Secretary of Singapore Airport Terminal Services Workers’ Union, and Mr Thomas Thomas, former General Secretary of the Singapore Shell Employees Union (Please see Annex for citations of the OTC Institute Fellows).
10 Mr Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General and Union-Centric Director, NTUC, said, “Leadership determines the direction and drive of the Labour Movement. It decides our credibility as a social partner in tripartism. This is why we must have a strong pipeline of capable and effective union leaders. OTC Institute Fellows will have much to contribute to the nurturing and strengthening of our leadership development efforts.”
Annex
A) Certificates and Diplomas
The following certificates and diplomas were presented to 108 union leaders at the Ong Teng Cheong Institute Graduation Ceremony 2010:
1. Advanced Certificate in Industrial Relations (ACIR)
Presented to 47 union leaders who need to acquire knowledge on:
i) The dynamics of teamwork and how to lead a team effectively
ii) The Labour legislation that govern the work of trade unions
iii) Managing the finance and administrative aspect of a union effectively
2. OTC Institute-UniSIM Diploma in Employment Relations (DER)
Presented to 38 union leaders who need to:
i) Acquire a working knowledge of the relevant theories, human resource and organisational development, practices on change management, compensation management, tripartism and industrial relations
ii) Increase awareness of international employment practices
iii) Enhance analytical and thinking skills by integrating theory with practical issues and experiences
3. OTC Institute-NUS Extension Professional Diploma in Employment Relations (PDER)
Presented to 23 union leaders who need to:
i) Have an in-depth knowledge of employment relations functions in both its theoretical and applied dimensions
ii) Acquire practical insights of managing employee relation issues drawing on the vast experiences of trade unions in labour matters and the university’s academic expertise
B) Recognition Awards
1. Excellent Service Award
This award is presented to associate trainers who have consistently performed at high levels and taught with the OTC Institute for more than three years.
2. Leadership Developer Award
This award recognises a sustained commitment to developing union officials’ capabilities through participation in OTC Institute training courses over a three year period.
3. Workplace Partnership Award
This award is given to unions and management which have made impressive efforts to forge and strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation through bipartite programmes at the OTC Institute.
4. OTC Institute Fellowship
The OTC Institute Fellowship is conferred by the OTC Institute Board of Governors on outstanding retired unionists identified by NTUC. OTC Institute Fellows are appointed for a one-year period subject to re-appointment on an annual basis.
