13 May 2011
Opening Address by Mr John De Payva, President, National Trades Union Congress At the NTUC 50th Anniversary Dinner at Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort on 13 May 2011, 6.30pm
Our Guest of Honour, Minister Mentor Lee Kwan Yew
His Excellency, Brother S R Nathan
Prime Minister, Brother Lee Hsien Loong,
Senior Minister, Brother Goh Chok Tong,
Brother Lim Boon Heng, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office
Brother Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Manpower
Brother Stephen Lee, President, Singapore National Employers Federation
Brother Lim Swee Say, Secretary-General, NTUC
MPs elect
NTUC Central Committee Members
Distinguished Guests, Brothers and Sisters
Good Evening and welcome to NTUC 50 Anniversary Dinner.
NTUC’s birth was in a time full of uncertainty and turbulence. Strikes were prevalent, workers were often exploited, working conditions were less than ideal, and fairness was uncommon. Indeed, the Labour Movement has come a long way since 50 years ago. Tonight, as we celebrate NTUC's 50th Anniversary, let us not forget the journey many have taken to achieve today’s industrial peace, workplace harmony and growth of the Labour Movement.
Tonight, we commemorate the contributions of unionists, political leaders, organizations and many individuals. Without their enduring determination and vision, NTUC could not have achieved our objective of advancing workers’ interests, improving workers’ lives, and accomplishing win-win-win outcomes through tripartism.
We would like to express our gratitude to all the people who have contributed to NTUC’s growth, which are far too many to mention individually. A big thank you to our brothers and sisters for laying a sound foundation for a strong NTUC!
In particular, the NTUC 50 Special Recognition is given to those with the most outstanding contribution towards the Labour Movement. We will be playing a video to show how 50 special persons have contributed to the development of NTUC.
One of the key recipients of the NTUC50 Special Recognition tonight is none other than Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, our Guest of Honour this evening. MM Lee was the legal counsel for many unions in our early years fighting for the rights of workers, often waiving his professional fees before he entered politics. When MM Lee was Prime Minister, he changed the confrontational labour relations approach to today’s collaborative approach between union and management. From uncertainty and unrest with no job security to speak of in the 1950s, to a strong economy and steady employment today, MM Lee’s vision and commitment saw improvement in the quality of life for millions of Singapore workers. On this occasion, we are indeed honored to have MM Lee as our Guest of Honour for NTUC 50 Anniversary Dinner.
We will also be launching a commemorative book titled “U & Me” this evening to showcase NTUC’s history. This book captures the key highlights and developments in NTUC’s 50 years of history for those who have yet to know the Labour Movement. More importantly, this book is dedicated to all who have been a part of the NTUC in the last 50 years.
It is now my honour to present to you the recipients of the NTUC50 Special Recognition. Thank you, and enjoy the rest of the evening.
