Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Labour Movement for All, All for Labour Movement
1. Welcome to our May Day Dinner.
2. 2006 has been an eventful year for the labour movement. With another good year of economic growth and job creation, the labour movement did not take a breather, nor did we slow down. We knew that this growth presented us the opportunity to focus our efforts on the more vulnerable groups of workers. We also looked further ahead to work out our longer-term strategies. This culminated in the Labour Movement 2011 vision. In line with the government's call for a competitive economy and inclusive society, one of the key objectives of LM2011 is to therefore build a more inclusive and cohesive labour movement.
3. The journey began at the Corporate Planning Seminar in July 2006. Together, we took stock of projected developments in the economy and the changing shape of the workforce. We recognised various social challenges facing Singapore; an ageing population and workforce, widening income gap and an evolving workforce profile with the influx of foreign workers. We realised that we would need to continue to build up our core strengths in serving our blue and white collar workers. However, we also recognised the need to expand our reach, to be more relevant to our workers and ensure that no worker would be left behind. These include the mature workers, low-wage workers, contract workers, PMETs and foreign workers.
4. In essence, Labour Movement 2011 or in short, LM2011 is about a future where every worker and his family can live a full and productive life. We want to proactively welcome workers of all nationalities, all ages and all collars into our fold.
5. In doing so, we want to create a strong emotional attachment with the people whose lives we touch. We want to increase and strengthen our emotional share of hearts and minds. In short, we wanted to build a Labour Movement for All.
6. But we also realised that this grand goal will require all in the labour movement to pull together in alignment. Hence, we immediately embarked on the task of communicating our vision to ARU staff, unions, cooperatives and even our tripartite partners. Through this engagement process, we were heartened by the positive and enthusiastic response from all involved.
7. Our cooperatives are firmly on board. Some of them are taking a primary role to drive some of the key projects or dragon boats under LM2011. All 63 unions have held workshops on LM2011. They have adopted the dragon boats that are relevant to their unions and are working hand-in-hand with the dragon boats. Their inputs have further strengthened the vision, and their ideas have refined our strategies under the dragon boats. The LM2011 that we know today is therefore a combination of a clear top-down vision and strong bottom-up initiatives from all corners of the labour movement.
8. It has been ten months since the vision was first conceptualised. Through the enthusiasm and strong support of our unions and cooperatives, we have already achieved some early successes. The road ahead is still long, with many more challenges to overcome. However, as long as we can row together as one labour movement, there is every reason to be optimistic.
9. Comrades, LM2011 is not about re-making the labour movement. The labour movement has been extremely successful over the past 46 years by any yardstick. We have done so by being forward-looking, bold and innovative. LM2011 is firmly in line with this same spirit. LM2011 is about building on the success of the past, and strengthening our core by becoming a more inclusive labour movement.
10. As long as all the parts of the labour movement continue to row forward as one, and with the support of our tripartite partners, we can be confident of achieving our goal.
Happy May Day!
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For media queries, please contact:
Chong Yan Cheng
Consultant
Corporate Communications Department
National Trades Union Congress
DID: 6213 8190
HP: 9797 8985
Email: chongycheng@ntuc.org.sg
