Conference Chair
Distinguished delegates
Ladies and gentlemen
On 5 May this year, shortly after most of the world’s workers commemorate May Day, the WHO declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency. While we pick ourselves up on the road to recovery with hope and cautious optimism, let us always remember our front-line workers – those who lost their precious lives in the course of their duties and others who put their lives, safety and even freedom by continuing to toil long hours to keep healthcare systems and the global supply chains moving during the pandemic. With a heart of gratitude, I would like to say a big “Thank You” to them, our unsung heroes.
The pandemic has aggravated pre-existing inequalities in the labour market and set back efforts to achieve the 2030 UN Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs). There is an urgent need for greater global cooperation so that societies can get back on track to pursue social justice, in particular in protecting the most vulnerable and marginalised, end poverty, ensure equal opportunity, and mitigate inequality and dislocation. Thus, the Singapore labour movement supports the DG’s call to forge a Global Coalition for Social Justice.
The tripartite constituents of the ILO must work together both at the National and International levels so that this Global Coalition can help shape a renewed Social Contract with all workers – a social contract which provides greater assurance to workers on better wages, welfare and work prospects; and workplaces where EVERY WORKER MATTERS.
The workplace of today is undergoing vast changes. There is a need to reconnect with workers to understand their work-related concerns and aspirations whilst envisioning their hopes for a better future. To this end, I am glad to mention that the Singapore National Trades Union Congress (SNTUC) has embarked on a journey to refresh our compact with workers so that we can better understand and represent them to advance their interests.
In forging a refreshed compact with workers, SNTUC aims to co-create an economically vibrant and inclusive Singapore, where every worker can have the dignity of making a good living and improving their lives.
For the coming years ahead of us, the SNTUC will be focusing on:
i. Scaling up our efforts on the SNTUC's initiative of the Company Training Committees (CTC), strongly
supported by our Government, and employers’ groups, to positively impact both our workers'
employability and companies' competitiveness;
ii. Doing more and better for underserved segments of our workforce, such as the PMEs and youth,
by becoming their trusted partner as they transit into the workforce; and
iii. Setting in place a Culture of Innovation within the Singapore Labour Movement to better serve
the evolving needs of our union members.
We believe that by making the SNTUC a stronger labour movement, we can be a valued tripartite partner in our national efforts to build a better Singapore with a refreshed social compact to address the challenges faced by workers.
In conclusion, the SNTUC looks forward to working closely with our tripartite partners to contribute to the Global Coalition on Social Justice by sharing our experiences in refreshing our compact with workers in Singapore and to promote social justice to achieve the 2030 UN SDGs. Thank you.
