By Ramesh Subbaraman
Strong tripartite partnership needs to be carefully nurtured over time through real action, said NTUC Secretary-General (SG) Chan Chun Sing.
Addressing some 800 international and local participants at the International Forum on Tripartism in Singapore, he said there is now a need in Singapore to groom the next generation of tripartite leaders and imbue them with the same ethos of constructive cooperation.
Cross Postings Of Leaders
To achieve this, SG Chan outlined several steps that are being looked at this year so that young leaders in government, business and the Labour Movement know one another better and understand each other’s concerns to help Singapore grow.
First, he will push for the younger generation of union leaders to work on the tripartite committees that are being set up under the SkillsFuture initiative to develop together nearly 25 sectoral manpower plans. Representatives from various government agencies, employer bodies and the unions will make up these committees.
Second, he said union leaders and government officials will be cross-posted to allow the younger generation to cross-pollinate ideas and understand each other’s concerns and to build up trust.
“This is one very simple way for all of us to grow up together, knowing each other, understanding each other’s concerns and be able to reconcile the difference at the working level.
“Starting from the later part of this year we will have officers from the civil service attached to NTUC and NTUC will similarly have an officer cross-posted to the civil service,” said SG Chan.
And third, promising civil servants would be allowed to be attached to the unions for them to understand the challenges on the ground, first-hand.
Tripartism’s Value
In his address, SG Chan also emphasised that tripartism has been one of Singapore’s unique competitive advantages to achieve economic growth and social development in the last 50 years.
It has been a key driving force behind Singapore’s transformation from a third to a first world country.
Among those attending the one day forum at the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability is International Labour Organization Director-General Guy Ryder, Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say and Singapore National Employers Federation Dr Robert Yap.
Source: NTUC This Week
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