Mr Primus Cheng, Prima Group Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Mr Matthias Yao, Executive Secretary, FDAWU
Mr Tan Soon Yam, General Secretary, FDAWU
Comrades from the union
Ladies and Gentlemen
A very good morning to all of you.
1. Today, we come together to celebrate our nation’s 39th birthday. At the same time, this occasion has given us a good opportunity to highlight the value of tripartism, and I am glad to be part of this celebration.
2. The first half of 2004 has seen an improving economic outlook. The second next half of the year is expected to be strong. The NWC recommendations this year were decidedly more upbeat that those in the past few years. These are welcome signs for both businesses and workers.
3. Even so, the company will continue to face strong competitive pressure, and it would not be easy to maintain one’s lead in the market. With increasing competition and consumers becoming more “cost-conscious”, it is crucial for the company to be innovative, and to create and deliver value to your customers. Here, cooperation from the union and commitment from the workers will be a key advantage. The union can support the company in areas such as identifying cost savings, improving communications and responsiveness, improving efficiency and productivity, and upgrading the skills of workers. There is clearly a joint interest in this, as in the long-run, only a profitable business will be capable of benefiting the workers.
4. I am happy to hear that the relations between the company and union has remained very cordial and healthy. With a strong partnership between the company and union, much more can be achieved.
5. I understand from the union that they have been working closely with the management team to secure a flexible wage structure, and that progress has been made. I urge you to persevere in your efforts here, so that the company can compete better, the pie can grow faster, and the workers can earn more.
6. For my fellow workers, I urge you to make yourselves more employable and marketable by going for skills upgrading. The economy is changing quickly and we must be quick to stay wanted. Having higher skills or an additional set of skills is always useful to enhance our prospects and chances.
7. On this note, I wish you a Happy National Day. Thank you.
