Bro Lim Swee Say
NTUC Central Committee Members
Management Partners
Brothers and Sisters
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening, and once again a warm welcome to UWEEI's 2011 Dinner and Dance. This year, our union celebrate its 30th birthday.
30 years in the electronics industry is a long time. In that time, we have seen this industry in Singapore transform from low value-add to sophisticated technology, from an industry that provided mass employment for a relatively less educated and skilled workforce to one that is constantly structuring for international competitiveness and upgrading the workforce for improved employability.
The journey we undertook these past 3 decades was anything but smooth and steady. Indeed, the electronics sector has gone through many ups and downs, mirroring what happened to the overall Singapore economy.
Through each crisis, we have stayed true to the values of Unionism and looked after the interests of our members. In like manner, we caught the wind of each upturn to push hard for better rewards for our workers and to improve their attractiveness in the labour market.
We were able to do so better that in many other countries because of our system of Tripartism. This system of mutual respect and trust built upon countless instances of win-win, long-term collaboration is precious, and it has enabled us to move fast, move fairly and adapt quickly to rapidly changing circumstances. This competitive advantage has helped Singapore companies and workers forge ahead in good times and negotiate out of tight spots in difficult periods. We must do everything in our power to continue to nurture it, because there will be a next crisis to confront sooner or later.
A strong and stable tripartite framework has also enabled UWEEI and our unionised companies to start and grow mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships over these years. They are companies that have taken the long-term view to their investments and re-investments in Singapore, and have worked closely with UWEEI to practise fair and progressive employment. We will be honouring 14 such exemplary partner companies tonight.
Looking ahead, we can again see challenging times for both companies and workers in our industry. Companies tell us that they are worried by a combination of slowing and less certain demand, and an appreciating Singapore dollar that has shaved their revenues and margins. They also reported cost and operational pressures brought about by a still tight labour market and more stringent management of access to foreign manpower. While this encouraging picture of the labour market is generally confirmed by 2nd Quarter Labour Market Survey just released by the MOM yesterday, which recorded low layoffs, still healthy job vacancies and higher unit labour costs brought about by a slowdown in output growth, some electronics companies have had to institute shorter work weeks and temporary plant shutdowns because of this decline in orders.
Workers on the other hand are facing heightened inflation and are also looking forward to receive sustained real wage growth in keeping with national productivity improvement goals.
Can we tackle both the needs of companies and worker simultaneously and in a win-win manner?
The answer is an emphatic yes.
By upgrading the skills and capability of the local workforce, improving the design of jobs and work processes, cutting waste and reducing over-reliance on low-skilled foreign manpower, we will strengthen the job worth of each worker and cut costs in the industry at the same time. Part of the gains can then be shared with the workers even as the competitiveness of the companies improves. This will be the most sensible and sustainable way forward.
In this regard, UWEEI has actively championed the NTUC E2i’s Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP) in the sector to improve productivity and gain sharing for the lower wage workers. The Union also worked closely with WDA and companies in the wafer fabrication industry to map out routes of upgrading and advancement for technicians and engineers to help address critical manpower shortages in certain skills. UWEEI is also working with ITE, E2i, EDB and MOM to increase the supply of local technicians and operations for the semiconductor industry under the Specialist Technician Programme and the Electronics Apprenticeship Programme.
Volatility and intensity of competition are givens in the electronics industry. Even so, Singapore has succeeded against the odds to build a strong sector, tapping our wits and our tripartite and bipartite ability to work together and move fast to capture opportunities and avoid harm.
As we celebrate and enjoy ourselves this evening, let us remember and reinforce our relationships, so that we will be able to jointly build a better tomorrow here in Singapore for our people and our companies.
