Mr President, the Singapore National Trades Union Congress delegation joins other delegates to congratulate you on being elected to preside over the 91st Session of the International Labour Conference. We also congratulate Mr Juan Somavia on the vote of confidence and mandate he has received with his re-election as Director-General of the ILO.
Free trade agreements
Mr President, the momentum of globalization continues unabated. The many free trade agreements (FTAs) that are being initiated and concluded around the world are concrete evidence.
Singapore’s economy is highly dependent on trade. We have the highest trade to GDP ratio in the world, of almost 3 is to 1.
In the FTAs that we enter into, our workers must benefit. With a more competitive economy, it will attract more investors. More jobs should be created. Standard of living and quality of life will improve with better employment and variety of goods and services.
Free trade should not erode workers’ rights and well-being. Singapore upholds high labour standards. We will work with our counterparts to uphold high labour standards and ensure decent work for workers.
Free trade agreements help our economies integrate into the global economy. Our workers must be a part of the system adapting to competitiveness from globalization. Trade unions can help workers adapt only through meaningful participation and consultation with our governments and employers.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Mr President, Sars, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, has thrown up a great challenge to the global community, as well as to the countries which have been directly affected.
In Singapore, our healthcare workers have been at the forefront in helping to combat and contain the disease. They have been relentless in the battle against Sars. Even though the WHO has taken Singapore off its list of areas with recent local transmission of Sars, our workers in the healthcare sector have not lowered their vigilance nor slackened their efforts to fight Sars. We salute their courage, dedication and commitment.
This disease is not going to disappear completely from our lives. We have worked closely with our tripartite partners and community to implement many new measures to safeguard public and workplace health. Our priority concern and efforts are now focused on dealing with the economic and social impact of Sars on workers and their families, as many businesses have been hard hit. Our unions are working with government and employers to save jobs and lessen the financial burden on workers.
Cooperatives
Mr President, at the 90th Session of the ILC last year, the new Recommendation No. 193 on the Promotion of Cooperatives was adopted.
We are facing difficult times with greater economic uncertainty. The role of cooperatives to help meet social needs of workers has become more relevant than ever before. Our NTUC cooperative movement in Singapore started in 1970. Today they cover a wide range of services and activities at affordable prices. They have helped workers maintain decent standards of economic and social well-being. Because we have cooperatives, we were able to help keep prices down on basic necessities during this economic downturn.
In support of ILO Recommendation 193, the SNTUC is collaborating with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, Asian & Pacific Regional Office (ICFTU-APRO), International Cooperative Alliance Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (ICA-ROAP), and Singapore National Cooperative Federation (SNCF) to organize a regional workshop next month to share knowledge and experiences in cooperative development. We believe it is important to build and strengthen cooperation between cooperatives and the trade union movement.
Conclusion
Mr President, the Director General’s report and issues on the agenda of the ILC this year address the great challenges we are facing. We look forward to fruitful discussion on human resources training and development. Our economies today are increasingly driven by knowledge and new technologies. There is an urgent need to help every individual have at least the basic knowledge and skills to adapt to change and benefit from globalization.
As the presence of the many delegations representing workers, governments, and employers attending ILC in Geneva each year attests, we recognize and accept our shared responsibility to work together to achieve sustainable development and decent work for all. The challenge is to make real and measurable progress. Our workers and their families will realize a better life, not from what we say about what needs to be done, but from what we are able to do together.
Thank you.
