Our Guests-of-Honor today, Our Cleaners,
NTUC Secretary-General, Mr Lim Swee Say,
NTUC Central Committee Members,
Brothers and Sisters from HDBSU,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
A very good afternoon to all of you.
Welcome and Introduction
Thank you for taking time to join us today. I am heartened that our President in his speech during parliament opening has reaffirmed the vision of Singapore heading towards being an inclusive and caring society. The poor and the vulnerable should continue to be given special attention in our society. We are truly inclusive and caring when everyone is creating a better world for each other.
For the past two years, NTUC and our tripartite partners have worked very hard to push for cleaners to earn better wages. From 1 September this year, all cleaning companies will be licensed and many workers will be paid wages according to the Progressive Wage Model.
As we continue to push for better jobs for our low-wage workers to better their lives, we must remember that nurturing a culture of kindness towards them also contributes to more meaningful lives for them and their families. Through this slew of initiatives, we hope that more people will recognize that higher value should be placed on what these workers do. It is this mindset change that will better enable us to push for progressive wages, job security, and safer workplaces for our low-wage workers.
As a labour movement, NTUC knows that helping the cleaners must go beyond the call for better pay through Progressive Wage Model. As a society, we must give them the recognition, pride and dignity that they are playing an important role. Workers of today, even low wage workers, want beyond sustenance but also the satisfaction and identity that define them as a worker contributing actively to our nation building.
Hence, International Cleaners’ Day to the Labour Movement in Singapore is to encourage organizations, companies and individuals to show that we respect, appreciate and care for our cleaners.
Let me continue by sharing an interesting culture. In South Africa, members of the northern Natal tribes greet one another by saying “Sawa bona”, which means: “I see you”? Tribe members would reply to this greeting by saying “Sikhona”, which means “I am here”. This exchange is very important to them, as it means that until you ‘see’ me, I do not exist; and when you ‘see’ me, you bring me into existence. Throughout the day, these tribe members will receive this acknowledgement from everyone they encounter, knowing that people are aware of their existence.
What we can learn from this is the importance of acknowledging one another’s presence. I would like to urge each and every one of us to step up and make a difference in the lives of those who ensure we live in a clean environment every day.
Showing appreciation can come in many forms. Just like the African tribe members mentioned in my speech earlier, they have showed us how powerful words can be. By just saying a simple “I see you”, they are acknowledging the presence of the individual. And from this, we too can learn to be more open in acknowledging our cleaners as well. By showing simple acts of kindness to our cleaners, we can make their lives better and move Singapore towards a more inclusive society-where every cleaner is valued and recognized for the work they do.
“Appreciating U”- Our Cleaners
Last year, under the “I Care for my Cleaner’s” campaign, a total of about 150 organizations pledged their support towards showing appreciation to our cleaners, with a slight more than 7,000 cleaners being appreciated.
Riding the waves of last year’s appreciation campaign for cleaners, this year’s “Appreciating U – Our Cleaners” movement, with the support of the Singapore Labour Foundation, will up the momentum to have more people involved in recognizing the valuable contribution of our workers to society, and in cultivating a spirit of kindness towards our unsung heroes.
I am proud to say that as of today, the response has been encouragingly positive. More than 200 workplaces have pledged to show appreciation to their workers, with more than 10,000 workers who will be appreciated. This is a huge increase from last year’s figures and we hope that even more will step up to show appreciation to our cleaners.
This year, NTUC is also encouraging companies to award certificates of recognition to their cleaners that have been exemplary or outstanding in their work. Over 1500 certificates have been given out to outstanding cleaners, and I would like to briefly mention 3 of these cleaners who will also be receiving these certificates today.
The first is Madam Ang Geok Kheng. At the age of 85, Mdm Ang has demonstrated great pride and commitment in her daily work. She has been working at the HDB Toa Payoh Hub for the past 13 years, since 2001. Every morning, she takes a 15-minute walk from her home at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 to her workplace. Despite her age, she goes about her work with a smile on her face, and always goes the extra mile to ensure that the area is clean. Thank you, Madam Ang!
Our next cleaner is Mohamed Buang Bin Ali. Mr Buang has demonstrated outstanding teamwork and always goes beyond his work scope to help his fellow colleagues finish up cleaning works in his estate at Bishan- Toa Payoh. Even the residents are aware of his hard work and have even personally commended him for it. Mr Buang, do keep up the good work!
Last but not least, we have K. Sundram from Veolia ES S’pore Industrial Pte Ltd. Despite the harsh working conditions, Mr Sundram never fails to go the extra mile to ensure the cleanliness of his estate. Even if it’s not within his job scope, he is always ready to provide a helping hand to both the residents and his fellow colleague whenever the need arises. Thank you, Mr Sundram!
National-Level Recognition
For the first time as well, with the support from Singapore Labour Foundation, NTUC would like to start a National Level Awards to formally recognize exemplary cleaners, cleaning companies, their service buyers as well as their customers. Outstanding cleaners can be nominated for the Better Worker or Better Leader Award, and all award recipients will be invited to the award ceremony held on 27th June.
Our cleaners are also invited to nominate those individuals who have gone the extra mile to make them feel appreciated and respected. This is one way of showing that recognizing valuable contributions goes both ways.
Public Involvement
What NTUC hopes to do for the cleaners, we also hope to “DO TOGETHER”- with the public. NTUC is currently running a campaign on Facebook, called “Tribute to Cleaners”. The public can take a photo with our cleaners and submit it for the online contest. If the submission is picked for the “Best Selfie of the Week”, “Most touching description”, or if it has the most “Likes”, the cleaner gets to win $100 worth of vouchers! NTUC hopes that this contest can encourage more to step up and engage in conversation with their cleaners, to help them feel valued and recognized. In the past few weeks, more than 100 individuals have taken a photo with their cleaners, and the posts have reached out to more than 32,000 Facebook users. We hope to get your support to spread the message to even more people, to make appreciation for our cleaners an everyday affair.
Conclusion
Before I end my speech, please allow me to thank the people who have made today’s event possible. They are:
Last, but definitely not the least, a very big thank you to all the cleaners who are present today. We appreciate your hard work and valuable contributions. The Labour Movement strongly believes that it is important to value and recognize every worker, no matter what jobs they do.
Thank you.
