The recent Singapore Tripartism Forum (STF) Luncheon Dialogue with CEOs saw various key issues discussed on the way forward for Singapore to continue to strive. A few of the topics centred around strengthening the Singaporean core and achieving higher productivity with a better skilled workforce. Themed ‘Tripartism for an Inclusive Workforce’, the dialogue attracted some 147 participants from 87 companies who engaged with a panel of tripartite leaders. Here are some excerpts of the session.
The Way Forward
“The tripartite partners believe that higher wages is the outcome we all hope to achieve. But (to sustain wage increases year after year), the way we achieve this is more important than the outcome.Let us continue to keep improving the jobs, productivity and skills so that we can have an all-win for the workers, businesses and the economy as a whole. That really is the way to go."
NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say
Productivity Is Key
“Productivity is really the key, followed by the need to continue to train our workers for better skills. So, higher productivity, better skilled workforce and, thirdly, I just want to remind all the CEOs that we have always worked along an inclusive workforce and then sharing the gains of productivity. So, where the NTUC is fully committed to support employers in the productivity move to push for higher productivity, the workforce expects some equitable sharing of the fruits of productivity."
Singapore National Employers Federation President Stephen Lee
Opportunities For Businesses
“We are putting in a lot of resources in terms of training, so that we make sure the workforce can be trained, can be upskilled whatever the age and whatever the qualification to make sure that it's relevant. And secondly, to also provide incentives especially for SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises)to figure out how to use those funds to transform and to position themselves so that they can reap these benefits.
"Let's really make use of the opportunities we have and I think we can really re-position ourselves as a much more productive economy going forward and it will probably put us in a very competitive space to compete in the years to come as well."
Acting Minister for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin
