The Labour Movement Honours Branch Officials

By Fawwaz Baktee

The Branch Officials Recognition Award (BORA) returned this year to honour 75 branch officials from 43 unions who have gone to great lengths to help workers better their lives. The award ceremony was held at Downtown East on 12 August 2015.

Into its 15th year, the awards organised by the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute (OTCi) provides a platform for unions to recognise the many contributions made by branch officials in their respective companies.

Addressing more than 250 attendees at the awards, OTCi Director for Leadership and Engagement S. Thiagarajan said: “Branch officials are the lynchpin of the trade union movement. They are the frontline of the union at the workplace for members, workers and management alike … Branch officials often do their work quietly from the glare of publicity. Their reward is the quiet satisfaction of helping their members and working with management to improve the lives of workers.”

Among the attendees at the event were NTUC Secretary-General (SG) Chan Chun Sing, union leaders, and management partners.

In his speech, SG Chan said that the success of branch officials should be defined by the things they are able to achieve for the members under their care.

SG Chan said: “We can only be successful if the people we are taking care of improve their quality of life, and is better taken care of.”

Leading By Example

One award winner was 56-year-old Mr Nelamogan, a Branch Chair of Food, Drinks and Allied Workers’ Union (FDAWU). An employee of Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium Hotel, Mr Nelamogan has dedicated more than two decades in serving the Labour Movement and the members of his branch. 

Mr Nelamogan led by example when he was the first few employees to volunteer for skills upgrading through WSQ training as part of the hotel’s productivity initiative.

“I am very happy to be recognised for my contributions. As a Branch Official, my priority is to care for the members under me and to do the job right. I knew that wages will rise if a person is more skilled.  I had to take the first step to upgrade myself, only then could I motivate my colleagues to follow   suit,” said Mr Nelamogan.

Here is a list of the award recipients. Congratulations!

• Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union

NG LAY PHENG – Branch Treasurer

SADALI BIN MOHAMED TALI – Branch Committee Member

TEE WOON TENG (ZHENG WANTING) – Branch Committee Member

• Amalgamated Union of Public Daily Rated Workers

RAMAN S/O KATHAVARAYAN – General Treasurer

• Amalgamated Union of Public Employees

MOK KIN MENG              BRANCH – Vice-Chairman

ROHAYA BINTE MOHAMED YUSOFF – Branch Committee Member

SIM SIEW HONG – Branch Assistant Secretary

• Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees

MOHAMMAD JUMLAN BIN ZAINUDIN – Branch Assistant Secretary

TAN THONG LI – Branch Committee Member

• Building Construction And Timber Industries Employees' Union

HAN FONG MING – Branch Chairman

MOHAMED BIN SARPEENI – Branch Chairman

TAN KIM BOK – Branch Chairman

• Chemical Industries Employees' Union

AMRAVATHI D/O YELLUMALAI – Branch Treasurer

MOHAMED ISMAIL BIN MEERASAH – Branch Chairman

• Creative Media & Publishing Union 

SONG POH CHOO WAILEEN – Executive Committee Member

• DBS Staff Union

CHIA PHUAY HUANG – Mentor

TAN LEH HUA – Vice-President

• Dnata Singapore Staff Union

TENG SIAK HWAY – Delegate

• ExxonMobil Singapore Employees' Union 

HENG JUN PENG – Executive Committee Member

• Education Services Union

LEE KWEE HUAY – Branch Committee Member

YEO MOI TEN – Branch Treasurer

• Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union

AZMAN BIN YAHAYA – Branch Chairman

NELAMOGAN S/O DHARMALINGAM – Branch Chairman

WILSON MARIADASS – Branch Chairman

• Housing and Development Board Staff Union

ABDUL RAOF BIN AB HAMID – Branch Committee Member

• Healthcare Services Employees’ Union

LEE SAY HING – Branch Committee Member

PANJAVARMAN RANGAMA – Branch Committee Member

SITI A'ESHAH BINTE ABDULLAH – Branch Secretary

• Keppel Employees Union

ESA BIN MAJID – Executive Committee Member

• Metal Industries Workers' Union

LIM KIM ENG – Branch Secretary

NG SUAY HIOK – Branch Committee Member

• NatSteel Employees' Union

LIM KIAN CHUAN – General Secretary

• Ngee Ann Polytechnic Academic Staff Union

HAMDAN BIN ABDUL HAMID – Executive Committee Member

• National Transport Workers' Union

GOBIDASS S/O KOCHU KUNJU NAGULAN – Branch Assistant Treasurer

ZAINAL BIN DERAMAN – Branch Treasurer

• Port Officers' Union

LAM KIAN YEW – General Secretary

• Public Utilities Board Employees' Union

JAGANATHAN KUPPUSAMY – Branch Committee Member/Mentor

• Singapore Airport Terminal Services Workers Union

ANG CHIP KHEE – Executive Committee Member

MUTHAN SELVAM – Executive Committee Member

• Singapore Bank Employees' Union

BOEY TEE WING – Branch Committee Member

• Singapore Bank Officers' Association

TOH GEOK LENG – Branch Treasurer

• Singapore Airlines Staff Union

FATHI OMAR – Executive Committee Member

HALEEM KHAN SURATEE – Assistant Treasurer

• Singapore Insurance Employees' Union

MUHAMMAD AZMI BIN ABDUL AZIZ – Executive Committee Member

• Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union

CHAN YOW CHEUN – Branch Chairman

NORDIN B MOHAMED SIRAJIE – Branch Chairman

SAMAH BIN HUSIN – Branch Committee Member

• Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Employees' Union 

ADIGUNARWAN BIN DASOEKI – Branch Treasurer

MAH CHIN FATT – Branch Committee Member

• The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union

DICKSON PHUAN KOK HWA – Branch Chairman

PACKEER MOHAMED MOHAMED RAFEEK – Branch Vice-Chairman

RAVINDRAN S/O RAMANATHAN – Branch Chairman

• Singapore Maritime Officers' Union

NORDIN B MOHAMED RAIS – Executive Committee Member

T ONN BIN T A MURAD – Executive Committee Member

VALBERG RAY MARTIN – Executive Committee Member

• Singapore Organisation of Seamen

CHEW SIAN HAI – Standing Committee Member

YENG YIN LEONG – Standing Committee Member

• Singapore Port Workers Union 

LEE CHOY LING – Delegate

SOH ENG KHOON – Delegate

• Sembawang Shipyard Employees' Union            

S T A WILLIAMS – Executive Committee Member

• Spring Singapore Staff Union

CHUA NOI HUAY – General Treasurer

• Singapore Tamil Teachers' Union

AZMED BEEVI BINTE ABDUL KALAM – Assistant General Secretary

• Singapore Teachers' Union 

CHAN WENG CHEONG EZZY – Delegate

LANG REN JEE, RENATA – Delegate

ZHOU HUIRU – Delegate

• Singapore Union of Broadcasting Employees

ANG WAH LAI – Mentor

• Staff Union of NTUC-ARU

TAN YEE LEI, EILEEN – Assistant General Secretary

• Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority Workers' Union

LIM KAH CHIN FREDDY – Mentor

• Union of Power and Gas Employees

SHANMUGAM RAMACHANDRAN – Branch Advisor

• Union of Telecoms Employees of Singapore

AZAMAN BIN DOLLAZI – Branch Treasurer

MUSA BAKAR BIN ABDULLAH (BALASUBRAMANIYAM S/O PAKIRISAMY PILLA) – Branch Treasurer

• United Workers of Electronics & Electrical Industries

KOH LI HUANG – Branch Treasurer

LEE LI KEOW (LI LIJIAO) – Branch Assistant Secretary

THONG CHEA KONG – Branch Assistant Treasurer

• United Workers of Petroleum Industry

SEKAR S/O PARAMASIVAM – Branch Committee Member

Source: NTUC This Week