Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong was conferred the Medal of Honour – this year’s top May Day award at the NTUC May Day Awards 2023 ceremony today. Hosted by NTUC President Mary Liew and NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, the ceremony held at Suntec City Convention Centre received a turnout of more than 1,200 guests consisting tripartite partners and workers.
A total of 172 awardees were honoured at this prestigious awards ceremony. Various awards were conferred on union leaders, workers, company managements, government representatives and organisations for their outstanding contributions to the Labour Movement; commitment to championing the interests and rights of all workers; and for being exemplary role models at their workplaces.
DPM Lawrence Wong’s Longstanding Commitment to and Support for Workers and Unions
Medal of Honour awardee DPM Wong strongly supported NTUC and unions’ efforts and made key decisions that protect workers and their livelihoods. As Singapore’s Minister for Finance, DPM Wong set aside a $100 million budget for NTUC to encourage companies to set up Company Training Committees (CTC), in supporting the upskilling of workers in tandem with business transformation. He also introduced the Jobs-Skills Integrator initiative, which would bring together industry, training and employment facilitation partners, including NTUC, to improve training and job matching for workers.
DPM Wong has also been a strong advocate for improving the employment and wage conditions of workers, especially the low-income and disadvantaged workers. He initiated the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme to support progressive wages and significantly enhanced the Workfare Income Supplement, including expanding its coverage to younger workers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he extended the Jobs Growth Incentive Scheme to encourage employers to hire Singaporeans, so that workers can keep their jobs.
Beyond introducing initiatives that uplifts the lives of workers, he works closely with NTUC and its affiliated unions – Union of Power And Gas Employees (UPAGE) and Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees’ Union (BATU), as their union advisor, to understand and support the needs and aspirations of their union members and workers.
NTUC President Mary Liew said, “With a caring heart for workers, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has been championing workers’ interests and dedicating time and support to our Labour Movement. He has been a strong advocate and supporter of workers and the tripartism model in Singapore; and continues to prioritise workers’ concerns as he leads the fourth-generation team in a challenging post- pandemic environment. We also commend all our awardees for their unwavering spirit and contributions in advocating and advancing workers’ wages, welfare, and work prospects. We believe that #EveryWorkerMatters and encourage all awardees to continue upholding this purpose and play a role in the betterment of our workers’ livelihoods.”
In an interview with NTUC’s LabourBeat, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said, “I thank the NTUC Central Committee for this recognition and honour… I’ve seen first-hand the commitment and dedication of our union leaders and tripartite partners in serving the interests of our fellow workers and Singaporeans, so the award to me affirms the importance of tripartite partnership and the key role of the Labour Movement in taking our country forward.”
Recognising Outstanding Individuals and Organisations for their Exceptional Contributions to Workers and Unions
At the NTUC May Day Awards 2023 ceremony, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng presented a total of 128 awards to individuals1 and 44 awards to organisations2. The awardees this year included union leaders, workers, management partners and organisations who have made exceptional and continuous contributions in promoting the welfare of workers and supporting the Labour Movement’s pro-worker and pro-business programmes and initiatives. For example, among the awardees:
a) Our union leaders have shown their dedication to championing workers’ interests by listening to concerns from the ground, addressing pain points surfaced by workers, and working persistently to negotiate with employers for better working conditions and benefits.
b) Our workers have embodied the spirit of #EveryWorkerMatters and demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability in the face of the ever-shifting condition of the modern workforce. Their dedication to upskilling and lifelong learning, and perseverance to acquire new skills has enabled them to stay relevant in their careers, alongside business and industry transformations.
c) Management partners and organisations have been committed to tripartism, recognising that workers are the core of their businesses and actively supporting unions whilst balancing business considerations. In addition, despite the uncertain business climate for the past two years, these partners and companies have embraced and pushed for workplace transformation and upskilling to ensure the employees and remain ready and relevant for employment.
Please see Annex A for DPM Wong’s NTUC May Day Awards 2023 Awards Citation.
Visit https://www.ntuc.org.sg/uportal/news/NTUC-May-Day-Awards-2023/ for more details.
1 The list of 128 individuals that received the NTUC May Day Awards 2023 was announced on 19 May 2023.
2 The list of 44 distinguished organisations that received the NTUC May Day Awards 2023 was announced on 12 May 2023.
