NTUC’s U Tripartite Alumni recognises the participants of staff exchange programmes between the tripartite partners – Government, Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and NTUC.
The durations may vary, but as staff trade places to experience the work of their counterparts, it helps deepen the relationship between the partners.
Recently, some 15 officers who took part in a staff exchange programme received their certificates from NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng.
We caught up with one of the participants, Sanjay Nanwani, 31, a civil servant with the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
From 2016 to 2017, he was attached to the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU), National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and NTUC U FSE (Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit).
Mr Sanjay said he requested to be posted to the NTWU due to its relevance to his work in MOT.
“Although my portfolio at MOT did not cover union relations or manpower issues, I had a window into some of the policy debates and was able to relate to what was discussed at work with what I was observing through the unions.”
Tell us more about your experiences in NTWU and NPHVA.
Sanjay: Unions in Singapore carry diverse and heavy responsibilities, including advancing the welfare of union members, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, representing workers in labour disputes, and facilitating the training and upgrading of workers.
I had the privilege of sitting in for executive committee meetings, visiting union branches across Singapore, taking part in the union’s workplan retreat to deliberate the union’s agenda and strategies, witnessing union elections, and engaging union members to better understand their needs and concerns. These shone a spotlight on how Government policies, ranging from foreign worker restrictions to progressive wage policies, ripple out and affect rank-and-file workers.
From your dealings with both unions and management in the transport sector, how do you see the handling of issues and grievances expressed by the workers?
NTWU has a well-oiled machinery, which is especially important given the critical role of the transport sector in turning the wheels of our economy. There are robust dialogues with workers and frequent visits from NTUC leadership. These have enabled NTUC to remain responsive, allowed emerging issues to be tackled upstream, and provided an open and accessible environment for union members to convey their views and concerns to management.
NPHVA and U FSE are younger outfits, but they have stabilised rapidly and gained strong momentum given that they are led by seasoned unionists and cover sectors that are at the forefront of the minds of NTUC’s leadership.
What struck you most about the work of the Labour Movement and its unions during your attachment?
I was struck by how the LM is, in a way, a victim of its own success. The fire and fury that characterised labour relations in the early years have given way to more cordial, often behind-closed-door discussions. This has proven effective for workers and for Singapore, but it does mean that the work and achievements of the LM is now less visible and perhaps less understood by Singaporeans.
I was also struck by how the LM does not rest on its laurels. It has bucked the worldwide trend of declining union membership by being nimble, developing programmes and initiatives that appeal to a broader swath of the workforce, and staying relevant for workers of all collars and stages of life.
Would you recommend the attachment programme to your colleagues in the public sector?
I would certainly encourage my colleagues to take up the attachment. It opens one’s eyes to the indispensable role that unions play in our unique ecosystem, provides rare insight into how government policies impact workers, and gives the officer an additional platform or sounding block to brainstorm future policy issues.”
Mr Sanjay is now on secondment to DBS till April next year. He returns to the public sector thereafter.
