“UTES may not be one of the largest, but it is certainly one of the most important unions in the future". This was the remark made by NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say at the Union of Telecoms Employees of Singapore (UTES) 30th Anniversary Dinner and Dance on 3 November 2012 held at Resorts World Sentosa.
Close to 750 members of UTES, tripartite partners and guests were at the dinner to celebrate the union’s milestone. Addressing the guests, SG Lim remarked that the IT industry has not slowed down over the last 30 years and the world of information technology would continue to progress at a faster pace.
Looking ahead, SG Lim emphasised that the tripartite partnership has to remain resilient for Singapore to stay ahead in the world of IT.
He added: “I believe that as long as the management, the Labour Movement and the Government work together, we can continue to move ahead and stay ahead - from infrastructure, to competency and innovativeness. ”
UTES President Roger Tan Seng Chye also acknowledged today’s technologies have become smarter and faster in the ever-changing landscape of the IT industry. He pointed out companies have to become more innovative in order to succeed, as they face intense competition.
“The telecommunication industry has evolved rapidly over the last five years. New products such as smart phones and tablets have changed the landscape that telecommunication service providers operate in,” said Mr Tan.
Against this backdrop, Mr Tan added: “As a union, our role is to ensure that workers can keep up with changes and benefit from it. We are also progressing to serve our members better.”
