IMPORTANCE OF LABOUR MOTION IN SINGAPORE
Mr Wong, who is also Singapore’s Finance Minister, last month launched a year-long exercise to examine and refresh Singapore’s social compact.
Known as Forward Singapore , a report will be released in mid-2023 after its conclusion, aiming policy recommendations to underpin the country’s refreshed social small and highlight exactly how different segments associated with society can be a lot more involved in contributing in the direction of its shared targets.
In his talk last month, Mr Wong said that because the world around Singapore and Singapore’s personal society changes, the country can turn challenges into opportunities if it fortifies its social compact.
“If our own social compact breaks down, a large segment of Singaporeans will come in order to feel estranged from your rest of society, thinking the system is not on the side.
“Trust in the Government and among various sections of society will plummet. Politics will certainly turn nasty and polarised. We will become a low-trust society such as so many others within Asia and European countries, and Singapore will certainly fracture. ”
During his presentation on Saturday, Mister Wong spoke of how Singapore has consciously and deliberately attempted to make the labour motion a key partner within governing the country.
He also talked of how labour relations have deteriorated in numerous developed countries, with trade union regular membership declining “considerably”.
“The condition of labour relations in any society is a litmus test of how strong that culture is, how solid their social small is, ” this individual said.
“When the functioning class becomes a permanent under-class, with hardly any prospects for development, they lose belief in the system, plus trust breaks down, ” he said. “This is what you see occurring in many developed nations. ”
Although some countries are viewing a resurgence associated with unionisation efforts – for example in the US, where workers from companies such as Starbucks and Amazon are starting unions to fight for their particular rights – this is “an uphill battle”, said Mr Wong.
This is because numerous big companies find unions as damaging to their own growth and profits, and therefore try to “clamp down” to them.
“As an outcome, trust between company and workers breaks down further, ” he said.
A number of these societies have become “fraught with tension” since there is no consensus means move forward to implement important issues and progress becomes more elusive.
Singapore could learn from these types of examples, particularly more youthful unionists, workers and students, he said.
“We should never take for granted the harmonious tripartite relations all of us enjoy, ” he said, adding these are “neither the nor a natural state of affairs”.
Singapore should also perform its “utmost to not just preserve what we have inherited, but to make it better”, this individual added.
To do that, the NTUC must continue to be forward-looking and progressive, especially as Singapore refreshes its social compact.
Singapore’s unions must also remain relevant to the modifying landscape, be responsive to fresh challenges and be representative of a changing workforce, he stated.
“If the particular NTUC remains strong, then we can get heart that we are moving in the right direction, and Singapore will still be successful. ”