60 cents | MICA (P) 035/10/2009 7 May 2010 Three Cheers For CPF Hike PM Ups Employers’ Rate By 1%

But this year is a very good year and in such a year, we should, as has proposed, consider increasing the CPF. The CPF is a fundamental, major core of our social safety net system in . Through the CPF, every worker has an individual savings account for“ his housing, for his medical needs, for his retirement needs, for himself and for his family.” PM

t was the most eagerly anticipated and hoped governance since 1959. So bad that he now calls it for piece of news at this year’s May Day Rally “a near-death experience”. at Downtown East - a decision on whether the Same time, same place last year, PM Lee had said: employers’ CPF rate would be partially restored, and “In the fi rst quarter, our GDP shrank 11.5 per cent year Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong did not disappoint. on year. Our latest growth forecast for the whole year 2009 IFirst broached by NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee is between minus 6 per cent and minus 9 per cent. We Say on 15 April 2010 on the back of sterling fi rst quarter had never had to make such a bad forecast.” There was economic indicators released by the Ministry of Trade and also an increase in the unemployment rate from 2.5 per Industry the day before, SG Lim said this is as good a time cent to 3.2 per cent for the same period. as any to help build up workers’ savings for health and But what a difference a year makes. Contrast that retirement purposes. His idea caught on like wildfi re. to what he said this time around: “We’ve all been on a In his May Day Rally speech, PM Lee saved the best roller-coaster ride. Last year’s fi rst quarter GDP went for the last when he announced at the end what was down minus-ten per cent, our trade went down one-third. sweet music to all workers: “The Government has decided This year, fi rst quarter GDP up 13 per cent year-on-year to increase the CPF contribution by employers this year and if you look compared to last year’s fourth quarter by one per cent. The contribution will go up from 14.5 per and annualise it, it is actually 32 per cent growth. It is an cent now to 15.5 per cent, which means that overall we astonishing number and business is back.” will go from 34.5 per cent to 35.5 per cent. We will take Adding more cheer is that the growth forecast for this this one per cent in two steps: First half a per cent, in year is between 7-9 per cent and the fact that the fi rst September, we will put into the Medisave. quarter unemployment rate is 2.2 per cent which is as “The second half per cent, we will take six months good as full employment. after that in March next year, and we will pay into your Amazing as the turnaround is, the fi rst quarter results Special Account. This way, we will give companies are still a one-hit wonder. PM Lee brought those on cloud enough time to adjust to the higher rate. Over the next nine back down to earth: “But do not get carried away. one year, we can factor this in and companies can make We have to see this in perspective. This was a rebound the adjustments with their workers in the overall wage from a very bad fi rst quarter last year. It is not going to packages as they negotiate these wage packages.” be sustained like this indefi nitely or even for the rest of He hoped the National Wages Council would take this the quarters this year and there are still risks in the global into consideration when making its recommendations. If economy which could affect us. But still, 2010 should be conditions are right, PM Lee added that the rate could be a good year and so we must further increased to the top of the target range which is 30 make good use of this strong to 36 per cent within another year or two. position to consolidate our Finding, PM Lee was singing the blues at last year’s May Day lead, not just recover from Rally, bemoaning a world economy gone terribly wrong. In last year’s recession, but Breaking, fact, he had called it “the most diffi cult May Day that we strengthen ourselves for By have ever celebrated” in Singapore’s 50 years of self- the long term.” Page Marcus Lin Sharing 8 2 workingfor • maydayrally2010 Tripartism For Good Of All By Marcus Lin

rime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s May Day Rally speech this year touched on several important issues touching Singaporeans’ lives. He analysed the whys and wherefores of the global economic crisis and, in particular, why SingaporeP had the wherewithal to respond so decisively and quickly to it. On his agenda were also charting Singapore’s long-term strategy, raising productivity and Let us keep on building up this trust among capitalising on strong growth and a tightening labour the tripartite partners. When we talk about market. He dwelt at length on the importance of raising tripartism, we are not just talking about old war productivity growth as spelt out by the Economic Strategies “stories, the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, how we came Committee: “It is a basic shift in our strategy. It is necessary because the old through diffi cult times. And we put up dramas, strategy is reaching its limits. Previously, we could rely on two things to grow, musicals on these epic events and NTUC had a productivity growth plus growth in our workforce and they complemented very good musical, I think, two or three May Days each other. We could expand our ago. I remember Cyrille Tan looking like a very wise workforce with our own population and old man, advising the younger ones. But we are NTUC Media Co-operative Limited also by bringing in foreign workers. Chairman adding to these experiences and this crisis is just Noel Hon Chia Chun “But in future, we will have to [email protected] as signifi cant as the experiences we went through Chief Executive Offi cer depend much more on productivity in the earlier generation. Mercifully, it was a short [email protected] because we cannot grow the Managing Director workforce as much as before, whether crisis. It did not drag on longer, but it has deepened Shona Tan-James [email protected] it is a local one where we just don’t the reservoir of trust and strengthened us for the Chief Operating Offi cer Alvin Wong Pek Kin have the numbers since we are at full next time whenever it comes. We should draw [email protected] employment, or the foreign workers The NTUC This Week Team lessons from it which will be as deep and as lasting Managing Editor because we already have large Shona Tan-James as the lessons from the 1960s and 1970s. Let us [email protected] numbers here and it is not going to be learn these lessons well so that we can pass them Executive Editor easy to accommodate many more. Marcus Lin on to the new generation of Singaporeans and to [email protected] So we have to switch gears, improve Assistant Editor Nicolette Yeo productivity, go for qualitative growth, a new generation of union leaders who can hold [email protected] Journalists break the bottlenecks as Lim Swee Singapore together for many years to come.” Naseema Banu Maideen [email protected] Say says, and thereby transcend Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Vanessa Teo [email protected] our manpower constraints - same Muneerah Bee Mohamed Iqbal number of people working smarter, [email protected] Art Director doing better work, more output, better Edmund Seah [email protected] output.” says, `Why don’t you send your unions Executive Designer Mohamed Nasuhar Soeyoeti PM Lee said “the unions are to America and talk to our unions and To be able to [email protected] a key part of this, helping workers teach them the secret and the way life Executive Editor (Chinese Section) respond to the Ho Seo Teck understand and cope with what is really should be?’ I said thank you very [email protected] crisis in this way, Senior Executive Designer (Chinese Section) changing. NTUC is working with much, I think we are good friends with it is not just having [email protected] WDA, with employers on many things, them, we will just stay good friends with “ Resident Photographer restructuring, best sourcing and so on good economists Alvin Toh them. But it is because we are like this, Sales and participating at the national level, because our unions are like this, that or good staff or Joseph Loh [email protected] making a contribution, representing is why we have the unions prominently capable union Steven Low [email protected] workers’ interests. This is something represented and participating in our leaders who can Marketing & Events Jolynn Ang Shu Qin quite unique to Singapore.” economic progress. work out plans and [email protected] He gave as an example his “And one of the places where Yang Sue Ann work out schemes [email protected] recent visit to America where port they are represented is the National on what to do. It is Subscription longshoremen went on strike against Jenny Liau Productivity and Continuing Education because there is [email protected] free trade: “Longshoremen are the Publisher Council chaired by DPM Teo Chee NTUC Media Co-operative Limited dock workers who load and unload mutual trust between Address 1 Marina Boulevard #14-01 Hean, which we formed after the ESC NTUC Centre Singapore 018989 ships. It is like the PSA workers. The the Government, Phone 62360555 Fax 65381068 report and which met for the fi rst time Printer Times Printers, Singapore longshoremen who depend on trade yesterday to focus on productivity, between the workers The NTUC Family Directory NTUC Switchboard 62138000 to make a living for themselves went raising it sector by sector; and on and the unions Customer Centre 62138008 on strike wanting protectionism, even continuing education, how to upgrade Business Centre 62138811 and the employers [email protected] though without trade there would Care & Share 62138201 workers, patiently, steadily so that and they know one be no jobs. Imagine if PSA went on Social Enterprises we improve our performance and we another. They have Club 65829876 (Chalet Reservation) strike to say, 'We do not want so improve our lives; and also working with 65891666 (Banquet Sales) worked together and Choice Homes 62138822 much trade, it is affecting Singaporean SMEs so that they will be able to be Eldercare 64785480 they know that we Fairprice 64560233 workers.' We would think that the port part of this and can prosper in a new First Campus 63919233 have to tackle this Foodfare 67570330 workers’ union had gone bonkers. environment and support NTUC as well. Healthcare 67440068 But in America, they take a narrow “So when we talk about tripartism, problem together Income 63462663 LearningHub 64712223 perspective. In Singapore, our unions when we talk about going through because we are all in Link 62235225 Media 62360555 take a national perspective and we crises together, when we talk about the same boat.” Thrift & Loan 65347360 work together to expand the pie and the next phase and productivity, we Affi liate Prime Minister Lee RTRC Asia 62924844 share the pie.” are really talking about issues which all © Copyright 2009 Hsien Loong The publisher owns the copyright to all photographs and articles PM Lee told this story to American concern us together and which we will in this publication. No photograph or article may be reproduced in part or in full without the consent of the publisher. visitors and explained tripartism to have to continue focusing on for a long them: “One of my American visitors time to come.” maydayrally2010 • workingfor 3 Action Is The Word For New Council

or one year and produces a report By and somebody else does the work. Marcus Lin Here, what we want to do is make sure that we can execute and that the he big question is what is so different productivity initiatives are sustained about the newly minted National over a period of time.” Productivity and Continuing Education Another big difference in the Council compared to other similar approach is that “it won’t just be councils with different names in the worker centric, but will also do past?T enterprise as well as sectoral work Announced by Finance Minister Tharman because the worker can only control Shanmugaratnam in his Budget Speech on 22 so much of his work environment. February 2010, Council Chairman Deputy Prime Much of it has to do with how the fi rm Minister obliged. For one thing, organises the processes that go on. he said, “We are not working towards a report “And we will also want to look Deputy Prime Minister and National Productivity and Continuing Education Council because this is an execution committee. It is Chairman Teo Chee Hean (second from right) mingling with Prime Minister Lee Hsien at what happens across sectors so Loong's wife Ms Ho Ching (centre), NTUC Vice-President Thomas Tay (right), Singapore not a committee that sits down for six months that if there are certain things which Maritime Offi cers' Union President Captain Robin Foo (left) and SMOU Executive are preventing productivity from Secretary Mary Liew (second from left). growing, we will try and remove those NTUC is in full support of this bottlenecks as well.” national effort to improve DPM Teo was speaking immediately before the DPM Teo also singled out for special attention the Small and Medium Enterprise sector that productivity and strengthen continuing Council got down to business at its fi rst meeting on 30 April 2010. The 19-member Council comprises cuts across all sectors: “We will look at whether education. We are heartened that “ partners from the Government, unions and private there are any measures which we can take to the national productivity drive is an sector. help SMEs. And not just improve productivity in inclusive one that embraces all levels He said that the Council’s immediate task is the conventional sense but to see how they can of workers, in particular the lower- to hit 2-3 per cent yearly productivity growth, as improve their top line - branding, market share, waged workers. The Labour Movement against one per cent in the past, which would that kind of thing as well.” will mobilise our unions and reach out allow for long term GDP growth of 3-5 per cent. Enhancing productivity among low-wage to companies and workers to identify He identifi ed for special attention 12 sectors in the workers is also high on the Council’s agenda: “That’s important because we want to see this and break productivity bottlenecks, economy accounting for about 40 per cent of GDP and 50 per cent of employment. whole productivity drive as an inclusive one. And and upgrade the skills and capabilities “What we will do is look at each of these one of the areas we want to look at is low-wage of our workforce through continuing 12 sectors and develop strategies for each in workers. Again they may not have very much education." workgroups. We will look at sector specifi c, sector control over their own job situations because they NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say relevant productivity measures because to just talk are employed for a job and they can’t redesign the about 2-3 per cent productivity growth at a gross job themselves. Productivity is something that level may not be very meaningful at the sector level “For job redesign, process redesign, how that is very close to the heart of or the fi rm level. can be done will need a little bit of working with fi rms as well. There may be some pilots and so on every employer and business. It is “We will ask each of the workgroups which will be led by one of the lead agencies to develop that need to be done. Sometimes it is also a skills an important tool to help us stay “ sector relevant productivity measures and work conundrum when you have people with not a lot competitive, and help our employees on those so that for the sector itself they will have of skills and you end up not paying them a lot and focus on acquiring relevant skills. SNEF something which is relevant. you get into a very low spiral like that. will give the Council its full support. “What do I mean by sector relevant “The unions have done a good job, for Workers and businesses have to work productivity measures? If you take construction example, in the landscaping and securities together so the fruits of business and or you take, say, the hotel industry, we will look for industries to improve both skills and standards and economic growth can be shared by all.” things where we can compare with best practices to get better outputs at the same time as having in other countries. Those will give us a sense of higher skilled people who can then be paid more. Singapore National Employers’ Federation where we stand and how we can improve. And Some of those things can be done in other sectors President Stephen Lee those will be relevant to the sectors themselves.” of our economy as well.” Members of the National Productivity and Continuing Education Council

GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES: UNION REPRESENTATIVES: Liew Mun Leong Teo Chee Hean John De Payva President and Chief Executive Offi cer, CapitaLand Deputy Prime Minister (Chairman) President, National Trades Union Congress Douglas Foo Lim Swee Say Chairman, Apex-Pal Minister for Trade and Industry Secretary-General National Trades Union Congress Simon Lam Lim Kuang Beng Venture Director, Shell Eastern Petroleum Complex Minister for Manpower General Secretary, Singapore Industrial and Services Pek Lian Guan Lim Hwee Hua Employees’ Union Managing Director, Tiong Seng Contractors Pte Ltd Minister in the Prime Minister’s Offi ce and Abdul Subhan bin Shamsul Hussein Second Minister for Finance and Transport President, Food, Drinks and Allied Workers’ Union PRIORITY SECTORS S Iswaran 1. Construction 7. Electronics Senior Minister of State, Trade & Industry INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES: and Education Stephen Lee 2. Precision 8. Transport President, Singapore National Employers’ Federation Engineering Engineering Senior Minister of State, National Development Ahmad Magad 3. General Manufacturing 9. Retail and Education President, Singapore Productivity Association 4. F&B 10. Hotels Aaron Boey 5 Healthcare 11. Infocomm Minister of State, Trade & Industry and Manpower Asia Pacifi c President, Levi Strauss Choo Chiau Beng 6. Logistics and 12. Admin and Chief Executive Offi cer, Keppel Corporation Storage Support Services maydayrally2010 • workingfor 5

By Nicolette Yeo, Naseema Banu Maideen, Vanessa Teo and Muneerah Bee Mohamed Iqbal

This is the proper moment What They Say for the CPF restoration, and we too have the economic About CPF “conditions to move in this direction. The workers have contributed Restoration a lot during the downturn, and now we’ve managed to tide over I think the CPF restoration is and get the economy back at the very timely because workers proper levels. So now is the time to have put in a lot of sacrifi ces during pay back, to show our commitment the“ downturn so it is only right that to the workers.” in the upturn, we make sure that they Alberto Tureikis, Tetra Pak Jurong Private enjoy the benefi ts. It is also good that Limited Supply Chain Director, South and Southeast Asia, North East Asia and we are putting the restoration into Oceania (left of picture, chatting with the Medisave and Special Accounts. Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong) Firstly, as PM Lee has said, the cost of healthcare is going to go up. Secondly, The restoration of CPF is very our population is ageing very rapidly reasonable. The splitting of 1 per and the Special Account is also about cent into two phases gives suffi cient retirement in a way. I’m also glad that time for employers to adjust our this will be phased in so that it gives “ costs. And with these good times, it organisations like us time to adjust. All is only fair to share with our workers, in all, I fully support it and I’m glad that especially in view of the support that PM Lee has announced it.” they have given us last year.” Professor Tan Ser Kiat, Singapore Health Dr Moh Chong Tau, Makino Asia Private Services Group Chief Executive Offi cer Limited President and Chief Executive Offi cer (left in green, with Metal Industries Workers Union General Secretary Tan Chai Kun)

It‘s about time to restore the CPF contributions. We made a policy that when the economy is bad, company can cut our CPF, but when the economy is good, “please give it back to us. If you don’t do it, the workers will lose trust. Mutual trust is the key issue here, so this is the right time that the government is intervening.” Karthikeyan Krishnamurthy, United Workers of Petroleum Industry General Secretary

In the notions of the company, the increase of 1% in CPF is “another cost if you look at only numbers to numbers. But you can recover it by being Cheaper Better Faster by increasing productivity, effi ciency and Now that the economic conditions are better than the skills of my staff to do last year, it is defi nitely a good time to introduce multi tasking, let them be the CPF restoration. I will also welcome the gradual motivated in producing “implementation of the 1 per cent increase in employers’ more with less.” contribution. Workers have made many sacrifi ces during Ramon Padiernos, Gemalto Pte the diffi cult times and it’s now time to appreciate their Ltd Director (right) contributions.” Masatoshi Koike, Murata Electronics Singapore (Private Limited) Managing Director (above centre) 6 workingfor • maydayrally2010

What They Say About Breaking Productivity Bottlenecks

I think the call to be productive is very timely. Our company started to talk about innovation, productivity and creativity a couple of years ago. This comes from the global economic scenario which we have“ been seeing and it is perfectly the right thing to do now. I think we have opportunities and we will be doing our part. We are also setting this productivity drive very prominently inside our company. We are looking at three ways that we can improve productivity based on what Mr Lim Swee Say said about productivity a couple of months ago in different areas. We have chosen Personal Productivity, that is to make the working environment better for a person to be more productive; Machine Productivity, that is look into equipment that are not used around the clock or used to 100 per cent capacity; Organisational We are constantly looking for new Productivity because we can be very productive as individuals but a lot ways, better ways, of doing things of productivity is lost at the interface between different groups and we and we always encourage employees want to be more productive as an organisation.” “to be very innovative. We invest a lot Sanjay Chavan, Aventis Pharma Manufacturing Pte Ltd Site Director of our time and effort and money in encouraging people to be innovative and creative and this effectively drives towards breaking bottlenecks.” Tan Seng Chai, CapitaLand Limited Human Resources Senior Vice President

In the working environment sometimes things are stuck especially when it comes to decision “making or innovative approaches to doing a job in a way that is out- of-the-box. It is very important that bottlenecks are identifi ed. As unionists, we should be able to have a clearer idea of what bottlenecks are and identify such bottlenecks; break it and then move our workers forward.” Bobby Tay, Singapore Bank Employees’ Union President (far left of picture)

May Day Here Is Like No Other At the morning May Day Rally, I witnessed what appeared to me to be an absolute happy harmony between the workers’ unions, the employers and the government“ in Singapore (don’t think it was staged!). I was stunned watching the sharp contrast of CNA’s telecast of militant workers protests in Indonesia and KL in the evening. Again this morning I sadly read in about the “May Day Mayhem” reports on protests by thousands of dissenting workers in Jakarta, Tokyo, HongKong, Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu, Athens and Moscow. What could have gone so drastically wrong in these cities?” Liew Mun Leong, President and CEO, CapitaLand Limited (on the right in blue with NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say) 8 workingfor • maydayrally2010 maydayrally2010 • workingfor 9 Always Finding, Always Breaking, Always Sharing A Match Of The Cheaper Better Faster way to up productivity is all about fi nding Two Halves bottlenecks everywhere, about breaking t the kick-off of this year’s May Day bottlenecks every time and sharing gains Rally, NTUC Secretary-General So what happened since then? If “ with everyone. What we have to do is to go Lim Swee Say revisited the football you look at countries like China out there and keep looking for bottlenecks. fi eld where he mapped out his and India, their economies were never strategy to outwit the formidable But from time to time, some of us, I myself down and stayed positive throughout worldA economic downturn team at last year’s “ included, say `I have been looking so rally when “many economies contracted, many the whole recession. In the case of hard but the problem is that I cannot fi nd workers lost their jobs.” USA and Japan, it went negative but any bottleneck. Everything is so perfect, He laid down the ground rules: Imagine that slowly made their way back to positive everything is run so smoothly. I cannot fi nd the battle against global recession is a football territory again by the fourth quarter a bottleneck’. And that is a very dangerous match. Assume that a 3 per cent unemployment of last year. In the case of Germany, thought. Because if you have that mindset, rate is full employment and is a draw. Assume for example, still in the negative area, if you cannot fi nd any bottleneck in any way that any percentage point less than 3 per cent negative growth. is a win, and any percentage point above 3 per in your organisation than the truth is you are “Then you have countries such cent is a goal scored against you. the bottleneck. And, brothers and sisters, Working on that basis, SG Lim said: “Then as South Korea who actually did a I am very sure none of us want to be the one year ago, the USA with an unemployment very strong rebound, all the way from bottleneck. We want to be the bottleneck rate of 8.5 per cent was 5-0 down. In Europe, negative to third quarter last year when breaker. We don’t want to be the bottleneck the unemployment rate a year ago was also 8.5 it turned positive, and the positive itself. So let us work together, mobilise the per cent and they were also 5-0 down. Japan, growth continued to grow strongly. ground, partner the managements, contribute with an unemployment rate of 4.4 per cent, was “What about Singapore? How did to the work of the National Productivity and one goal down. Global unemployment was 7.4 we do compared to all these countries? per cent, so the world was 4-0 down.” Continuing Education Council, let us transform In fact, Singapore today is one of the Singapore, with an unemployment rate of 2.5 our economy into a Cheaper Better Faster per cent at the end of 2008, was one nil up but countries with low unemployment and economy, let us transform our workforce into lost the lead when the fi rst quarter unemployment with strong rebound.” As the Labour a nation of bottleneck breakers.” rate in Singapore in 2009 went up to 3.2 per cent Movement, we are very and 3.4 per cent in the second quarter. “So, in grateful to the Singapore NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say fact, it ended up a draw because we lost our full Sun, Wind And Rain Government led by Prime employment.” “ Minister Lee Hsien Loong Imagine there is a recession for their bold and decisive That was the fi rst half. Now for the second tunnel, the tunnel of global Scattered Showers Resilience Package. Thank half. recession, very dark, very long. On one you Prime Minister, thank you. side, thunderstorms and lighting. On In Europe, the outlook is still “One year later today, what happened? In “ very uncertain. There are four As the Labour Movement, the other side, sunshine. Throughout we are also very grateful the case of the USA, unemployment has gone the whole recession, China and India countries collectively known as PIGS up from 8.5 per cent last year to 9.7 per cent. to the many employers out were never in the tunnel. Somehow - Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain. So the score now is 7-0. In the case of Europe, “ there, many management they were able to sustain their growth, These four economies are still going unemployment has gone up from 8.5 per cent through quite a bit of a challenge. And partners out there who to 10 per cent. So it is also 7-0. In the case of so they stayed in the sunshine. if something were to happen to them, were responsible, who were Japan, unemployment has gone up from 4.4 per “Unfortunately, the rest of us all responsive. So thank you cent to 4.9 per cent. So from 1-0, it is now 2-0. ended up in the tunnel by the fourth the fear is that what happened in the Stephen Lee, thank you SNEF, Globally, unemployment rate has seen some quarter of 2008. By the third quarter Asian Financial Crisis may happen to thank you all our management improvement from 7.4 per cent to now 6.9 per last year, economies like Singapore Europe and then the whole world may partners. cent. So the score stays at 4-0. and South Korea got out of the tunnel be affected. So the threat of scattered “What about Singapore? Our unemployment Last but not least, our and went into the sunshine. And by the showers is still there.” rate went up to 3.4 per cent by the third quarter 6,000 union leaders, our many fourth quarter last year, USA and Japan last year, and by the fourth quarter it dropped NTUC staff, our colleagues in were at the exit point with Germany still Strong Winds to 2.3 per cent. By the fi rst quarter this year, it the NTUC Social Enterprises. declined further to 2.2 per cent. in the tunnel. One of the strong winds is, fi rst, In fact, many of them worked “But even though the economy the strong wind of competition very hard during the course of “In other words, Singapore is ahead again - has recovered, even though today we for jobs. All over the world, you see the downturn to mobilise the Two Up. are now in the sunshine, we must not Talking about productivity, many people ask this question: `How do I increase companies and governments talking ground, to cut costs to save assume that it will be sunny forever. “ productivity?’ `What is productivity?’ `How do I measure my improvement in “Yes, we as tripartite partners have done about how to create jobs. In fact, jobs. So to all our U-Fighters Because the weather according to the productivity?’ As far as the Labour Movement is concerned, working on the ground, well in preventing a rapid rise in unemployment the focus is all about jobs, jobs and in the Labour Movement, weather forecast by the NEA is that it I will suggest that you ask them one simple question. And the simple question is, `If rate, we have done well in avoiding record jobs. So we can expect very keen “ thank you.” you are to improve productivity, do you know where is your bottleneck? Because retrenchment. But at the same time, we are will be sunny, but windy with scattered competition for jobs. So, again, if we NTUC Secretary-General Lim productivity is all about breaking the bottleneck. If we can break bottlenecks, we can mindful that while we play well in the defence, we showers. And if we are not careful our are not careful, our jobs creation may Swee Say improve our productivity. play well in the midfi eld, it is important that we economy can still be pushed back to be under threat. Then there is also the “To break bottlenecks, the fi rst thing to do is fi nd the bottleneck. Because if you play well in the offensive as well. In other words, the stormy weather.” strong wind of competition for global we want to be more up when up when the global cannot fi nd them, how are you going to break them. To fi nd the bottleneck, where talents.” economy turns around.” do we fi nd the bottleneck? The answer is everywhere because there are bottlenecks everywhere. In our workplaces, in our offi ces, in our factories and so on.”

maydaydinner2010 • workingfor 11 SLF Gives More Backing To Labour Movement Mr Mah also took the opportunity to reaffi rm the SLF’s By commitment to fulfi lling its Marcus Lin mission “to develop the Labour Movement, one that contributes inister of to tripartism, economic growth National and social cohesion. I am Development confi dent that the Labour and Movement will become even Chairman more dynamic, inclusive and Mof the Singapore Labour relevant to the workforce. The Foundation Labour Movement can count has no doubts as to the on the SLF’s support. SLF’s most important factor that contributions will increase in contributed to Singapore’s tandem with the expansion quick rebound from the of the Labour Movement recent global fi nancial crisis. programmes that make a “The most fundamental substantial impact, so long as and abiding one is the deep SLF remains fi nancially healthy level of mutual trust and and sustainable.” understanding between Government, employers and unions. The tripartite partners found the solutions quickly Movement and unionists over the years in and implemented them smoothly, whether it was different capacities, Mr Mah said that “in the Jobs Credit, SPUR or the U Care temporary relief process, I have come to appreciate the role they hardship assistance. play in fi ghting for a better life for workers. I have “The Labour Movement led by NTUC was come to admire their qualities of honesty and in the forefront working tirelessly to Upturn the sincerity, of walking the talk.” Downturn. The Labour Movement discussed He added: “Now, as Chairman of the with employers how to cut costs and save Singapore Labour Foundation, I am privileged jobs, persuaded workers to accept shorter to be able to play a part in further strengthening work weeks and temporary layoffs; motivated and supporting the Labour Movement. The workers to go to NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Government strongly supports the development Employability Institute) for training, and provided of a strong and effective Labour Movement. timely ground feedback to Government. This is because the programmes and impact of “If anyone thinks that was easy, just look the Labour Movement extends beyond union at the situation in many other countries, where members to the working population as a whole. Government, employers and unions were locked “Our Labour Movement has been in confl ict, unable to take diffi cult decisions outstanding, in the breadth and depth of its work because they simply did not trust one another.” and its reach. It has been able to effectively Mr Mah was speaking as Guest-of-Honour galvanise workers during bad times because it at the May Day Dinner on 29 April 2010 when has been relentless in building up its capacity to a record 88 May Day Awards were given out serve workers during good times. In addition to to outstanding individuals and companies for developing union leaders, the Labour Movement NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say presenting the Distinguished contributions to the Labour Movement. has also been putting in place a sound Service (Star) Award to veteran Labour Movement leader Goh Chee Outlining his involvement with the Labour framework to raise workers’ employability.” Wee (right).

Movement today serve more than two million customers. The larger Social Enterprises like What SLF Has Done And Will Do NTUC FairPrice and NTUC Income are well known household names. SLF has contributed about $150 million the last “Secondly, the SLF supports the They have been able to make a more fi ve years to serve workers and union members in development of union leadership and staff substantial impact than the smaller ones. partnership with the Labour Movement. Mr Mah capacity to serve workers at the company level. Size matters.Hence SLF will focus on growing highlighted three areas: The industrial relations work on the ground is led some of the more high impact and high “Firstly, the SLF helps to enhance the by a dedicated corps of over 6,000 union leaders potential Social Enterprises, for example, employability of workers. SLF and NTUC and about 200 staff, many of whom are present NTUC First Campus and NTUC LearningHub. jointly set up e2i in 2007. e2i is funded by at tonight’s dinner. “Secondly, SLF will support the Labour both SLF and WDA, under the Job Re- “Thirdly, SLF provides fi nancial relief to lower Movement’s plans to serve the needs of creation Programme and SPUR. In 2009, e2i income union members through the managers and executives, even as we offi cers worked long hours to serve 50,000 U Care programmes of the Labour Movement, continue our strong support for lower-wage workers, both rank and fi le, and managers and such as U Stretch vouchers, Back to School workers. The recent recession showed that executives… In the next few years, we will have Programme, and the U Care Immediate managers and executives are not spared from to step up skills upgrading of both rank-and-fi le Assistance programme.” the impact of economic cycles. Many lost their workers and managers and executives in order to Mr Mah added that the SLF will also be jobs, and took a long time to fi nd a new one. raise productivity. We will all have to learn to do stepping up its focus in two areas: Many have joined the union as they realise the same things Cheaper, Better and Faster, as “Firstly, SLF and the Labour Movement will that they too need the support of the union to NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say puts it. expand the impact and scale of the NTUC Social represent their needs, get them a fair deal, and The gains from productivity improvements must Enterprises to better meet the needs of working support them in their professional development then be shared with workers fairly. families. The 12 Social Enterprises of the Labour and training.”