17 DECEMBER 2017 60 CENTS MCI (P) 102/12/2016 ONE PAGE CLOSES, ANOTHER OPENS 2 THE JOURNEY NTUC This Week 17 DECEMBER 2017 NTUC This Week: From the Beginning to Now, and Beyond The paper has been around for 53 years, and that’s more than half a century old! As we turn another page in our history, we look back to remember the different personalities the paper has put forth. By Shukry Rashid and Avelyn Ng his paper has taken on many names since its first publication in 1964; these run the line-up from Perjuangan N.T.U.C., Labour News, The Singaporean, NTUC News and the T current NTUC This Week (see page 3). Perjuangan means struggle in Malay, and the title captured the tone and essence of the 60s era. Perjuangan N.T.U.C. was published monthly and its aim, said its editor Devan Nair when it was first established, was twofold. Devan Nair, who was also concurrently NTUC’s first secretary-general, said: “On the one hand, we shall keep labour informed about essential issues, so that the chaff is easily distinguished from the grain, and sense from nonsense. On the other, we shall voice the just aspirations of labour without fear or favour.” From the outset, this publication was the voice of workers and the Labour Movement. It featured the difficulties workers faced with errant employers and communism, what was done to represent and protect the workers, and bring the issues to a fair agreement. But just as how the Labour Movement has evolved from one that was marred by unsettlement and strikes to one of good labour-management relations, so did the paper as it started focusing on the good collaborations between workers and employers, with the help of the Government. THE LAST FLIP Even though this is NTUC This Week’s final publication, we are not stopping the efforts that were started over five decades ago. To keep up with the times, this publication will be moving on to a more engaging online media that will serve more – not only members but workers of all collars and society at large. Take a walk down memory lane with us as we look back at the publication’s journey with the Labour Movement. Also, we show you a peek at what is in store from 2018 onwards. NTUC This Week LOOKBACK PAGE 4 SINGAPOREAN, MAY 1, 1980 The Why SINGAPOREANTUC This Week 17 DECEMBER 2017 THE JOURNEY 3 N Devan on the birth of NTUCs new fortnightly "THE SINGAPORE- the core of the reader- jects of general interest, toddler to learn how to is already in exis- of "The Singaporean" all about? How can AN" is launched on ship. But we should has a considerable po- walk. tence." will be terribly solemn Vietnamese, Soviet and May Day 1980 - a extend our coverage to tential readership. We will also explore and serious, devoid of Chinese ambitions in NOVEMBER,non-trad 1964e union Singa- Here, 12we DECEMBERneed to th 1976e possibility of perio- This is a definitio1 MAYn 1980 birthday easy to re- which clicks! humour or entertain- South East Asia and poreans as well if, like make a frank, admis- dically publishing selec- ment. The average Sin- East Asia affect our member. The real birth- Nothing will test the day of the RepubliA forewordc of byou thenr NTU NTUCC co-opera- sionThe. In NTUCour anxiet Centraly toCommitteetions fro makesm "Th a e Singa- In a three-quarter-page note,gaporea then NTUCn is Presidentnot a lives and the future of tives WELCOME and ensure that "The Sin- mettle and ingenuity of Singapore, Presidentof course Ho, See Beng on the decision to reposition Perjuanganporean" as i ann Malaall- y and C.V Devan Nair explains thathumourles The Singaporeans fellow is, anin - our children — indeed INCOME, we hope to gaporean" should have Tamil, provided there is Singaporeans more than capable of laughing at was August 9, 1965. the very existence of first issue of Perjuanganfulfil a large shedsr an d more noencompassing, less auspiciou seriouss a tradean unionassuranc journale fro m our thefforte social to extend, political the coverage, himself to ,non-trade as some unionof ou r Singapore? "The Singaporean" useful social role. economic and cultural light on the challenges in finding birthdaand introducey than Ma Laboury Da yNewsMala as any anexclusived Tamil-speak - Singaporeans and “fulfil a detractorlarger ands woulmore duseful hav e What does the Soviet incorporates the for- itself, we have launched ing readers, especially challenges of the future. it. mer NTUC a voiceLabou forr the workers. medium for the affiliated unions. social role”. invasion of Afghanistan POTENTIAL the paper without ha- trade union members, The better informed The objective we News and Forward, the that we are as a people portend? Why is ving assembled our full that such an effort will have set for ourselves ASEAN stability and former organ of SILO, The average Singa- team, as it were. We find a ready market. about trends and deve- PIEU and SATU. Pu- is based on the recogni- co-operation so impor- porean is a worker, beg our readers, there- The economics of pub- lopments in and around tion that the layman in blishing a worthwhile whether by hand or Singapore, and in the tant for us? What is fore, to excuse our ini- lication and sales can- Singapore is capable of our education system fortnightly journal — brain. He may not be tial shortcomings. not be flouted. world at large, the eventually a weekly understanding many up to? What are the a trade union mem- Plans are in hand to better prepared we will things, if only our aca- one — requires ade- ber, but he is either a be to grapple with the statutory b'oards up to, steadily upgrade the COMMON demics, economists and or what should they be quate capital; qualified salary or wage earner. quality and subject- tasks ahead. We will and reliable manpower; the like did not con- up to? Then there are the coverage of the paper. therefore aim to inform fine themselves to spe- interesting, lively and self-employed workers, "The Singaporean", and educate in order to And what are our We are very conscious as its name signifies, cialist jargon. For ex- informative material like hawkers and taxi of the fact that "The stimulate enlightened trade unions and em- covering news and will cater to the needs ample, what does this ployers' organisations drivers. Count their Singaporean" will sur- action, rather than to year's budget really subjects of interest to of all those who iden- tease, titillate, massage up to? What are they families, and we can vive only if it deserves PAGE 4 SINGAPOREAN, MAY 1, 1980 Singaporeans, and a tify themselves with the mean, for Singapore doing that they should appreciate that "The to survive. All that we and lull our people into and Singaporeans? Must steadily expanding mar- Singaporean", provided common heritage, the complacency or downTh-e not be doing? And ask of our readers, shared present, and the only the readers of the ket for sales. it is able to live up to especially trade union right inconscience. what should they be common destiny of Business Times have doing that they are not Trade union mem- certain standards and to members, is to allow WhThe loyaly , SINGAPOREAwell-in- a clue about the budgeNt cover a variety of sub- the nation and people doing? bers will no doubt form some time for the of Singapore. formeDevad ann do nth the e rationbirth o-f NTUCand s neothew fortnightlr economiy c "THE SINGAPORE- the core of the reader- jects of general interest, toddler to learn how to is already in exis- of "The Singaporean" all about? How can Simple, easy-to-un- AN" is launched on ship. But we should has a considerable po- walk. tence." will be terribly solemn Vietnamese, Soviet and Mayall Day y198 0 critica- a extend our coveragl eSingaporea to tential readership. nWe will also explormatterse ? and serious, devoid of Chinese ambitions in Nationality, in the non-trade union Singa- Here, we need to the possibility of perio- This is a definition birthday easy to re- which clicks! humour or entertain- South East Asia and poreans as well if, like make a frank, admis- dically publishing selec- ment. The average Sin- East Asia affect our derstand presentation member. The real birth- Nothing will test the day of the Republic of our NTUC co-opera- sion. In our anxiety to tions from "The Singa- gaporean is not a lives and the future of tives WELCOME and ensure that "The Sin- mettle and ingenuity of case of Singapore, Singapore, of course, porean" in Malay and humourless fellow, in- our children — indeed INCOME, we hope to gaporean" should have Tamil, provided there is Singaporeans more than capable of laughing at was August 9, 1965. the very existence of of subjects, in the lan- fulfil a larger and more no less auspicious a an assurance from our the social, political, himself, as some of our Singapore? "The Singaporean" useful social role. birthday than May Day Malay and Tamil-speak- economic and cultural detractors would have eludes easy or simplistic incorporates the for- challenges of the future. What does the Soviet itself, we have launched ing readers, especially it. invasion of Afghanistan mer NTUC Labour POTENTIAL the paper without ha- trade union members, The better informed guage of the layman, News and Forward, the The objective we portend? Why is ving assembled our full that such an effort will that we are as a people have set for ourselves former organ of SILO, The average Singa- about trends and deve- ASEAN stability and definitions in terms of 'We willteam , inforas it were.