Seatrium establishes house union to represent more than 5,000 workers

[SINGAPORE] Offshore and marine company Seatrium and the Seatrium Employees Union (SEU) on Thursday (Mar 12) said that a house union has been formed for Seatrium employees.

The single body now represents more than 5,000 workers, comprising both professionals, managers and executives as well as rank-and-file workers, from across the company’s five shipyards.

The union brings together workers and members from three unions – Keppel Employees Union, Keppel Fels Employees Union and the Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Employees’ Union – following the merger of Keppel Offshore and Marine and Sembcorp Marine to form Seatrium.

Union members will have continued access to support under this new structure, informed Seatrium.

SEU and Seatrium said that they will be “working closely” to future-proof the workforce, and enable employees to transition into new and enhanced roles amid ongoing industry transformation.

Both parties agreed to form a company training committee, comprising representatives from the company and union, in a bid to identify skills and training needs.

SEU has been formally affiliated with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) since January.

The statement noted that this move provides a “unified platform” to support and represent Seatrium’s workforce.

Desmond Tan, NTUC deputy secretary-general and SEU executive secretary, said: “The formation of SEU marks a significant step forward as it brings Seatrium workers under a single union, strengthening collective representation at the workplace.”

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He added that as the marine and offshore industry evolves with new technologies, this enables the union to work with the company to ensure “fair, progressive and equitable support for members”.

Chris Ong, CEO of Seatrium, said: “This structure also enhances (the group’s) partnership with SEU to invest in our workforce – equipping our people with new capabilities alongside the evolution of our business model, products and new technology.”