More than 2,300 company-training committees set up by NTUC in last five years
Helping workers to upskill remains a key priority for the labour movement, says secretary-general Ng Chee Meng
MORE than 2,300 company-training committees have been set up by the labour movement in the past five years to help firms upskill their workers, said National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng on Thursday (Aug 1).
Ng gave this update in his National Day message, while emphasising that training remains a “key priority” for the labour movement.
The company-training committees initiative was launched in April 2019 to help employers raise productivity by redesigning jobs and upskilling workers. NTUC previously said that it plans to have at least 2,500 of such committees by 2025.
“With relevant skill sets, workers can retain their competitive edge, remain agile and be adaptive to changing needs of the workplace, and advance their careers,” he said. “This is the best way to cope with the persistent cost-of-living issues affecting many parts of the world.”
Singapore continues to face new challenges in an increasingly uncertain global landscape, said Ng in his message. Against this backdrop, the labour union “remains steadfast in our commitment to champion our workers’ interests”, he said.
NTUC works with the government and employers to formulate policies to preserve harmonious workplaces, ensure workers can balance family needs while contributing productively, better protect gig-economy workers, and support business growth.
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He cited upcoming workplace fairness laws, as well as the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, as successful initiatives championed by the labour movement.
The government has also announced plans to introduce a temporary financial support scheme for retrenched workers, said Ng.
“These milestones reflect our collective efforts and the strength of our tripartite partnership in helping our workers.”
The labour chief noted that unlike other countries, where union membership is declining, NTUC has “steadily grown our membership base”, with the union boasting more than 1.3 million members.
“As we commemorate National Day, let us look forward with optimism and determination,” said Ng. “Together, we will build a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous Singapore, where Singaporeans can enjoy a fair share of the fruits of success, and workers have better wages, welfare and work prospects.”
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