AS SINGAPORE’S employment landscape continues to transform, the labour movement will help workers develop their skills and adapt to new job opportunities to ensure no one is left behind, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) president K Thanaletchimi and secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said on Tuesday (Apr 30).

Rapid technological advancements, especially in artificial intelligence and digitalisation, have disrupted jobs and workplaces, with machines “now able to analyse data at unprecedented scales” and automate previously manual work, both noted in NTUC’s annual May Day message.

Workers therefore need to upskill themselves to perform these tasks, they said.

Besides workforce challenges, both labour leaders acknowledged other pressures faced by workers. They include inflation and high prices, and immediate cost concerns.

“There has been a noticeable increase in retrenchments since last year, and we anticipate further cost-related and structural organisational changes this year,” Thanaletchimi and Ng said.

Amid these challenges and uncertainty, NTUC will focus on fostering career advancement and building resilience among workers, by helping them to develop skills to excel in “new, high-value jobs” that emerge.

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Employers must also adapt and transform their businesses by harnessing digital tools and investing in a skilled workforce.

Companies are also encouraged to form training committees to upskill workers, they said. Over 200,000 workers have benefited from skills training, while many individuals in the workforce have received wage increases.

But these efforts “do not end here”. Both Thanaletchimi and Ng urged more employers to join the labour movement in transforming their workforce, as innovation will lead to “higher productivity and improved wage outcomes”.

This is especially so as the number of Singapore professionals, managers and executives in the workforce rises, they noted, adding that the labour movement will advocate the interests of every worker “regardless of profession, age, or nationality”.

For lower and middle-wage workers, NTUC will push for better salaries and provide them with assistance to cope better with the rising cost of living.

It will be done through initiatives such as the progressive wage model, where higher wages are achieved through skills upgrading and higher productivity; the career progression model; and various cost-saving measures by social enterprises.

For platform workers, freelancers and the self-employed, these groups will be able to receive representation and protection through the upcoming implementation of a new representation framework later in 2024.

For women, NTUC’s C U Back at work programme – a training and flexible work programme designed to attract them back to the workforce – will take them back to work for financial sustainability and retirement adequacy. Both leaders added that the labour movement recognises the importance of flexible work arrangements and is working with employers to establish more adaptable roles.

For older workers, NTUC is committed to helping them expand career opportunities and advocating for increased financial security in retirement. Its social enterprises and partners also offer affordable products and services to alleviate concerns about rising costs.

As for youth, the organisation will continue to partner them in exploring career opportunities and personal development.