Shanmugam: “Empowered unionists” will protect workers rights
Written by Our Correspondent
Singapore Law Minister K Shanmugam said a key factor that has helped Singapore come out of the downturn is the close relationship between the government, employers and unions.
Under this unique “tripartite” system, there are no independent trade unions in Singapore whose place is taken by a quasi-government organization – NTUC which is always headed by a PAP minister.
Mr Shanmugam said that such an arrangement allows “empowered unionists” to protect the rights of workers:
“You know very often we read in international rankings and reviews that in Singapore, you don’t have unions which fight for workers or we rank low in this, that or the other.
The reality is it all proceeds from misunderstanding because to protect workers rights in a real genuine sense, what you need is empowered unionists.
And for a government to come in and make sure that there is equity between the employers and employees and working together, this is something unique that we have in Singapore and never, never let that go.”
Mr Shanmugam did not elaborate on how unionists will be “empowered” when they are effectively under the control of the government.
NTUC was formed in 1961 following the split in the PAP leadership when 13 MPs left the party to form the opposition Barisan Sosialist.
Under “Operation Coldstore” in 1963, the PAP government and deregistered the seven main trade unions and detained many of their leaders without trial.
When NTUC was formally registered in 1964, it had become the unchallenged trade union in Singapore.
As protests and strikes are illegal in Singapore, workers have no choice but to voice their grievances via NTUC.
When Singapore became the first Asian country to enter a recession last year, Singapore workers took a pay cut to keep the businesses afloat.
Now that the economy has recovered, few companies have increased the wages despite the urging of NTUC and its Secretary-General Lim Swee Say, also a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
The median pay of the lower-income group has stagnated over the last few years caused partly by the influx of cheap foreign labor.
Singapore’s pro-business labor laws do not mandate a minimal wage for their workers and allows bosses to employ foreigners easily after fulfilling a quota for locals.
MM Lee Kuan Yew said recently during a ministerial forum at NUS that he was not concerned about Singapore’s widening income gap so long as jobs are being created for Singaporeans.
Without independent trade unions to represent their interests or an opposition in parliament to fight for their rights, Singapore workers have little choice but to put up with the “tripartite” system promulgated by the ruling party to control the unions.
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janetnt on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 11:05 am
The basic idea is for NTUC is good, as the ‘union’ had the power backing of the government when negotiating with the companies. However like communism, the reality is another matter. Plans and idea are always great, the trick is to enforce them. The NUTC should remain but should be headed by someone else.
btw enough of operation coldstore, every great beginning of a dynasty had its versions of coldstore. Han and Ming for example.
Tri-Talk-Cock on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 11:19 am
A tripartite system was original conceived for the purpose of checks and balance. But what we have in Singapore is the Tripartite that co-operates among the three parties to exploit our workers.
In fact, NTUC is efectively part of the Government. Therefore, what Shanmugam is talking about is not Tripartite but Bipartite.
The NTUC today is no more the NTUC of yesteryears. It has strayed far away from its main role of a true representative of workers to that of a big businessman and a major employer. It more interested in making profits for its various subsidiary companies than focusing fully on the interests of workers. It is more concerned with its own responsibility in managing its business and its own employees than employees in general.
Therefore, NTUC cannot be seen as being the same as other trade unions in other developed countries. It is just like a tiger without teeth, paws and legs.
So, I don’t really understand what Shanmugam is trying to say.
kingfisher on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 11:41 am
Shanmugam as usual is the new doublespeak boy after Lim Swee Sway. How anybody is considered ‘empowered’ when he is controlled by the govt, only Shanmugam knows. That is the kind of propaganda forced on us without any kind of intelligent debate. PAP created NTUC from the split of the original left-wing controlled SATU to isolate the Lim Chin Siong-Fong SS group; and after detaining all their key men, SATU became effectively headless, and was deregistered by the govt thus allowing the NTUC to become the Hobson’s choice for workers. If workers today have a truly free say, they wld want the union to be really free and untethered to the PAP. Something we wld much like for everything else in this country.
David on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 11:55 am
The key factor that brought us out of the downtown is AMERICA’S ECONOMY and has nothing to do with PAP who screamed no solution when global financial crisis hit us. Is his statement another sign that PAP ministers want more bonuses and pay increment in the coming years while many Singaporeans remain jobless. It is another nauseating stunt when they credit themselves in good years and blame Singaporean in bad years. Why hasn’t election been called yet? LHL has no guts in this time of the year.
Can U recommend or not? on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 12:00 pm
Empowered to do what?
Downturn the upturn of Singaporean’s job security and well-being by upturn the downturn of migration influx after the next election?
Robox on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 12:28 pm
Tri-Talk-Cock on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 11:19 am:
Re: “But what we have in Singapore is the Tripartite that co-operates among the three parties to exploit our workers.”
Then, why don’t you support the SDP in its efforts to stop the exploitation of workers?
Not fashionable enough for you, your family and your friends? Or perhaps, you don’t have enough self respect for such an endeavor.
nocityforoldmen on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 12:37 pm
@janetnt
Do you subscribe to Singapore being a dynastic regime which politically motivated imprisonments should be tolerated to remove any potential risk to the leaders ? Liu Bang and Zhu Yuan Zhang eliminated the contributors using their powers as absolute rulers, and it was not done without backlash from their imperial court and the commoners. Singapore was born as a democracy and such operations should have never been allowed by any people serving MPs and the free Singaporeans in the first place
So much for “empowered unionists” when NTUC has demonstrated itself to be so pro-business , and the basic intention of its existence seems more to be regulating the unions and making sure the workers do not make trouble for the big corporations and MNCs.
knnbccb on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 12:53 pm
Whatever Mr Shanmugam’s smoking, it’s definitely very potent. Keep your eyes peeled for this brilliant man; he’s destined for bigger things in the PAP hierarchy.
Singapore’s so-called tripartite labour system is nothing but a sham to screw the workers over. That’s all you need to know.
cy on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 12:54 pm
NTUC is the fox guarding the henhouse
Craps again on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 2:24 pm
Kingfisher
Totally agree with you.
Btw, did you all notice that when the so-called union fought for the SIA pilot’s cause, the head of the union was seated on the same side of the employer-opposite the representatives of the pilots.Was he there to talk for the pilots or against the pilots?Only he will know!!
Vote of Opposition on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 3:47 pm
If you go to Shenton Way and see the NTUC Building, then you will know where this tri-partite labor goes. Does it benefits workers? More liked it benefits government and the big corporations!
You try asking some production workers how is their basic pay compare with the amount 10 years ago?
Robert Mugabe of Singapore on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 4:00 pm
Mr Shanmugam
Please keep the crap to yourself.
We are not kiddies to believe every word you say.
Qusetion :
When was the last time an NTUC chief really fought for Singapore workers’ rights ??
Click the link for the answer :
http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/magazine/2000/0310/nat.singapore.ongiv.html
Tri-Talk-Cock on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 5:31 pm
To: Robox on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 12:28 pm
[ Re: “But what we have in Singapore is the Tripartite that co-operates among the three parties to exploit our workers.”]
[ "Then, why don’t you support the SDP in its efforts to stop the exploitation of workers?
Not fashionable enough for you, your family and your friends? Or perhaps, you don’t have enough self respect for such an endeavor." ]
Interesting and presumptuous.
How do you know whether I have supported the SDP, or for that matter any other Opposition Party, or not?
Must I reveal to the whole world who I support?
And is there a need to attack my personal self respect? Why can’t you focus on the topic and the issue?
If you are a SDP member trying to garner support in this way, you have failed miserably, I am afraid.
Pacman on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 7:45 pm
“empowered unionists.”
You just can’t get any better joke than this.
Just do not understand why he even bothered to say this out.
fpc on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 2:03 am
Talking cock again… this law guy.
I thought the PM said Singapore got because everyone else in Asia got out since it was because when everyone got into trouble, they pulled us in as well?
fpc on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 2:05 am
LKY doesn’t care if jobs created cost more to do and not to do.
Brendan on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 10:10 am
Robox on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 12:28 pm
“Then, why don’t you support the SDP in its efforts to stop the exploitation of workers?”
Yah, your party has been very quiet lately especially after APEC? Why don’t you reveal what’s up with your party?
fair and square on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 1:49 pm
how is NTUC now empowered?
by the new “tripartite”,namely, CHEAPER,BETTER,FASTER!
cheaper: more FTs from INDIA,PRC and others
better : better and better profits for the greedy bosses
faster : like the great Wallstreeters,they would eventually
bring down the companies faster by lining their
own pockets!
hip! hip! hooray!!!