The Lien Fellow Speaker Series: Tripartism in Singapore

中文

On May 20, 2024, the Lien Fellows Speaker Series welcomed Mr Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), as its distinguished speaker. Launched in 2014, this series provides a platform for Lien Fellows to share their experiences and insights on public policy with alumni, the public, and students.

The event took place at Gaia, the university’s new landmark building. Mr Tan highlighted the critical role of tripartism in Singapore, a collaborative model that has underpinned the nation’s economic and social success for the past six decades. The event was moderated by Dr Ang Hak Seng, Adjunct Professor and Member of the Academic Board at Nanyang Centre for Public Administration, and attracted a diverse audience, including students and researchers from Nanyang Technological University and international delegates from Thailand and Kazakhstan.

In his speech, Mr Tan detailed the partnership among the NTUC, the Ministry of Manpower, and the Singapore National Employers Federation. This tripartite alliance has fostered a synergistic environment benefiting workers, businesses, and the nation, promoting industrial harmony and a stable investment climate. He highlighted NTUC’s proactive initiatives, including the Training and Placement ecosystem and the Company Training Committees (CTCs), which are crucial for job redesign and skills upgrading. These efforts aim to build a resilient workforce, ensuring that various groups, including youths, professionals, managers, executives (PMEs), and platform workers, are well-prepared to meet future challenges.

During the interactive session, Mr Tan and the audience explored the impact of technological disruption, an aging population, and income inequality on tripartism. He analyzed the pros and cons of hiring foreign workers, emphasized NTUC’s vital role in fair representation and dispute resolution, and explained how government educational grants and guidelines shape business behavior.

The event left a lasting impression on attendees, deepening their understanding of the dynamics influencing Singapore’s labor landscape and underscoring the importance of collaboration and adaptation in addressing future challenges.