S'pore playing to win and next 2 years will not be any
less challenging: NTUC
SINGAPORE: Singapore's labour movement is playing to win
and the next two years will not be any less challenging.
That's the view of the labour movement's chief Lim Swee
Say who has called on workers and employers to play their part in
making the economy and workforce cheaper, better and faster. He was
speaking at the 3-day ordinary delegates conference.
The challenges facing Singapore's labour movement are varied as the
battle against the global recession is still on.
But for the labour chief there was no better way then to put the
key messages across to the unionists in his usual candid
form.
Mr Lim said: "We are now upturning the downturn. As we move
forward, let us go on the offensive. So let us move towards a
cheaper, better, faster Singapore economy."
Mr Lim said that to be cheaper Singapore must improve its
productivity. And that means producing better quality products and
services in a more cost effective manner while being better meant
nurturing new markets and broadening capabilities.
He added: "For those who start to neglect training, it will be
another downturn for them and this downturn won't be a global
downturn but an enterprise downturn. So from the viewpoint of the
labour movement we hope that all industries will go through this
process of transformation.
“Achieving the vision of a cheaper, better, faster economy powered
by an all-inclusive workforce will not be easy. Strong and
effective tripartism has been our unique advantage enabling us to
sustain healthy economic growth with full employment for most of
the past 30 years.
“Going forward to be even more pro-business and pro-worker, the
role of tripartism will be even more critical. We must therefore
further broaden our reach and deepen our trust in
tripartism."
Mr Lim added that once the new continuing education and training
centres are completed, they can respond faster to start new courses
to cater to the evolving new economy.
- CNA/vm
