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Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
NTUC to push for more business transformation and workforce training: Ng Chee Meng at May Day Rally
Labour chief Ng Chee Ming speaking at the May Day Rally 2025 at Downtown East on May 1. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH NTUC to push for more business transformation and workforce training: Ng Chee Meng at May Day Rally SINGAPORE - Workers looking for jobs in the future can look forward to getting help from the labour movement's virtual career coaches and a stronger hiring network. These moves will help workers chart their career goals, training pathways, enhance their resumes and prepare for interviews, labour chief Ng Chee Meng said in his May Day Rally speech on May 1. These enhanced services for workers come as the National Trades Union Congress seeks to refresh its Job Security Council. A Job Security Directorate has been set up to coordinate and drive the push for more business transformation and workforce training, with closer collaborations with the Government, employers and organisations such as the Institute for Human Resource Professionals. The Job Security Council was formed during the Covid-19 pandemic to help displaced workers in aviation and other sectors move quickly into other jobs, said Mr Ng, who is NTUC secretary-general. More than 110,000 workers, including professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), were placed from February 2020 to November 2024. Mr Ng also announced that NTUC will be strengthening its company training committees (CTCs) to form cluster CTCs so that workers can be trained at the industry cluster level. The CTC Grant, which encourages businesses to conduct more employer-led training, will now drive transformation at the industry level. Mr Ng said the first cluster CTC was formed earlier in 2025 with ST Engineering Land Systems and SkillsFuture Singapore, and the partnership is expected to upskill over 1,000 workers across 40 small and medium-sized enterprises. Turning to the economy, Mr Ng said: 'The US tariffs have caused much anxiety and volatility.' 'The rules-based world order – in trade, and in security – is fraying. Our economy will be impacted,' he noted, adding that the 2025 growth forecast has been revised downwards to zero per cent to 2 per cent. He said that unemployment rates have already edged up in the first quarter of 2025, with trade volumes likely to drop. 'Our businesses, jobs will be hit,' he warned. Mr Ng, who is part of the national task force set up in April to help affected businesses and workers navigate the uncertainties sparked by the tariffs, reiterated NTUC's commitment to advancing workers' interests and enabling them to seize new opportunities in a changed world. In his speech at the rally held at Downtown East, he cited platform workers as an example of a 'significant breakthrough', where their interests are now better protected and represented. Under the new Platform Workers Act, which was passed in September 2024, platform workers have been designated as a distinct legal category in between employees and the self-employed. This means cabbies, ride-hailing drivers and freelance delivery workers now have better legal protection. 'Today, our vulnerable platform workers have CPF contributions, workplace injury compensation and the right to be represented by our platform work associations – National Taxi Association, National Private Hire Vehicles Association and National Delivery Champions Association,' he said. Mr Ng added that the associations have obtained official recognition from major players like CDG Zig, Grab and Tada. Amid the rising cost of living, Mr Ng pointed out that the Progressive Wage Model has helped lower-wage workers' real wages rise by close to 6 per cent from 2019 to 2024. Overall, he noted, 155,000 lower-wage workers have been impacted. Income inequality in Singapore is at its lowest since records started in 2000. On a personal note, the labour chief, who joined NTUC as deputy secretary-general in April 2018 and was elected as secretary-general a month later, said that his NTUC journey has taught him what it means to never give up. He said: 'In 2020, I felt that I had let all of you down.' 'Dealing with that setback has been humbling. But it has also taught me many good lessons. It is not our losses that define us. It is how we continue to press on and do our utmost that counts.' Mr Ng led the PAP team that lost to the Workers' Party in Sengkang GRC at the 2020 General Election. He is up against WP newcomer Andre Low in Jalan Kayu SMC in the 2025 General Election. 'This year's May Day is a little bit different for me. For the last 45 days or so, I think I have only been home for dinner twice, and I have lost about 4kg.' But every second of it has been worth it, he said, adding that it is for the 'larger purpose of serving fellow Singaporeans and workers of all collars'. Moving forward, Mr Ng urged union leaders to focus on efforts to deliver on NTUC's compact with workers for young people, PMEs, caregivers, senior workers and vulnerable workers. 'In the most uncertain world, let us continue to be strong to fight – for the good of our workers, our economy and Singapore.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
NTUC to push for more business transformation and workforce training: Ng Chee Meng in May Day Rally
Labour chief Ng Chee Ming speaking at the May Day Rally 2025 at Downtown East on May 1. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH NTUC to push for more business transformation and workforce training: Ng Chee Meng in May Day Rally SINGAPORE - Workers looking for jobs in the future can look forward to getting help from the labour movement's virtual career coaches and a stronger hiring network. These moves will help workers chart their career goals, training pathways, enhance their resumes and prepare for interviews, said labour chief Ng Chee Meng in his May Day Rally speech. These enhanced services for workers come on the back of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) refreshing its Job Security Council to a Job Security Directorate to push for more business transformation and workforce training. The Job Security Council was formed during the Covid-19 pandemic to help displaced workers in aviation and other sectors move quickly into other jobs, said Mr Ng, who is NTUC secretary-general. Over 110,000 workers, including PMEs, have been placed from February 2020 to November 2024. He also announced that the NTUC will be strengthening its Company Training Committee (CTCs) to form Cluster CTCs so that workers can be trained at the industry cluster level. The move will see closer collaborations with the Government, employers and organisations such as the Institute for Human Resource Professionals. The CTC Grant, which encourages businesses to conduct more employer-led training, will now drive transformation at the industry level. Mr Ng said that the first Cluster CTC was formed earlier in 2025 with ST Engineering Land Systems and SkillsFuture Singapore, and the partnership is expected to upskill over 1,000 workers across 40 small and medium enterprises. Turning to the economy, Mr Ng said: 'The US tariffs have caused much anxiety and volatility.' 'The rules-based world order – in trade, and in security – is fraying. Our economy will be impacted,' he said, adding that the 2025 growth forecast has been revised downwards to 0 to 2 per cent. He noted that unemployment rates have already edged up in the first quarter of 2025, with trade volumes likely to drop. 'Our businesses, jobs will be hit,' he warned. Mr Ng, who is part of the national task force set up in April to help affected businesses and workers navigate the uncertainties sparked by US tariffs, reiterated NTUC's commitment to advance workers' interests and enable them to seize new opportunities in a changed world. I n his speech, Mr Ng cited platform workers as an example of a 'significant breakthrough' where workers' interests are now better protected and represented. Under the new Platform Workers Act, which was passed in September 2024, platform workers have been designated as a distinct legal category in between employees and the self-employed. This means cabbies, ride-hailing drivers and freelance delivery workers now have better legal protection. 'Today, our vulnerable platform workers have CPF contributions, workplace injury compensation and the right to be represented by our Platform Work Associations – National Taxi Association, National Private Hire Vehicles Association and National Delivery Champions Association,' he said. He added the associations have obtained official recognition from major players like CDG Zig, Grab and TADA. Amid the rising cost of living, Mr Ng pointed out that the Progressive Wage Model has helped lower-wage workers' real wages rise by close to 6 per cent from 2019 to 2024. Overall, he noted, 155,000 lower-wage workers have been impacted. Income inequality in Singapore is at a record low since 2000. On a personal note, the labour chief , who joined NTUC as deputy secretary-general in April 2018 and was elected as secretary-general a month later, said that his NTUC journey has taught him what it means to never give up. He said: 'In 2020, I felt that I had let all of you down.' 'Dealing with that setback has been humbling. But it has also taught me many good lessons. It is not our losses that define us. It is how we continue to press on and do our utmost that counts.' Mr Ng led the PAP team that lost to the Workers' Party in Sengkang GRC at the 2020 General Election. He is up against Workers' Party newcomer Andre Low in Jalan Kayu SMC in the 2025 General Election. 'This year's May Day is a little bit different for me. For the last 45 days or so, I think I've only been home for dinner twice and I've lost about four kilograms.' But every second of it has been worth it, he said, adding it is for the 'larger purpose of serving fellow Singaporeans and workers of all collars'. Moving forward, he urged union leaders to focus on efforts to deliver on NTUC's workers' compact for the youths, PMEs, caregivers, senior workers and vulnerable workers. 'In the most uncertain world, let us continue to be strong to fight – for the good of our workers, our economy and Singapore.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Business Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Times
ERA partners NTUC to strengthen real estate agents' welfare and upskilling
[SINGAPORE] Real estate company ERA on Tuesday (Apr 22) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union (SISEU) to help its agents upskill. SISEU is an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). Under the agreement, which was inked at the consultancy's Asia Pacific Business Conference, ERA will provide NTUC membership to its corporate services employees and access to the union's workplace and welfare benefits. These include training grants such as the Union Training Assistance Programme. ERA employees and sales representatives will also benefit from improved workplace support, access to professional development courses and discounted healthcare services, among other perks. Additionally, both the real estate company and SISEU will collaborate to 'transform businesses and jobs' under the Company Training Committee (CTC) initiative, said Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Desmond Tan. The initiative aims to redesign jobs to raise productivity and worker efficiency, encourage the adoption of new technologies and upskill ERA's workforce amid industry transformation. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong previously announced a S$200 million top-up of the CTC Grant to support companies on their transformation efforts, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and sustainability practices. 'The CTC formed between ERA and SISEU will support our goal to equip employees with the skills and knowledge to work alongside AI,' said Tan, who is also NTUC's deputy secretary-general. On the technology front, ERA launched two platforms to help agents better analyse and present market data. Agents can now transform raw data into real-time strategic insights, analyse trends by region or district, and create polished, data-driven presentations within minutes, said the consultancy. ERA also noted that the partnership with NTUC and SISEU will help agents gain critical skills to navigate a 'rapidly evolving real estate landscape'. Buyer sentiment holds firm despite macro cloud Trade tariffs and worsening economic conditions have resulted in 'a lot of uncertainty', but ERA Singapore's chief executive Marcus Chu believes that the residential market is expected to remain resilient. 'What we are seeing in the short term is largely a knee-jerk effect. I think the market is able to cushion the shocks, should there be any,' Chu told The Business Times on the sidelines of the conference, which drew more than 2,000 representatives. 'We have a very mature residential estate market and plenty of cooling measures, so there's a lot of room to unwind. I think our government has always taken a pragmatic approach to managing the market.' He added that Singapore continues to be viewed as a 'safe haven', with residential assets seen as offering potential capital appreciation. In the early days, people see buying homes as a means of putting a roof over their heads, he said, noting that he now observes more young buyers – who have higher earnings – viewing residential assets as a hedge against inflation. Looking ahead, Chu noted that buyer sentiment among Singaporeans remains bullish in the medium to long term, though their investment horizon may extend, with growth expected to continue at a more moderate pace. He also said that more buyers are looking at condominiums as there are more options in the market amid a rise in launches. Notable launches over the past several months include Chuan Park, which saw some 76 per cent of its 916 units being sold on launch weekend in November at an average price of S$2,579 per square foot (psf). Emerald of Katong sold nearly 99 per cent of its units during its launch at S$2,621 psf, and Parktown Residence recorded sales of more than 1,000 units – a feat last achieved by High Park Residences in 2015.
