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National Trades Union Congress

{{Short description|Singaporean national trade union centre}}

{{distinguish|text=NTUC FairPrice, a supermarket chain owned by NTUC}}

{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}

{{Infobox union

|name = National Trades Union Congress

|abbreviation = NTUC

|location_country= Singapore

|affiliation = ITUC and PAP

|members = {{steady}} 1 million (2021)

|native_name = {{langx|ms|Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Kebangsaan}}
{{lang-zh|全国职工总会}}
{{langx|ta|தேசிய தொழிற்சங்க காங்கிரஸ்}}

|image = National Trades Union Congress logo.svg

|founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1961|9|6}}

|dissolved =

|merged =

|headquarters = 1 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018989

|key_people = K. Thanaletchimi, President
Ng Chee Meng, Secretary-General

|website = [http://www.ntuc.org.sg/ www.ntuc.org.sg]

|footnotes =

}}

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), also known as the Singapore National Trades Union Congress (SNTUC) internationally, is the sole national trade union centre in Singapore. NTUC leads the labour movement of Singapore, comprising 59 affiliated trade unions, 5 affiliated trade associations, 6 social enterprises, 6 related organisations and other enterprise partners.

The NTUC helms May Day celebrations and organises an annual rally in support of workers' solidarity and commitment to a tripartite partnership. Since its inception, the NTUC has had a close symbiotic relationship with the People's Action Party (PAP), the current ruling political party of the country.{{Cite web |last=Seow |first=Joanna |date=2017-11-19 |title=Crucial to build on symbiotic relationship between PAP and NTUC: PM Lee {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/unionists-and-pap-activists-can-build-on-symbiotic-relationship-union-leader |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=The Straits Times |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-11-25 |title=Will closer ties between PAP and NTUC really be good for Singapore? |url=https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/will-closer-ties-between-pap-and-ntuc-really-be-good-singapore |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=TODAY |language=en}}

History

The NTUC was first established in 1961 when the Singapore Trades Union Congress (STUC), which had backed the People's Action Party (PAP) in its successful drive for self-government back in 1959, split into the pro-PAP NTUC and the non-affiliated and more leftist Singapore Association of Trade Unions (SATU). The SATU collapsed in 1963, following the now PAP-led government's crackdown and detention of its leaders during Operation Coldstore and its subsequent official deregistration on 13 November 1963, leaving the NTUC as the sole trade union centre.{{cite web |url=http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1237_2008-11-30.html |title=Singapore Association of Trade Unions |access-date=2009-09-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401154609/http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1237_2008-11-30.html |archive-date=1 April 2009 |df=dmy-all }} Currently, an overwhelming majority of union members (over 98%) are in unions affiliated with the NTUC.

After the PAP's decisive general election victory in 1968 where it won all seats in Parliament, the government passed the [https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Bills-Supp/25-1968/Published/19680713?DocDate=19680713 Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act of 1968], which made a significant amendment to the legislated [https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/IRA1960 Industrial Relations Act of 1960] by severely limiting workers rights to engage in either direct collective bargaining with employers, industrial action or strike action.{{cite book |author1=Thomas Kochan |author2=Russell Lansbury |author3=Anil Verma |author1-link=Thomas Anton Kochan |title=Employment relations in the growing Asian economies |date=14 September 1995 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=9780415125840 |pages=64 |edition=Reprinted |url=https://www.routledge.com/Employment-Relations-in-the-Growing-Asian-Economies/Kochan-Lansbury-Verma/p/book/9780415125840 |access-date=10 September 2024}} From 1969, the NTUC adopted, in its own words, "a cooperative, rather than a confrontational policy towards employers".{{cite web |last1=Seow |first1=Joanna Seow |title=Unions' shift to collaborative approach 50 years ago changed course of Singapore's history: President Halimah |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/unions-shift-to-collaborative-approach-50-years-ago-changed-the-course-of-singapores |website=The Straits Times |access-date=10 September 2024 |language=en |date=4 July 2019}} The NTUC reached its target of 1 million members in 2021.{{cite web |last1=Tan |first1=Sue-Ann |title=NTUC membership surpasses 1 million, growth spurred by changes in membership model, training initiatives |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/ntuc-membership-surpasses-1-million-growth-spurred-by-changes-in-membership-model |website=The Straits Times |access-date=6 January 2022 |date=16 November 2021}}

=Relationship with the People's Action Party (PAP)=

The PAP has governed Singapore since its general election victory in 1959. Since the NTUC's inception, relations between the PAP and NTUC are very close, and have often resulted in members concurrently holding office in both organisations. The NTUC's founder, Devan Nair, was a PAP stalwart and later served as President of Singapore. Ong Teng Cheong, the first elected President of Singapore, concurrently served as the secretary-general of NTUC and the country's deputy prime minister until his presidential election. Lim Boon Heng and Lim Swee Say, the previous secretaries-general, also became cabinet ministers. In 2015, Chan Chun Sing took over as Secretary-General from Lim Swee Say, who left the NTUC to become Minister for Manpower.{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/labour-chief-lim-swee-say-to-be-manpower-minister-chan-chun-sing-to-be-new-labour-chief|title=Labour chief Lim Swee Say to be Manpower Minister; Chan Chun Sing to be new labour chief|date=8 April 2015|website=The Straits Times}} In 2018, Ng Chee Meng took over as Secretary-General from Chan Chun Sing, who left NTUC to become Minister of Trade and Industry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/ntuc-ng-chee-meng-secretary-general-chan-chun-sing-10257504|title=Ng Chee Meng elected NTUC secretary-general|website=Channel NewsAsia|language=en|access-date=2019-01-02}} Ng remained in this post even after he lost his parliamentary seat at the 2020 general election.{{cite web |last1=Seow |first1=Joanna Seow |title=NTUC reaffirms support for Ng Chee Meng to stay on as labour chief after Sengkang election loss |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/ntuc-reaffirms-support-for-ng-chee-meng-to-stay-on-as-labour-chief-despite-election-loss |website=The Straits Times |access-date=10 September 2024 |language=en |date=14 July 2020}} Ng subsequently regained his parliamentary seat in the 2025 general election.{{Cite news |date=2025-05-04 |title=GE2025: PAP’s Ng Chee Meng wins Jalan Kayu with 51.47% of votes against WP candidate Andre Low |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/ge-2025-paps-ng-chee-meng-wins-jalan-kayu-with-51-47-of-votes-against-wp-candidate-andre-low |access-date=2025-05-29 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}{{Cite web |title=GE2025: PAP’s Ng Chee Meng takes Jalan Kayu SMC, beating WP’s Andre Low by a slim margin |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ge2025-ng-chee-meng-jalan-kayu-smc-wp-andre-low-5106991 |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=CNA |language=en}}

==Reception==

In 2024, the NTUC was designated as a "politically significant person" (PSP) under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 (FICA) by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore) (MHA) due to its "close nexus and symbiotic relationship" with the PAP.{{cite web |last1=Chong Ming |first1=Lee |last2=Ng |first2=Abigail |title=NTUC set to be designated 'politically significant person' under foreign interference law given close, symbiotic PAP links |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ntuc-labour-movement-fica-politically-significant-person-pap-close-links-4472076 |website=CNA |access-date=10 September 2024 |language=en |date=11 July 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Ming Chong |first1=Lee |title=NTUC designated 'politically significant person' under Singapore's foreign interference law |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ntuc-labour-movement-fica-politically-significant-person-designated-pap-close-links-4506656 |website=CNA |access-date=10 September 2024 |language=en |date=26 July 2024}} This close relationship has not come without criticism, with other political parties such as the Workers' Party (WP) viewing that the lack of a non-partisan and independent trade union centre in Singapore as being detrimental for the labour movement and workers rights in the country.{{cite web |last1=Yan Han |first1=Goh |title=PAP and WP MPs clash over ruling party’s close ties with NTUC |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/pap-and-wp-mps-clash-over-ruling-party-s-close-ties-with-ntuc |website=The Straits Times |access-date=10 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909193704/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/pap-and-wp-mps-clash-over-ruling-party-s-close-ties-with-ntuc |archive-date=9 September 2024 |language=en |date=9 September 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Tham |first1=Davina |title=PAP, WP MPs clash over independence of NTUC that is 'symbiotic' with ruling party |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/pap-workers-party-mps-ntuc-symbiotic-relationship-independence-4596486 |website=CNA |access-date=10 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909152335/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/pap-workers-party-mps-ntuc-symbiotic-relationship-independence-4596486 |archive-date=9 September 2024 |language=en |date=9 September 2024}}

List of office holders

= NTUC President =

Prior to NTUC's formation in 1961, Mahmud Awang, President of the Singapore Trades Union Congress (STUC) disbanded STUC to form NTUC, helming it as the caretaker president, before Ho See Beng became NTUC's first president.

class="wikitable"

!In Office

!President

1961 — 1966

|Ho See Beng

1967 — 1970

|Peter Vincent

1970 — 1979

|Phey Yew Kok

1979 — 1981

|Devan Nair

1981 — 1985

|Peter Vincent

1985 — 1986

|George Chua

1986 — 1997

|Oscar Oliverio

1997 — 2011

|John De Payva

2011 — 2015

|Diana Chia

2015 — 2023

|Mary Liew Kiah Eng

2023 —

|K. Thanaletchimi

= NTUC Secretary-General =

class="wikitable"

!In Office

!Secretary-General

1961 — 1965

|Devan Nair

1965 — 1966

|Steve Nagayan

1966 — 1967

|Ho See Beng

1967 — 1970

|Seah Mui Kok

1970 — 1979

|Devan Nair

1979 — 1983

|Lim Chee Onn

1983 — 1993

|Ong Teng Cheong

1993 — 2006

|Lim Boon Heng

2006 — 2015

|Lim Swee Say

2015 — 2018

|Chan Chun Sing

2018 —

|Ng Chee Meng

NTUC Affiliated Unions and Associations

58 Trade Unions and 3 Trade Associations are affiliated to the National Trades Union Congress.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ntuc.org.sg/wps/portal/up2/home/aboutntuc/whoweare/organisationdirectory|title=Organisation Directory|website=NTUC}} The affiliated unions can be broadly categorised under Industrial Sector, Service Sector, Public Sector Unions and Omnibus Unions.

= Industrial Sector Unions =

  1. Advanced Manufacturing Employees' Union (AMEU)
  2. Built Environment and Urban Trades Employees' Union (BATU)
  3. Chemical Industries Employees' Union (CIEU)
  4. ExxonMobil Singapore Employees Union (EMSEU)
  5. Keppel Employees Union (KEU)
  6. Keppel FELS Employees' Union (KFEU)
  7. NatSteel Employees' Union (NEU)
  8. Supply Chain Employees' Union (SCEU)
  9. Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Employees' Union (SMEEU)
  10. Singapore Refining Company Employees' Union (SRCEU)
  11. Singapore Shell Employees' Union (SSEU-Shell)
  12. United Workers of Electronics & Electrical Industries (UWEEI)
  13. United Workers of Petroleum Industry (UWPI)

= Service Sector Unions =

  1. Air Transport Executive Staff Union (AESU)
  2. Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union (AREU)
  3. Banking and Financial Services Union (BFSU)
  4. Creative Media and Publishing Union (CMPU)
  5. DBS Staff Union (DBSSU)
  6. DNATA Singapore Staff Union (DSSU)
  7. Education Services Union (ESU)
  8. Food Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU)
  9. Healthcare Services Employees' Union (HSEU)
  10. National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU)
  11. Port Officers' Union (POU)
  12. Reuters Local Employees' Union, Singapore (RLEU)
  13. Singapore Airport Terminal Services Workers' Union (SATSWU)
  14. Singapore Bank Employees' Union (SBEU)
  15. SIA Engineering Company Engineers and Executives Union (SEEU)
  16. Singapore Airlines Staff Union (SIASU)
  17. Singapore Insurance Employees' Union (SIEU)
  18. Singapore Maritime Officers' Union (SMOU)
  19. Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS)
  20. Singapore Port Workers Union (SPWU)
  21. ST Engineering Staff Union (STESU)
  22. Scoot Staff Union (STSU)
  23. Singapore Union of Broadcasting Employees (SUBE)
  24. Staff Union of NTUC-ARU (SUN)
  25. Times Publishing Group Employees' Union (TPGEU)
  26. Union of Power and Gas Employees (UPAGE)
  27. Union of Security Employees (USE)
  28. Union of Tripartite Alliance (UTAL)
  29. Union of Telecoms Employees of Singapore (UTES)

= Public Sector Unions =

  1. Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE)
  2. Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees (AUSBE)
  3. Enterprise Singapore Staff Union (ESSU)
  4. Housing and Development Board Staff Union (HDBSU)
  5. Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Staff Union (IRASSU)
  6. Ngee Ann Polytechnic Academic Staff Union (NPASU)
  7. Public Utilities Board Employees' Union (PUBEU)
  8. Singapore Chinese Teachers' Union (SCTU)
  9. Singapore Interpreters' and Translators' Union (SITU)
  10. Singapore Malay Teachers' Union (SMTU)
  11. Singapore Tamil Teachers' Union (STTU)
  12. Singapore Teachers' Union (STU)
  13. Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority Workers' Union (SURAWU)
  14. Union of ITE Training Staff (UITS)

= Omnibus Unions =

  1. Singapore Industrial & Services Employees' Union (SISEU)
  2. The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union (SMMWU)

= Associations =

  1. National Taxi Association (NTA)
  2. National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA)
  3. National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA)
  4. National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA)
  5. Singapore FinTech Association (SFA)
  6. Tech Talent Assembly (TTAB)
  7. Visual, Audio, Creative Content Professional Association (VICPA)

NTUC Social Enterprises

NTUC Enterprise is the holding entity and single largest shareholder of the NTUC social enterprises.

The list of social enterprises includes:{{Cite web|url=https://www.ntucenterprise.sg/ntuc-enterprise-review2023/|title=NTUC Enterprise|website=NTUC Enterprise}}

Related organisations

The list of related organizations includes:

  • Singapore Labour Foundation (SLF)
  • Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute (OTCi)
  • Employment & Employability Institute (e2i)
  • Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE)
  • Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE)
  • Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC)

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

Sources

  • {{cite book

| year = 2005

| title = Trade Unions of the World

| editor = ICTUR

| editor-link = International Centre for Trade Union Rights

| edition = 6th

| publisher = John Harper Publishing

| location = London, UK

| isbn = 0-9543811-5-7

|display-editors=etal}}

  • {{cite news | author = NTUC | title = NTUC Union Membership Core Benefits | url = http://www.ntuc.org.sg/members/signup/core_benefits.asp | publisher = NTUC | date = 4 September 2007}}

External links

  • [https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/IRA1960 Industrial Relations Act 1960], Statutes of the Republic of Singapore
  • [https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Bills-Supp/25-1968/Published/19680713?DocDate=19680713 Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 1968], Statutes of the Republic of Singapore

{{Portalbar|Singapore|Organized labour}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Labour movement in Singapore

Category:Trade unions in Singapore

Category:National federations of trade unions

Category:ICFTU Asia and Pacific Regional Organisation

Category:Trade unions established in 1961

Category:1961 establishments in Singapore