For a better
future of work.
For a brighter
Singapore.
We are at a crossroads in our nation’s journey. The world around us and our own society have changed.
- Job volatility, displacement and skills obsolescence
- Growing gig economy and jobs with poor prospects
- Bigger caregiving needs with shrinking family sizes
- Continued tensions over foreign manpower in an open and globally connected economy
Against this backdrop, it is timely for us to refresh our workers’ compact. That’s the reason we spoke to you and listened to what matters most to you. So we could create the future of work together. And now we have, with our new Workers’ Compact. Find out more about what we have done in the renewed Workers’ Compact through my letter to you, the working people of Singapore.
Labour Chief’s Letter to the
Working People of Singapore
Dear Workers,
We set out to engage 20,000 people in this year-long exercise. Within 10 months, our NTUC #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations team, mostly staffed by volunteers, achieved more than double of that. Through engaging over 20,000 face-to-face and nearly 22,000 through surveys, we renewed ties, forged new relationships, and gained fresh insights on needs and wants across our workforce.
Thank you for sharing with us your worries and dreams in each of your life stages.
To every youth,
We hear your anxieties in navigating the transition from school to work. This is why we believe that every youth should be empowered to make well-informed decisions to maximise your potential and will advocate for workplaces that meet your needs.
To every mid-career individual,
We hear your worries about job security and relevance at the workplace amidst a rapidly changing work environment. This is why we believe that you should be equipped to transition to more resilient career pathways and that you should be supported in your pursuit of deep skills and lifelong learning.
To every caregiver, especially women,
We hear your concerns about having insufficient support in managing your caregiving and work responsibilities. This is why we believe that flexible work arrangements and caregiving leave should not be the exception but the norm.
To every older worker,
We hear your challenge of not having enough for retirement and falling short on opportunities for work. This is why we believe that older workers should have fair employment and training opportunities, and that workers who have consistently been in employment should have basic retirement adequacy.
To every worker who feels left behind,
We hear your fears about falling through the cracks in a fast-paced society like Singapore. This is why we believe that essential workers should be recognised, respected and rewarded, and that freelancers and self-employed persons should have stronger representation for better protection and prospects.
Our renewed Workers’ Compact underscores our commitment as the Labour Movement that stands by all working people in Singapore, from the nation’s founding years into the future.
This exercise could only have been made possible because of your participation. But we are not stopping here. Through the #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations process, the seeds of many ideas were sown.
To each and every one who took part in this conversation, we want to say thank you.
Thank you for generously giving us your time and lending your voice.
Thank you for candidly sharing your thoughts and ideas with us.
Thank you for journeying with us as we take action together to co-create solutions for a better future because #EveryWorkerMatters.
Yours sincerely,
Ng Chee Meng
NTUC Secretary-General