NTUC should align with Singaporeans, not the PAP: Gerald Giam

SINGAPORE: During the Parliamentary debate on the Platform Workers Bill on Tuesday (10 Sept), Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon once again targeted Workers’ Party (WP) MP Gerald Giam for his call for the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to maintain independence and remain non-partisan from the People’s Action Party (PAP). SMS Koh defended the symbiotic relationship between the PAP and NTUC as a foundation for Singapore's tripartism. He warns that WP, by advocating for the independence of unions from political parties, would destroy the productive relationship that underpins tripartism. "The Tripartism that we have in Singapore today which many other countries want to emulate, only exists because of the close relationship and the mutual respect between the PAP and the NTUC. You dismantle this and everything falls apart." In response, Mr Giam disputed SMS Koh's earlier claim that if WP were in power, they would not form any relationships with unions. He emphasized that WP supports collaboration with unions, as it is crucial for any government to work with unions and employers for the benefit of workers and the economy. Mr Giam argued that untethering NTUC from the PAP would make unions stronger and more independent in advocating for workers’ rights without being subordinated to the government. Mr Giam outlined WP's vision for independent unions that engage in tripartite dialogue with the government and employers to achieve win-win outcomes, without full confrontation or full subordination to the government. Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, also weighed in on the debate, rejecting the idea that the PAP-NTUC symbiotic relationship prevents unions from speaking up, citing examples of NTUC pushing for policies, such as the Job Support Scheme, even when the government initially resisted. SMS Koh clarified that Singapore has not ratified this convention because of its requirement for the registration of unions to prevent "yellow unions" (those acting on behalf of employers) and to ensure union officers maintain trustworthiness. He also highlighted the importance of trust in the tripartite system and questioned whether WP’s approach implied a transactional relationship with unions rather than a mutually beneficial one. Mr Giam emphasised that WP seeks a middle ground, where unions maintain independence but still collaborate with the government and employers. “I think the SMS is having difficulty seeing anything between the full dichotomy of full symbiosis and full confrontation with unions. " "We are calling for a third way, which is independent unions with tripartite dialogue to work towards achieving win-win outcomes for both workers and employers.”