NTUC Online : Speeches

25-07-09 - Speech by Mdm Halimah Yacob, Deputy Secretary General of NTUC and Directors of the NTUC Women's Development Secretariat at the NTUC Public Forum and Health Fair held on Saturday 25 July 2009 at 10 am the NTUC Auditorium

I want to first of all welcome everyone to this public forum and health fair organized by the NTUC Women�s Development Secretariat. The huge turnout on a Saturday morning clearly shows that health is a matter of great importance to everyone, particularly our women. This is to be expected as we are a rapidly ageing population and, with advances in medical technology, can expect to live even longer. But living longer alone is not the challenge. If we live longer but are ill most of the time, then we will not enjoy a good quality of life. So, we need to live a healthy life and this requires very simple steps such as exercising regularly and eating healthily.

25-07-09 - Speech by NTUC DSG Heng Chee How at the NTUC GB Scholarship Award and Educational Grants 2009 held on Saturday 25 July 2009 at 10.30 am the Orchid Country Club

This year, with the support of U Care Bursary/Scholarship TOP-UP scheme, NTUC General Branch (GB) Scholarship Award and Educational Grant will benefit 422 more children of our members. We are presenting 1,419 awards, the highest number of awards and grants ever distributed since our inception in 1996. Last year, we gave out 997 awards. Ranging from $100 to $1,000, we are giving out $213,500 for both scholarship and grants awards today. My heartiest congratulations to our Award recipients.

	19-07-09 - SISEU Scholarship, Bursary & Progress Awards Presentation Ceremony 2009 on 19th July 2009, Sunday, at D�Marquee, Downtown East
	Thank you all for attending our SISEU Scholarship, Bursary and Progress Awards Presentation Ceremony 2009. This is an extraordinary year, one where Singapore is currently going through the worst global financial crises in history. Many Singaporeans are not spared, including some of you who are here with us today.

	26-06-09 - Speech by Mdm Halimah Yacob, Deputy Secretary General & Director of the NTUC Women's Development Secretariat at the launch of 'The Little Ones @ Work' Programme at DBS on 26 June 2009 at 10.00 am
	Little Ones @ Work brings 1,200 children to work. The purpose of this programme is to help managers and co-workers identify with the children and employees as parents. It is part of a broader work life balance strategy that NTUC WDS is promoting to achieve win win outcomes where companies can have a more productive workforce and workers develop a greater sense of job and personal satisfaction.

	12-06-09 - Speech by NTUC President John De Payva at the 98th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, 12 June 2009, 10.05 a.m.
	We congratulate the Director-General of the ILO on his excellent Report, Tackling the global jobs crisis: Recovery through decent work policies, which details what the world needs to do collectively to get out of the global recession and ensure that the future global economy moves towards a fairer globalization that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

05-06-09 - Speech by Mr Heng Chee How, NTUC Deputy Secretary-General, at the 27th FDAWU/NTUC/SHA Seminar Cum "Employee Of The Year" Awards Presentation Ceremony held at ParkRoyal on Beach Road Singapore, 5 June 2009 at 3pm

I watched an Indiana Jones movie many years ago. Indiana Jones was pursued by the villains. He ran through a crowded market place. All of a sudden, a large guy blocked his way. The man was waving a big sword in a most impressive kung-fu style and was closing in fast. There was no escape for Jones. At that crucial moment, Jones whipped out a gun, aimed it at the villain and fired. Bang! And the fight was over. Jones 1. Bad guy 0. It was quite a funny scene.

29-04-09 - Opening address by President John De Payva, National Trades Union Congress at the May Day Dinner on 29 April 2009

Tonight, we kick off our May Day Celebrations for 2009. What is there to celebrate, you might wonder? We are in the midst of our deepest recession since independence, and many say since The Great Depression of the 1930s. The World Bank�s latest forecast is for the world economy to shrink by 1.7%, the first decline in world output since World War II. In Singapore, we are looking at an economic contraction of 6% to 9% this year.

	26-04-09 - Opening address by Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Co-Chairman, Migrant Workers Forum at the launch of the Migrant Workers Centre and the Migrant Workers Carnival on 26 April 2009, 7 pm
	Thank you for being here to witness the launch of the Migrant Workers Centre, an initiative of the National Trade Unions Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation. For all the foreign workers in the audience, I hope you have enjoyed the programme so far.

	28-03-09 - Welcome address by Mr John De Payva, Secretary-General, The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union, and President, National Trades Union congress, at the SMMWU 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, held at the Suntec City Convention Centre, Hall 603, on 28 March 2009, Saturday, 7.00 pm
	The founder of Ford Motor Company and industrialist Henry Ford once said, �Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; and working together is success.�

	03-03-09 - NTUC ASG Josephine Teo's Speech for SLA Graduation Ceremony Cum Networking Cocktail
	I am happy to join you this evening for Singapore Logistics Association Graduation Ceremony 2009. First, I would like to congratulate the graduands and award recipients tonight. I applaud your efforts to upgrade yourselves and also your companies� support for continuous training.

	24-02-09 - Opening remarks by Mdn Halimah Yacob, Deputy Secretary-General and Director, Legal Services Department, National Trades Union Congress, at the joint launch of the NTUC and Law Society of Singapore's Law Awareness & U" initiative to help union members, held at the NTUC Auditorium at One Marina Boulevard, on 24 Feb 2009 at 7 pm
	I am very pleased to be here today to launch the �Law Awareness & U� initiative which is a joint collaboration between NTUC and the Law Society of Singapore.

02-02-09 - Speech by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister, Prime Minister's office and Secretary-General, NTUC at Metro's Customer-Centric Initiative Learning Journey, 2 February 2009, 10am at Metro Sengkang, Compasspoint

I am very happy to be here today to join Metro�s 2nd CCI Learning Journey. Metro was one of the 20 pilot companies that joined the Customer-Centric Initiative (CCI) programme when I launched it for the retail sector in August 2005 as part of the GEMS (Go-the-Extra-Mile-for-Service) movement. Over the last three years, the company has put in much effort to improve their service quality. In CCI Phase 1, Metro developed a new service vision and values, equipped staff and concessionaires in language skills, and set up service measurement systems. As a result of their efforts, Metro saw an increase in the number of compliments it received with its customer compliments to complaints ratio and sales performance improving considerably.

	15-01-09 - Opening Remarks by Mrs Josephine Teo, Assistant Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress at the Industry Forum for Attractions, Tour and Travel Services Held at the Pan Pacific Hotel on 15 January 2009 (3:00 pm)
	As you know by now, Singapore is in the midst of an economic downturn. Last week, I was reported to have said the NTUC is aware of some 15,000 workers within the unionized sector that already on shorter workweeks on temporary layoffs. The number has continued to rise. We now know of some 18,000 workers who are on shorter workweeks or temporary layoffs.

19-11-07 -
OPENING ADDRESS BY MR HENG CHEE HOW, DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, NATIONAL TRADES UNION CONGRESS, AT THE SINGAPORE TRIPARTISM FORUM, HELD AT THE AMARA SANCTUARY RESORT SENTOSA, ON 19 NOVEMBER 2007, MONDAY, 9.00 AM

Since its inception in January this year, the Singapore Tripartism Forum has gained strength and traction. Two well-attended national-level seminars have been held to discuss employment issues facing workers in general, and mature olders in particular. The STF also held dialogues with various chambers of commerce to more directly explain and communicate the workings of Singapore�s tripartism model to CEOs and other key business decision-makers.

07-02-06 - WELCOME ADDRESS BY MADAM HALIMAH YACOB, ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL, NATIONAL TRADES UNION CONGRESS, AT THE LAUNCH OF NTUC�S EFFORTS ON EMPLOYMENT OF OLDER WORKERS, HELD AT THE NTUC CENTRE AUDITORIUM, ON 7 FEBRUARY 2006, AT 2.00 PM

First, I wish to welcome all of you to this launch. I am indeed most gratified to see so many companies coming forward to partner our unions in promoting the employment and re-employment of older workers. NTUC has been a strong advocate in pushing for the employment of older workers as we are greatly concerned that Singaporeans are retiring even before they reach the statutory retirement age of 62. This is something that few can ill afford to do as we are living longer and not all have enough savings to take care of their needs after they drop out of the workforce. Hence, today we are launching our key programme and I would certainly urge more corporate partners to join us after today�s launch.