AUPE and AUPE MPC lauded for looking after workers' welfare and contributing to Singapore's union movement

Mr Rahim Alwi, President, AUPE,
Mr Yeo Chun Fing, General Secretary of AUPE and Chairman of AUPE Multipurpose Co-Operative
Brothers and Sisters of NTUC and AUPE,
Distinguished guests,

1. I am very happy to join you tonight for this double celebration: it is the SG50 Dinner and Dance for AUPE and the 50th anniversary of the AUPE Multipurpose Co-Operative. So I wish you all the best for your Golden Jubilee double celebration tonight!
   

2. We've just had a wonderful SG50 National Day Parade earlier this month. I hope all you enjoyed your extra long weekend, I hope you were in Singapore to enjoy the parade and not overseas. It was also a very fitting parade paying tribute to all that we have achieved over the last 50 years in Singapore. Together, after 50 years, we have created today's Singapore, through grit, determination and hard work.
   

3. The AUPE is very much part of this Singapore story. You were formed in 1959, in fact before we gain independence, when we first gained self-rule. So you've been standing by our public servants all these years. Your founder and pioneer, Mr G. Kandasamy was the one who appointed Mr Lee Kuan Yew, when he was still a young lawyer, for the postal workers union! Through Mr Kandasamy and other union leaders, AUPE has tirelessly endeavoured to represent public servants and ensure that all public servants have fair working conditions.
   

4. So tonight, I would like to acknowledge and thank all the leaders and members of AUPE – past and present – who have worked to enhance the well-being of workers, and contributed to a strong and responsible union movement in Singapore. Thank you very much to all of you.
   

5. The AUPE's work is special because you contribute to a strong Public Service in Singapore. I began my own career in the public service, and I know that the work is not easy. It is not visible to the public eye, and yet the work can be demanding, there are high expectations from the public and you have to always strive to improve. But I also know that it's work that's fulfilling, because all of us are in a position to make a difference in the lives of our fellow citizens. So I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank all the public officers who are here tonight, for the hard work that you've put in to build our nation. Thank you very much.
   

6. Because of your good work, the union has growth from strength to strength. You started with around 7,000 members in the 1960s. Now, you have over 19,000. This is also due to your efforts to meet the needs of your members. I remember last year I gave out certificates from the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute to some AUPE members last year. They were there for training, and they were working to improve their Industrial Relations skills, and this was made possible because your union gave them training opportunities.
   

7. I am confident that AUPE will continue to steadfastly champion the cause of workers – to reach out to your members, and provide for their training needs and welfare. And I would like to assure you that the Government, as an employer, is committed to engaging the union on all issues that matter to workers, be it on skills training, re-employment age, or a family-friendly work environment. For example, you heard over the National Day Rally, the Prime Minister announced that we are going to double paternity leave to two weeks.
   

8. Today is also special because the AUPE Multi-purpose Co-operative is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The AUPE's leaders noticed early on that it had a social role to play in the lives of public officers, and the co-op was founded on this premise. It has now become a very important support network for members, who trust you to help them in times of need.

9. For example, co-op member Mohamad Fadzil Bin Abdolah, has benefited greatly from the co-op's assistance when he suffered a stroke last year. Mr Fadzil, a committee member of the Ministry of Manpower staff branch, very unfortunately suffered a stroke struck just three days before the Hari Raya celebrations. He was in quite a serious condition and had to be hospitalised for 104 days. That's a long time. Given the treatment that was needed and the duration of stay, the hospital bill became quite sizeable. Fortunately, he was able to turn to the co-op, which assisted him with more than $6,000 in hospitalisation benefits. So this is one very tangible way and concrete example of how the Co-op is helping its members.
   

10. It is crucial for all credit co-ops to assure members that their savings are in good hands. So the Registry of Co-operative Societies, which is part of my Ministry, has also been working to raise prudential and governance standards. Next year, they will launch an updated Code of Governance to help co-ops safeguard the interests of their depositors. I encourage the AUPE co-op to continue to be committed to good governance, and uphold the standards set out in the Code.
    

11. The good work we see in AUPE is not an isolated case, in fact it is representative the broader efforts by all our workers and unions who have played their part in building a harmonious and stable industrial relations over the years. Working together, we have overcome many challenges, and we have built a strong and united Singapore.
    

12. This tripartite partnership between the government, employers and unions has been the backbone of Singapore's success. It is also unique to Singapore. Many countries talk about tripartite partnership; many come here to learn about what we do; but no other country in the world has been able to replicate what we have here in our little red dot.
    

13. Underpinning this tripartite partnership is the special relationship between the Government and the NTUC. It is a relationship that has endured, and benefited workers, for several reasons.
    

14. Firstly, both sides have built mutual trust over the last few decades of working together. Each time we overcome a crisis successfully together, we emerge stronger and the relationship becomes closer.
    

15. Secondly, the Government has kept faith with workers and consistently championed their well-being. We have never forgotten our commitment to take care of the welfare of ordinary Singaporeans and their families.
    

16. Thirdly, our workers are willing to support difficult policies, because they have seen these policies delivering positive results. This creates a virtuous cycle of right policies, good results and support for more right policies that benefits us all.
    

17. So here in Singapore, we have something very special, something special which we should cherish, where the Government, unions and employers all work together, as partners, to grow the pie and share the fruits of success with all Singaporeans. From time to time, we do have differences in views, but we have always been able to resolve these issues through cooperation and through dialogue. So the situation in Singapore is very different from what you see in other countries. If you travel in any other part of the world, I'm sure you would have experienced disruption in public services. Quite common: Airport, something happens, service not available. Why? Public officers are on strike. So it's very common in many countries you travel to, that decision making is gridlocked and the economy becomes paralysed.
    

18. In Singapore, fortunately, we are not burdened by such problems. But we cannot take these things for granted. We are still a tiny multi-racial, multi-religious country in Southeast Asia. We are still a diverse society with fault lines that can pose many vulnerabilities. Ultimately, we still need to make a living for ourselves, and to keep Singapore safe and secure for our children and our grandchildren.
    

19. So let us, on this Golden Jubilee celebrations, strengthen our tripartite partnership. We have done so over the last 50 years and I'm sure we can make it even stronger for the next 50 years. Let us strengthen our trust and confidence in one another, and continue to work together as one Team Singapore. On that note, thank you very much, and once again, have an enjoyable dinner!