Labour Day (Singapore)

Labour Day
Labour Day
Observed by	Singapore
Begins	1 May
Ends	1 May
Date	1 May
Next time	1 May 2023
Frequency	annual

Last updated May 02, 2023

In Singapore, May Day (or Labour Day) is celebrated on 1 May each year as a mark of solidarity amongst workers. The celebration of May Day as a public holiday began only in 1960 after the People's Action Party (PAP) came into power. Before then, only workers defined as such under the Labour Ordinance 1955 and those defined as industrial clerks under the Clerks Employment Ordinance 1957 were given paid holidays.

May Day is a day of special significance for organised workers, as it serves to remind others what their collective strength has achieved for workers. By making it a public holiday, the Government of Singapore had intended it to be a day set aside in honour of workers and their contributions to the country.^[1] It also makes it easier for workers to come together for celebrations.

In the past, rallies and resolutions also form the central features of May Day celebrations. Through these activities, organised workers symbolically express their unity of purpose and their faith in solidarity. Today, May Day celebrations are increasingly planned for the enjoyment of workers and their families, which include events like the May Day Family Fiesta.

History of May Day

In the early days of Singapore, May Day rallies had the atmosphere of a persecuted sect preparing for another round of war. S. R. Nathan, then Minister of Labour in 1968, quoted that May Day rallies were intended as demonstrations of worker's strength and solidarity. Militant speeches and militant attitudes were necessary as this was a time when organised labour had to struggle against the colonial government.^[2]

As labour relations improved through the years, May Day presented an opportunity to celebrate the solidarity and the achievements of the democratic trade unions, and to rededicate worker's alignments to the ideal of a just society in which men are not exploited by their fellow men, and in which labour enjoys a fair share of the fruits of labour.

In the 1969 May Day message, Mr. Peter Vincent, President of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) stated that "May Day celebrations have undergone a change of character… less of an aggressive spirit, little or no slogan shouting and few or none of the grandiloquent resolutions. In its place there is harmony of outlook oriented towards the advancement of our developing economy".

Milestones

May Day 1970

This marked the start of the Singapore Trade Union Movement's "First Year of Development". Workers at the NTUC rally resolved to ensure the complete success of the movement's modernisation programme in the new era.

May Day 1971

In cognisance of the coming of age of organised labour in Singapore, May Day was restored to its correct perspective of a festive occasion for commemorating the dignity of labour in 1971. A small rally was held on the eve of May Day to honour outstanding unions and officials. Three major functions were held on May Day for workers to enjoy themselves in the company of their families and friends.

May Day 1972

This marked the end of wage restraint, and in many cases, of wage freeze for labour in Singapore. It also marked the beginning of the pay-off for the effort, discipline and restraint in the last few years. It was the beginning of a pay-off not only for labour but for the people of Singapore as a whole.

Starting from this May Day, it became an annual affair that the Labour Minister will announce the decision of the government with respect to the National Wages Council's recommendations for the year. However, in 1974, with the world caught up with the energy crisis, the National Wages Council, after presenting the interim recommendation in January, could not make the final recommendations in time for announcement on May Day.^[3]

May Day 1978

The launch of the Singapore Labour Foundation in 1978 testified to the evolution and expansion of the role of the trade union movement. Trade unions evolved from one of mere concern with traditional collective bargaining to involvement in other socio-economic areas designed to further improve the welfare of our workers. This move made the Labour Movement (NTUC et al.) a co-driver of national agenda instead of merely a bargainer.

The Prime Minister in his May Day message recapitulated the anti-communist struggle in the early years. He was quoted, "Never must such a perilous situation as that which existed from 1945-1961 ever be allowed to occur. The duty of the Government and the NTUC is to create a series of overlapping and reinforcing organic links through which every worker identifies himself directly with the building of our young nation of which he is a part".

May Day 1979

This year marked the 10th anniversary of NTUC’s modernisation seminar, which was the year to review and past and survey the future. In line with this, the major May Day resolution was the smooth and efficient transition from the old to the new. This was also the theme of the then Prime Minister’s message and Labour Minister’s address.

May Day 1980

Mr Lim Chee Onn, then Secretary-General of NTUC, considered May Day 1980 as a significant milestone in the history of Singapore’s labour movement’s development for two reasons. Firstly, it marked the beginning of a national effort to transform the country’s labour-intensive economy to one driven by middle-technology industries and a high-skilled labour force. Secondly, it signified the start of a plan by Singapore’s union movement to enhance the status of unionists.

Devan Nair, then President of NTUC, considered this May Day as an occasion to rally the Singapore youth, intensify their stake in the future of the nation and give them an appreciation of the basic social, economic and political priorities of the Republic.

May Day 1981

From 1981, the task was to foster "greater team spirit at the work place and… the objective is higher productivity and upgraded economy to pay higher wages and benefits to all." Nair called on all Singaporeans to appreciate the vital importance of maximising their skills and performance.

May Day 1984–1985

Productivity continued to be the resonating message from 1984 to 1985. In 1984, Ong Teng Cheong, Secretary-General of NTUC, called for a redefinition of the role of trade unions and the adoption of new concepts to strengthen the cohesiveness of workers in the company to raise productivity. With the slowdown of the economy in 1985, the call for higher productivity through harmonious labour management was again reiterated.

May Day 1986

May Day 1986 marked the 25th anniversary of NTUC. In his message, Ong stated that tripartite cooperation has helped to achieve a standard of living for the people of Singapore rivalled by few in the Asian region. He called for the resolve to put the true spirit of tripartite cooperation between labour, management and the government to the test through the economic recession.

Speaker and theme of speeches at May Day rallies

Year	Speaker	Theme
1960	Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister	The PAP government and the trade union movement
1961	Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister	The PAP
1963	Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister	The unity of the working class movement
1964	Dr Toh Chin Chye, Deputy Prime Minister	NTUC’s part in coordinating trade union activity throughout Malaysia
1965	Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister	Power comes with responsibility
1966	Dr Toh Chin Chye, Deputy Prime Minister	Call for double efforts to boost productivity
1967	Dr Toh Chin Chye, Deputy Prime Minister	Problems posed by British military withdrawal
1968	Mr S Rajaratnam, Minister for Labour	The role of the trade union movement
1969	Mr S Rajaratnam, Minister for Labour	The trade union, new labour laws, employment and industrialisation
1970	Mr S Rajaratnam, Minister for Labour	Better times ahead
1972	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	The national cake and the importance of increasing its size
1973	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	Government agrees: 9%; goodwill and good sense must prevail
1974	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	The spirit of responsible trade unionism
1975	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	Economic development remains a national priority
1976	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	Work together for Singapore's prosperity
1977	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	The achievement of competitive cost is a tripartite affair
1978	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	Tripartism in action
1979	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	Trade union leadership
1980	Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister for Labour	Restructuring our economy
1981	Mr Ong Teng Cheong, Minister for Labour	Greater team spirit at the work place
1982	Mr Ong Teng Cheong, Minister for Labour	Worker's welfare - an important productivity factor
1983	Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister	NTUC needs self-renewal too; why house unions
1984	Mr Goh Chok Tong, Minister of Defence and Second Minister for Health	Keep Singapore flying on course
1985	Mr Goh Chok Tong, First Deputy Prime Minister	Bright future since our basics are right
1986	Mr Goh Chok Tong, First Deputy Prime Minister	Greater team spirit at the work place
1987	Mr Ong Teng Cheong, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary General, NTUC	—
2004	Mr. Goh Chok Tong, Prime Minister	Singapore’s core strengths: fighting spirit, unity and nimbleness, and adaptability
2005	Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister	Continue to strengthen tripartite relationship, tackle our challenges and make Singapore a small but special country
2006	Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister	Together a bright future for all
2007	Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister	Keep Singapore special and unique through creating prosperity for a new generation of Singaporeans
2008	Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister	Living the Singapore story – growth for the country, investing in our people and thinking long-term
2009	Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister	Singaporeans need to stand together to ride out the economic uncertainties
2010	Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister	Singapore’s long-term strategy and the importance of raising productivity
2011	Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister	Celebrating 50 years of NTUC: U & Me signifying the strong and indelible bond that the labour movement has forged with union members and workers of Singapore
2012	Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister	To build an inclusive society and share the fruits of growth with every Singaporean
2019	Mr. Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister	Celebrating 200 years of Singapore History & Pioneer Generation
2020	Mr. Lee Hsien Long, Prime Minister	COVID-19's impact on Singapore's workers, economy and the road ahead
2021	Mr. Lee Hsien Long, Prime Minister	Strengthening the partnership, and building a brighter future for Singapore for the next 60 years and beyond
2022	Mr. Lee Hsien Long, Prime Minister	The imperative to move forward, to renew, to endure and to transform ourselves has never been stronger
2023	Mr. Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister	The volatile external environment, geopolitical tensions, and the risk of recession in the West

Related Research Articles

The economy of Singapore is a highly developed free-market economy with dirigiste characteristics. Singapore's economy has been previously ranked as the most open in the world, the joint 4th-least corrupt, and the most pro-business. Singapore has low tax-rates and the second-highest per-capita GDP in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is headquartered in Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ong Teng Cheong</span> Singaporean politician

Ong Teng Cheong was a Singaporean architect, union leader and politician who served as the fifth president of Singapore between 1993 and 1999. He was the first president in Singapore's history to be directly elected by popular vote and was known as "The People's President".

The Australian labour movement began in the early 19th century and since the late 19th century has included industrial and political wings. Trade unions in Australia may be organised on the basis of craft unionism, general unionism, or industrial unionism. Almost all unions in Australia are affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), many of which have undergone a significant process of amalgamations, especially in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The leadership and membership of unions hold and have at other times held a wide range of political views, including communist, socialist and right-wing views.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is the major trade union organisation representing workers at the European level. In its role as a European social partner, the ETUC works both in a consulting role with the European Commission and negotiates agreements and work programmes with European employers. It coordinates the national and sectoral policies of its affiliates on social and economic matters, particularly in the framework of the EU institutional processes, including European economic governance and the EU Semester.

The eight-hour day movement was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day, preventing excesses and abuses of working time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Trades Union Congress</span> Singaporean national trade union centre

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 is at the heart of the Labour Movement which comprises 59 affiliated trade unions, 5 affiliated trade associations, 10 social enterprises, 6 related organisations as well as a growing ecosystem of U Associates and enterprise partners. Together, it helms May Day celebrations and organises an annual rally in support of workers' solidarity and commitment to tripartite partnership. The NTUC has had a symbiotic relationship with the People's Action Party (PAP) since its inception in 1961.

Lim Boon Heng is a Singaporean former politician. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was a Member of Parliament (MP) between 1980 and 2011, and had served in the Cabinet between 2001 and 2011. He also served as Chairman of the People's Action Party between 2004 and 2011.

The Workers Central Union of Cuba is the trade union federation in Cuba. It originated as the Confederación de Trabajadores de Cuba in 1939 and changed its name to the Central Union of Cuban Workers in 1961.

Labour in India refers to employment in the economy of India. In 2020, there were around 476.67 million workers in India, the second largest after China. Out of which, agriculture industry consist of 41.19%, industry sector consist of 26.18% and service sector consist 32.33% of total labour force. Of these over 94 percent work in unincorporated, unorganised enterprises ranging from pushcart vendors to home-based diamond and gem polishing operations. The organised sector includes workers employed by the government, state-owned enterprises and private sector enterprises. In 2008, the organised sector employed 27.5 million workers, of which 17.3 million worked for government or government owned entities. The Human Rights Measurement Initiative finds that India is only doing 43.9% of what should be possible at its level of income for the right to work. Employees are routinely taken advantage of by their employers because of loose labour laws across all industries in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rehn–Meidner model</span> Economic and wage policy model

The Rehn–Meidner model is an economic and wage policy model developed in 1951 by two economists at the research department of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO), Gösta Rehn and Rudolf Meidner. The four main goals to be achieved were:

Indian labour law refers to law regulating labour in India. Traditionally, the Indian government at the federal and state levels has sought to ensure a high degree of protection for workers, but in practice, this differs due to the form of government and because labour is a subject in the concurrent list of the Indian Constitution. The Minimum Wages Act 1948 requires companies to pay the minimum wage set by the government alongside limiting working weeks to 40 hours. Overtime is strongly discouraged with the premium on overtime being 100% of the total wage. The Payment of Wages Act 1936 mandates the payment of wages on time on the last working day of every month via bank transfer or postal service. The Factories Act 1948 and the Shops and Establishment Act 1960 mandate 15 working days of fully paid vacation leave each year to each employee with an additional 7 fully paid sick days. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 gives female employees of every company the right to take 6 months' worth of fully paid maternity leave. It also provides for 6 weeks worth of paid leaves in case of miscarriage or medical termination of pregnancy. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation and the Employees' State Insurance, governed by statutory acts provide workers with necessary social security for retirement benefits and medical and unemployment benefits respectively. Workers entitled to be covered under the Employees' State Insurance are also entitled to 90 days worth of paid medical leaves. A contract of employment can always provide for more rights than the statutory minimum set rights. The Indian parliament passed four labour codes in the 2019 and 2020 sessions. These four codes will consolidate 44 existing labour laws. They are: The Industrial Relations Code 2020, The Code on Social Security 2020, The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 and The Code on Wages 2019.

Ebrahim Patel is a South African cabinet minister, who holds the position of Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. He previously served as Minister of Economic Development from 2009 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. Ekanayake Gunasinha</span>

Alexander Ekanayake Gunasinha trade unionist and politician. A pioneering trade union leader, known as the "Father of the Labour Movement", he was the founder of the Ceylon Labour Party, Sri Lanka's first labour organisation. A former mayor of Colombo, he served as the Minister without portfolio, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip in the First Parliament of Sri Lanka and Ceylon's Ambassador to Burma and Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heng Chee How</span> Singaporean politician

Heng Chee How is a Singaporean politician, union leader and former police officer who has been serving as Senior Minister of State for Defence since 2018 and Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress since 1999. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Whampoa division of Jalan Besar GRC since 2001.

The Minimum Wages Act 1948 is an Act of Parliament concerning Indian labour law that sets the minimum wages that must be paid to skilled and unskilled labours.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) spearheads the labour movement of Singapore, which represents almost a million workers in the country across more than 70 unions, affiliated associations and related organisations. Singapore runs on a tripartism model which aims to offers competitive advantages for the country by promoting economic competitiveness, harmonious government-labour-management relations and the overall progress of the nation.

The Progressive Wage Model (PWM), also known as the progressive wage for short, is a wage structure in Singapore, advocated by the country's labour movement, in which led by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), the sole national trade union in Singapore. The objective of introducing the Progressive Wage Model is to increase the salaries of workers through the enhancement of skills and improving productivity.

International Workers' Day, also known as Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every year on 1 May, or the first Monday in May.

Melvin Yong Yik Chye is a Singaporean politician, union leader and former police officer. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Radin Mas SMC since 2020 and previously the Moulmein–Cairnhill division of Tanjong Pagar GRC between 2015 and 2020.

K. Thanaletchimi is a Singaporean labour unionist and was a Nominated Member of Parliament of Singapore from 24 March 2016 to 21 September 2018.

References

↑ Choo Eng Khoon, "May Day for Flowers and Followers", May Day Souvenir Magazine, 1980
↑ S.R. Nathan, Road to the Presidency, (Editions Didier Millet, 2011), 259
↑ Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore, Report of Wages Working Group, Sub-Committee on Policies Related to Taxation, the CPF System, Wages & Land Economic Review Committee (December 2002), 20

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Choo Eng Khoon, "May Day for Flowers and Followers", May Day Souvenir Magazine, 1980

[2] S.R. Nathan, Road to the Presidency, (Editions Didier Millet, 2011), 259

[3] Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore, Report of Wages Working Group, Sub-Committee on Policies Related to Taxation, the CPF System, Wages & Land Economic Review Committee (December 2002), 20

[1]

[2]

[3]