Lee Kuan Yew and the Labour Unions

LEE KUAN YEW AND THE LABOUR UNIONS

Inspirational Quotes from 100 Speeches, Interviews and Dialogues

CO-PUBLISHED BY

Copyright ©2023 Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute and People’s Action Party Policy Forum

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CONTENTS

BIOGRAPHY

TRIBUTES

1955 - 1965 PRE-INDEPENDENCE ERA

1965 - 1968 BIRTH OF A NEW NATION

1968 - 1978 INTO A NEW INDUSTRIAL NATION

1979 - 1984 INTO A HI-TECH INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY

1985 - 1996 INTO ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING

2001 - 2012 INTO THE NEW ECONOMY

PREFACE

This publication commemorates the 100th birth anniversary of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1923-2015) and traces his journey with the Labour Movement. It covers his tenure as the Prime Minister of Singapore (1959-1990), Senior Minister (1990-2004) and Minister Mentor (2004-2011).

This publication is also a tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew for his contribution to Singapore. His ideals and convictions helped millions of Singapore workers live a better life. This can be seen through the roots of the People’s Action Party (PAP) in the labour unions and Mr Lee’s thoughts on labour-management relations. We hope they serve as a valuable resource that inspires the present and future generations of union leaders and tripartite partners.

Special thanks to the following individuals:

> Mr Lim Boon Heng

> Mrs Josephine Teo

> Mr Ng Chee Meng

> Ms Elaine Low and Ms Michelle Liem and for their generous donations towards the PAP Policy Forum’s initiatives. Their kind support enabled this joint e-publication launched at the inaugural PPF I Insights: LKY100 dialogue.

Our deepest appreciation to the Ministry of Communication and Information and Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd, for the permission to reproduce materials from the NAS Archives Online and The Papers of Lee Kuan Yew, Gale Asia, 2012-2013 respectively for this publication.

“

Before you discuss your future, remember how we got here –the past.

LEE KUAN YEW

NTUC Modernisation Seminar 16.9.1969 ”

FOREWORD

The story of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s Red Box – an emblem of Mr Lee’s unwavering dedication to our nation – is well known to many Singaporeans. What I remember however, was a modest pale blue suitcase that Mr Lee carried during several work trips I was lucky to accompany him on. Like the schoolbags of yesteryears, it made a “tiak-tiak” sound when opening or closing. On these trips, when not meeting external parties, Mr Lee always put on the same well-worn jacket. He did not fuss over himself.

Yet, a parallel recollection shows an opposite attentiveness towards the workers of Singapore. While I was serving as a labour MP in the National Trades Union Congress, Mr Lee once conveyed feedback that the reception area of the NTUC Centre at One Marina Boulevard needed sprucing up. He had chanced upon it but felt compelled to point things out “because the workers must feel proud of the labour movement and themselves”. Despite his personal frugality, Mr Lee was uncompromising when it came to the dignity of our country, its institutions, and the people they represented.

Throughout his political career, Mr Lee was a tireless fighter for Singapore workers and a relentless advocate for Singapore’s interests. His birth centennial is a befitting occasion to bring together the PAP Policy Forum and Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institutefor the very first time - to co-publish this e-book.

Painstaking sifting-through of more than five decades of materials has resulted in a compilation of 100 speeches, interviews and dialogues. The materials help us learn about the trials and tribulations of tripartite leaders, and the trust that was forged as a result of going through thick and thin together. Hopefully, they also capture the essence of his beliefs that shaped Singapore’s unique brand of tripartism.

It will be hard for any reader to misunderstand Mr Lee’s convictions –his views were always forcefully expressed and quite often illustrated with vivid analogies. Mr Lee remained remarkably steadfast in his approach, reinforcing themes after years had passed, attitudes have shifted and organisations have pivoted. He never failed to remind Singaporeans, “Our special situation that we have cooperation between unions, employers and government did not come about by accident. We strived very hard, instead of infighting, to try and get each party to understand their obligations and responsibilities to each other. And because we succeeded in that, we created an environment that invited foreign investments, confidence in the future and today’s Singapore.”

This was the social compact he envisioned long before it came into fashion. May this e-book serve as an inspiration for this generation and those that follow; and as a testament to the legacy of Tripartism gifted to us by Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Josephine Teo Minister for Communications and Information

Second Minister for Home Affairs Advisor to PAP Policy Forum August

2023

FOREWORD

We in the Labour Movement fondly remember Mr Lee Kuan Yew as a steadfast champion for our workers’ interests who always held their welfare close to his heart. He began his political life representing trade unions. As legal advisor to many of them, he fought hard alongside our union leaders to secure better wages and welfare for our workers. “I like people who will stand up for what they believe in; for right, for justice, for fair play. And I believe if it came to the push, the NTUC won’t be lacking in that courage to lead the workers forward,” he passionately declared during the May Day Rally at the National Theatre on 1 May 1965.

Mr Lee was instrumental in forging the strong symbiotic relationship between the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). This symbiotic relationship has served our workers well for over 60 years – their voices are heard, and concerns are factored into our national policies.

In his tenure as Prime Minister, Mr Lee, together with the first generation of leaders, created and forged our unique brand of Tripartism. They set the foundation for industrial peace by bringing the Government, unions, and employers together. This paved the way for Singapore’s economic success – the key to uplifting generations of Singaporean workers.

As we commemorate Mr Lee’s 100th birth anniversary, let us not take the strong symbiotic relationship and tripartite partnership for granted. As we continue to chart our way forward in an increasingly uncertain world, let us reaffirm our commitment to strengthen the partnership with the common goal of improving the lives of our fellow Singaporeans, and building a strong Singapore.

This book, co-published by the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute and the PAP Policy Forum, is a tribute to Mr Lee and his values. I hope it will inspire present and future generations of union leaders and tripartite partners in our mission to create a brighter future for everyone because #EveryWorkerMatters.

Ng Chee Meng Secretary-General, National Trades Union Congress

BIOGRAPHY

Lee Kuan Yew was born in Singapore and educated at Raffles Institution and Cambridge University where he was a top law student. Active in the Malayan Forum in London, Lee returned with his compatriots, determined to take an active part in Singapore’s struggle for self determination. By his own admission, Lee began his ‘political life by representing the trade unions.’ The first of these was the Singapore Union of Postal and Telecommunications Workers (SUPTW) which was about to go on strike in 1952 and needed a legal advisor.

Recalling those early days, Lee said: His success with the SUPTW drew more references:

For two weeks, the union ding-donged in the press against the Commissioner for Posts representing the colonial government on the merits of their case. I drafted their statements. Public sentiments swung towards the unions, and the colonial government had to give way: higher wages and better terms and conditions of service, removal of thick printed red stripes on their trousers making them look like circus attendants.

Because the union won, I was next briefed by the clerical union of Post & Telegraphs for their demands, which went to arbitration. Again, the union won. Thereafter, I became adviser to innumerable trade unions

English-speaking, Chinese-speaking and Malay-speaking. When I fought my first election in 1955, I chose Tanjong Pagar because that was where the postmen were based and also the dock workers. I won easily. ”

TRIBUTES

TRIBUTES TO MR LEE KUAN YEW AT THE SINGAPORE CONFERENCE HALL ON 27 MARCH 2015

SINGAPORE’S SURVIVAL

Having worked with trade unions when he was a young lawyer, Mr Lee Kuan Yew knew workers’ worries, their hopes and aspirations. He knew that every worker wants a good job, a good wage, to provide his family a good home, and his children a good education. He made job creation one of his top priorities. Tirelessly, he set out to attract investments, both foreign and local. The government also created jobs by setting up companies, like Singapore Airlines, Keppel, Sembawang, NOL. After we overcame the high unemployment of the 1960s, we have never had a serious extended period of unemployment. Most of the time, we experience a tight labour market. Government continues to focus on job creation.

Beyond getting a job, every worker wants to improve his income year by year. He told us that sustainable wage increases come from higher productivity. He initiated, and led the Productivity Movement every year, until he stepped down as Prime Minister. We took our eye off productivity for a while, but we are back, realizing that we have to promote productivity all the time. It is a journey without end.

He set the tone for stable industrial relations – there has to be fair play.

“

When unions went astray, and foolish action threatened group survival or group prosperity, he took us to task.

[ Read More... ]

BEING PRO-WORKER

Tribute by Mr Lim Swee Say, Secretary-General of the NTUC (2007 – 2015)

23 years ago, a foreign leader was in Singapore to study our approach to nation building. On the last day of his visit, he called on Mr Lee.

He told Mr Lee how impressed he was by the state-of-the-art factories in Jurong, tall buildings in Shenton Way, modern shopping malls in Orchard Road, and the beauty of Sentosa.

When he finished, Mr Lee asked, ‘have you talked to our workers, visited our schools where their children study, public hospitals where their families are cared for, HDB estates where they live, hawker centres where they eat, and the MRT and buses that take them everywhere, everyday?’

Mr Lee was pro-business, because without foreign investments, economic growth and jobs, we would all be poor together.

However, Mr Lee was even more pro-worker. To him, economic growth was important, but that was just the means, not the end objective in itself. The end objective for Mr Lee was to change the lives of our workers and people for the better.

Mr Lee saw no conflict in being pro-business and pro-worker. He believed that the two could, and must, go hand-in-hand, mutually reinforcing each other for our progress as a nation to be sustainable.

A point he reiterated at NTUC’s 50th Anniversary Dinner in 2011.

I quote,

Growth is meaningless unless it is shared by the workers, shared not only directly in wage increases but (also) indirectly in better homes, better schools, better hospitals, better playing fields and generally, a healthier environment for families to bring up their children.

Such was the importance of his commitment to the workers and people of Singapore, that leaders after him have also embraced the same.

quote,

I am glad that since I stood down as Prime Minister, successive Prime Ministers, first PM Goh Chok Tong, now PM Lee Hsien Loong, both had the same policies –pro-worker, pro-trade unions.

PRE-INDEPENDENCE ERA

“May Day 1960 will always be a notable occasion in the history of the trade union movement of Singapore, for this is the first time that May Day is celebrated in Singapore when there is a government which is openly on the workers’ side.” - 1.5.1960

Why I Chose Tanjong Pagar

Election Speech – Why I Chose Tanjong Pagar, 17 March 1955

“Tanjong Pagar is a working-class area. No other division has such a high proportion of workers, wage-earners, small traders and such a low proportion of wealthy merchants and landlords living in it.”

“I wanted to represent workers, wage-earners and small traders, . . .“

PAP Policy on Labour and Unions

Speech at a Mass Rally at Geylang Serai, 1 March 1959

“The PAP has been a workers’ movement and has always received the support of the workers. A PAP Government is a government on the workers’ side. . . it is our duty to see that the worker gets a fair return for his labour, without which capital is barren and fruitless. The wealth and prosperity which labour produces must be shared in wages, medical, health, holiday and other benefits, and in good working conditions.”

“Our guiding principle is ‘Industrial peace with justice’. . . we must all remember that if we seek industrial justice with a vengeance, there will be no industrial peace. And a chronic state of industrial unrest means wreaking the economy. . . Our policy will be framed not only to secure justice for labour but also to ensure industrial peace for the further expansion of the economy.”

“As part of our policy to assist unions, we shall build a large centrally situated Trade Union House, . . . This building will be a worthy monument to the unity and strength of the workers of Singapore whose skill and labour make the prosperity of this island.”

Pay Cuts for Government Servants

Text of Speech at the 13th Annual General Conference of the Singapore Postal and Telecommunications Workers’ Union, 21 June 1959

“A spendthrift government has run through over $200 million of reserves and left the larder almost empty for us. We are not prepared to go into debt and run the risk of bankruptcy.”

“. . . the commitments that you and I have made to ensure a healthy, happy and prosperous democratic State of Singapore for your children and my children is a commitment which we would be sorry to see unfulfilled.”

Theory and Practice of Democratic Socialism

Text of Speech at a Trade Union Rally in the Badminton Hall, 28 June 1959

“It is imperative that the trade union movement which will grow and expand under the P.A.P. Government should be imbued with the same democratic, non-Communist, socialist ideals. Otherwise there are bound to be frictions and collisions between the labour movement and the political movement.”

To Employees of the Singapore Traction Company

Message to the Singapore Traction Company Employees’ Union at its General Meeting, 15 December 1959

“. . . you and your Union will have the whole hearted support of the Government and all its resources in fighting racketeering and corruption.”

“A new phase has opened in the history of Singapore and with it comes a new phase in the trade union movement in which trade union leaders of stature must respond to the needs not only of their own union members but of the community and people as a whole.”

On the Workers’ Side

Text of a Speech at the May Day Rally, 1 May 1960

“Not only must we ensure that existing employers are giving their workers a fair share of the fruits of their labour, but we must also ensure that a reasonable margin of profit is left for the employer so that he will find it worthwhile to re-invest and expand.”

“To be a good and effective trade union leader is no longer a matter simply of getting the workers to unite and fight the employer. . . . For with the Government on the workers’ side this is not necessary. If a settlement is possible which will leave the employer alive with a profit, the machinery of government can bring this about.”

“. . . What is wanted will be economic argument and reasons, not toughness and endurance. . . in the end it must be the vigilance, diligence and hard work of the trade union leaders themselves which should sustain the movement.”

“. . . Never take any direct industrial action without first consulting. . . to find out if there is any other way of solving the problem, and if not, whether you are in the right from, not just your point of view, but also from the country’s point of view. For the State must protect your rice bowl, your friend’s rice bowl and also that of your children.”

A Call to Stand with the People’s Action Party (PAP)

Text of Speech at the May Day Rally, 1 May 1961

“. . . never in the history of Singapore has there been a government more sympathetic, more actively sincere in trying to better the working class.”

“. . . it is our business to see that you are brought along a road which leads to national happiness, national unity and national independence.”

To Ensure Workers Are Given the Best Possible Deal

Text of Speech in Reply to the Secretary-General of the Public Daily-Rated Employees’ Unions Federation, Mr. Veeraiyan, at a Garlanding Ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office, 2 December 1961

“It is our duty as a Government, which is openly on the side of the workers, to ensure that the workers are given the best possible deal, . . . which the economy of Singapore can afford.”

“. . . what we must be careful as trade unionists is to see that no leaders make use of workers for their own political end.”

Doing the Right Thing for Workers

May Day Message 1962

“Our immediate task is to build up a society in which man will be rewarded not according to the amount of property he owns, but according to his active contribution to society in physical or mental labour.”

The Road to Industrialisation

Message to the NTUC Referendum Victory Rally, 18 September 1962 [Registration for a NLB’s account is required]

“There is no simple and straightforward road to industrial progress and prosperity, no easy shortcut to a more just and equal society. It is a long and winding road, sometimes so arduous that a few nations who have travelled along it have gone astray.”

“The task of the trade union movement is not just to get more wages and better conditions of service, however important this may be to recruitment and membership. Unless the movement also accepts its wider responsibilities to increase productivity and efficiency, no solid progress is possible.”

Singapore’s Trade Unions Have a Social Responsibility

Text of Speech at the Opening of the NTUC Annual Convention at Victoria Memorial Theatre, 4 April 1964

“You are part and parcel of the nation. The trade union movement cannot divorce itself from the struggle of the nation for survival.”

The Dollars and Cents of Socialism

Speech at the Delegates’ Conference of the NTUC, 14 December 1964

“You know, by the time you can’t hold a meeting to protest against the Budget, to protest against Government revenue proposals which will hurt or injure your interests, then there’s something gone wrong with the country.”

“Your economic and social common interests must override your race, your language, your religion. If you are poor and you have no money, whether you are an Indian or a Malay or a Chinese, you are poor.”

Look Beyond Your Immediate Interest to Protect Your Future

Transcript of a Speech at the May Day Rally at the National Theatre, 1 May 1965

“. . . I like people who will stand up for what they believe in; for right, for justice, for fair play. And I believe if it came to the push, the NTUC won’t be lacking in that courage to lead the workers forward.”

“. . . with that power comes responsibility; because, if you do that without calculating the consequences, you may be doing grievous harm to your own members and worse to the children of your members, because if no economic development takes place, where are your high wages?”

“. . . and leadership, whether it is of political parties or political movements or trade union movements, must understand the implications of the wider whole: only then do we survive.”

BIRTH OF A NEW NATION

“The capacity to survive depends upon our ability to adjust quickly – however painful the adjustment may be – to a radically new and different situation.”

- 15.10.1965

An Exercise in Survival

Transcript of a Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Trade Union House and Singapore Conference Hall at Shenton Way, 15 October 1965

“I say to the world: nobody owes me a living; nobody owes my countrymen a living. But we intend to bail ourselves out. We are not looking for anybody to bail us out.”

“. . . if we want to strive and thrust forward, then we must work as hard as the Germans and the Japanese did. They were two nations prostrate after the last war, and they pulled themselves up by their boot straps.”

“The capacity to survive depends upon our ability to adjust quickly -however painful the adjustment may be -- to a radically new and different situation.”

“. . . I have not the slightest intention of fighting this battle to lose. I fight to win. It is on that basis that I look forward to co-operation and verve from the NTUC and from the organised working-class movement in Singapore.”

The Touchstone of Our Policies is Survival

Transcript of a Speech at the 15th Anniversary Celebrations of the Singapore Printing Employees’ Union at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, 17 October 1965

“Why did you vote for me? . . . If you think somebody else can do better, some other group of men can do better, why should you vote for me?”

“We have not changed, our purpose has not changed; the reasons why we did these things have not changed. But the situation has changed, and our methods must change.”

The Security Behind a Good Life

Transcript of a Speech at the Anniversary Celebrations of the Singapore Insurance Companies Employees’ Union at the Victoria Memorial Hall, 30 October 1965

“. . . unless you organise yourselves, whether it be in Insurance Employees’ Unions, in trade unions or in political societies and ensure effective government, there will not be good life for all.”

“It is good that you get used to graceful living but never take it for granted.”

My Wish for 1966

Speech at the Dinner of the Port of Singapore Authority Employees’

Transcript of Speech at the Dinner of the Port of Singapore Authority Employees’ Cooperative Thrift and Loan Society at the Badminton Stadium, Singapore, 2 January 1966

“. . . what is more important is, how do you and I ensure that we have a jolly good time today and have enough for tomorrow. . . And I tell you that the answer is quite simple. It is -- work hard.”

“Work hard, live within your means, save something. At the end of the week, have a binge; but after the binge is over, have something inside the pocket.”

“. . . we must have a sense of purpose and the purpose is your survival and mine.”

On the Abolition of Treble Pay

Transcript of Speech at the 54th Anniversary of the Singapore General Printing Workers’ Union at the NTUC Conference Hall, 25 August 1966

“Patriotism is necessary, working-class loyalty is necessary. But behind it all, there has to be a deep and abiding understanding of what makes the economic machine work.”

“Have I gone mad to abandon a whole life-time of work and objectives? Or, is it that I have become more matter-of-fact and I say, “Look, in this situation, we do this or we die.”

“. . . how do you provide a good life for everybody unless this country is based on one solid principle: efficiency of labour, in the goods and services you produce. And you have no efficiency when you count rewards against time, not against output, capacity, productivity. It is as simple as that.”

“This is the challenge: the ability to adjust outlook and methods in a new situation.”

“I am not interested in failure. We are here to succeed.”

Will There Be Another Generation Strong Enough to Carry the Torch?

Transcript of a Speech at the VIP Dinner Organised by the NTUC to Launch the Devan Nair Research and Training Endowment Fund at the Trade Union House, Shenton Way, 24 September 1966

“Once in a long while, in any movement, you get a person of more than ordinary girth and more than ordinary weight. And, Devan Nair was such a person. I have known many intense, dedicated and terribly earnest people. But I have not known many who have gone over with the Communists and come back across the line in one piece.”

“The problem of every new society is first, how to institutionalise the qualities which made it possible for you to establish what you set out to do, i.e. How do you create the next generation?”

“If you want this society to prosper and survive, then it must be on the basis of effort. The something-for-nothing basis is out; it is finished.”

Singapore Must Lead Asian League

Transcript of Speech at the Delegates’ Conference of the NTUC at the Trade Union House, Shenton Way, 2 October 1966

“Human beings always respond to a challenge. Where there is no challenge, there is very seldom more than ordinary performance.”

“There is a quiet determination that we shall face whatever the difficulties; . . . to rise up to any new situation with which we can be presented.”

“What is important are the values and the attitudes which form the basis of the postures which people take on these matters.”

“The world owes us no better a living than we can make for ourselves. . . it is our responsibility to see that Singapore remains at the top of that League.”

Developing the Lifeline of Singapore - Our Harbour

Transcript of the Speech in English at the Opening Ceremony of the Nelson Road Community Centre, 12 November 1966

“Every time you read the newspapers, you see that people like to belittle our harbour and our port. It does not matter. But, we continue to work efficiently with good pay and full work. Not good pay and halfwork; that is sure collapse. Good pay must go with good work. If there is good pay and no work -- out. Good work with poor pay is no good. If there is not enough for food, not enough for the children, it is impossible to work hard. What we want is a highly paid labour force, hard-working, highly-skilled.”

The Race to Create Enough Jobs

Transcript of Opening Speech at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 13th Session at the Singapore Conference Hall, 28 November 1966

“The same unions that I egged on to industrial protest actions I now have to face, to explain why a repetition of the habits learned in the pre-independence era must mean the disintegration of the whole of the society as the economy ceases to keep pace with growing demands of your educated population.”

“It must now mean a system in which employers whether local or foreign get their returns, or else their capital must go elsewhere . . . where there are governments less moved by these considerations, with unions led by men who understand just how far they can go without really crippling or killing the goose whose eggs they want. It is only in these conditions that urbanised situations like Singapore can continue to thrive and prosper.”

“. . . and a grasp of realities on the part of the union leaders that ultimately more pay, more fringe benefits, more security can only come with higher productivity and greater economic growth.”

Trade Unions Need Courageous Leadership

Excerpts of Speech at the 12th Anniversary Celebrations of PAP Branches (District 8), 18 December 1966

“. . . that is not leadership. If you know that there is no case, if you know that the country’s future depends upon taking a firm stand and showing the whole world that Singapore has the courage, has a leadership with enough courage and guts to take a stand -- then you should do it and not pass the buck on.”

The Role of the NTUC to Secure the Future

Transcript of Speech at the 4th Delegates’ Conference of the NTUC at the Conference Hall, Trade Union House, 26 April 1967

“Change is the very essence of life. The moment we cease to change, to be able to adapt, to adjust, to respond effectively to new situations, then we have begun to die.”

“. . . our position in this Southeast Asia . . . will be immeasurably strengthened if we have well-educated, well-trained, well-organised trade unions, community associations, political groups to act cohesively and effectively in pursuance of our collective interests.”

Make Workers Partner in Industry

Transcript of an Address at the Annual Dinner of the Singapore Employers’ Federation at the Conference Hall, Trade Union House, 31 May 1967

“In the long run whether this island with the second highest per capita income in Asia thrusts forward and upwards or whether it gets bogged down in a morass like so many newly independent countries depends upon three simple factors: the first is effective government; the second is a willingness of the people to work and pay for what it wants, never something for nothing; and third, whether it has amongst its people that quality of enterprise, that drive, that capacity to anticipate and take intelligent and calculated risks.”

Preparations for the Withdrawal of the British Bases

Statement after Meeting Representatives of the NTUC and Services Unions, 18 July 1967

“Our future depends upon our capacity to discipline and organise our community so that they can make the adjustments required. We must brace our people up to meet the changes that are coming. Our paramount duty is to protect the collective interests of all those who have nowhere but Singapore to look to for their future.”

Shape Up or You’ll Be Shipped Out

Transcript of Speech at the Dockyard Workers’ National Day Celebration Dinner at the Port of Singapore Authority Recreation Club, 5 August 1967

“Let me tell you what the race is about: It is to see which dockyard has the initiative, the drive and the organisation, the adaptability and the spirit to try new methods of working to make that dockyard the best, the biggest and most profitable in Singapore.“

“. . . if you don’t try, then your rice-bowl will be cracked.”

“I am not going to come here, next time, just to hear a long moan about more pay and better conditions of service. I am interested in more productivity.”

Why Singapore is Like a Gyroscope

Summary of Speech at the Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony of the Singapore Port Authority Union Premises at Cantonment Road, 28 March 1968

“You can have all the applications of science and technology to industry. You finally come down to your human digits: what is his performance? Does he put in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s wage? And it is my job to see that he does.”

“As long as my colleagues and I are entrusted with your fate, our duty is to see that you do not starve.”

“Singapore is like a spinning top or . . . more like a gyroscope. The moment it stops spinning, it topples and falls down. You can put a gyroscope on the edge of a table or on a string and it will maintain its equilibrium so long as it keeps up the momentum, the dynamism.”

“The old slogan was ‘Down with the employer’. But this employer is yours. It is called the Singapore Port Authority. If it makes profits it is ploughed back to the community. If you destroy it you are destroying yourselves.”

Tough People Accept Stern Measures for Collective Survival

Transcript of Speech at the 5th Annual NTUC Delegates’ Conference at the Conference Hall, 7 April 1968

“In Singapore, we have to be a tough people in order to accept stern measures for collective survival. Otherwise, the government cannot govern by consent. If you elect people who offer soft solutions to tough problems, there will be no solution and bankruptcy and chaos will result.”

“. . . the importance of intelligent co-operation between the labour, management and government. We must have the sense of national purpose.”

“The purpose is national security and a better life for all. What can pay for this security and higher standards of life? Higher productivity, greater economic growth, better distribution of employment opportunities.”

“. . . given a bit of time, your shoulders will be broad enough, together with the government’s, to carry the responsibilities of restructuring labour-management-government relationship.”

Developing Quality Leadership in the Trade Unions

Message for NTUC May Day Souvenir Programme [1968]

“We are a young community with no deep social or class divisions. Whether coolie or millionaire, our children go to the same schools, with equal opportunities for advancement to higher education, to leadership roles. Rewards correspond to merit and performance. . . . From worker to trade union leader, from union leader to executive and management promotions, this social mobility must be encouraged.”

“The union leader who can only feel strongly about the needs of his workers and anti the bosses, but without comprehending the economic realities on which his fellow workers’ livelihood depends, will become as out-dated as the dinosaur.”

Only Self-Discipline and Sustained Effort Can Get Us through the 1970s

Message to the Singapore Bank Employees’ Union, 9 July 1968

“We must learn from the lessons of contemporary history. We enter the 1970’s in the full knowledge that unless we have it in ourselves the capacity for self-discipline and sustained effort to make the grade, we shall be down on our knees. Once down we shall have to crawl around on all fours for a long time.”

“Either we learn to think in terms of the national interest, instead of sectional interest, or we are in trouble.”

INTO A NEW INDUSTRIAL NATION

“In multi-racial countries like ours, trade unions have a special role in building up this spirit of camaraderie amongst the workers. . . Developing the economy, increasing productivity, increasing returns, these make sense only when fair play and fair shares make it worth everyone’s while to put in his share of effort for group survival and group prosperity.”

-16.11.1969

Why the Employment Bill?

Text of Speech on the Employment Bill, 15 July 1968

“We must avoid slipping into a situation where trade unionism is the practice of protecting the weakest and the slowest worker and, with everybody being paid the same wage, no worker will have any incentive to work harder than the weakest and the slowest.”

“If we were a soft community, then the temptation would be to leave things as they are, and hope for the best. Then, only good fortune can save us from unpleasantness which will be ahead.”

Changing

to a Third-Shift System for the Fastest Turnaround of an Asian Harbour

Text of Speech at the Official Opening of the New P.S.A. Blair Plain Housing Estate, 8 October 1968

“We will gradually create a society where every member has more stake in its security and its continued prosperity. It can be done. What I ask is your full-hearted co-operation to make this possible, as soon as possible. Let us work the three-shift system well and, by next year, have the fastest turnround of any harbour in South Asia.”

Reasons for Singapore’s Success

National Day Broadcast – 1969, 8 August 1969

“. . . most important of all is the confidence, the trust between a people and their government. It is when a people are behind their government, and not at odds with it, that the best results are achieved.”

“. . . I want to pay a tribute to our workers and their unions. A year and a half ago, we passed the Employment Act. It was designed to stop abuses of fringe benefits and to make our workers keener and more productive. We demonstrated to hard-headed industrialists both in Singapore and overseas in the developed countries, that we had the will to put our own house in order.”

“The future is as full of promise as it is fraught with danger. We cannot slacken in our efforts. Nor can we allow liberties to be taken with our stable and orderly society.”

“Each generation has its own problems. Our generation has either to add greater strength and security to our society or watch all that we and our predecessors have built up over 150 years lost or ruined.”

“We cannot afford not to succeed.”

Role of Trade Unions in Developing Singapore as an Independent Industrial Nation

Address Declaring Open the NTUC Delegates Seminar at Singapore Conference Hall, 16 November 1969

“. . . Singapore’s objective is not just industrialisation. The development of the economy is very important. But equally important is the development of the nature of our society. We do not want our workers submissive, docile, toadying up to the foreman, the foreman to the supervisor and the supervisor to the boss for increments and promotions.”

“To survive as a separate and distinct community we have to be a proud and rugged people, or we fail. You can neither be proud or rugged if you have not got self-respect. Self-respect is what our trade unions have and will give to our workers, that protection for a man’s right to his own dignity, his dignity as a human being, as a citizen. He may be an unskilled worker, but he is one of us.”

“It is the consciousness of our being co-owners of the new society we are creating, that provides the drive for fulfilment. In multi-racial countries like ours, trade unions have a special role in building up this spirit of camaraderie amongst the workers.”

“Developing the economy, increasing productivity, increasing returns, these make sense only when fair play and fair shares make it worth everyone’s while to put in his share of effort for group survival and group prosperity.”

Unions and the Building of a New Society

Speech at a Cocktail Reception Given to the NTUC Seminar Delegates at the Istana, Singapore, 19 November 1969 [Registration for a NLB’s account is required]

“. . . one reason why I think it is very important we should have unions, because no industrial society can escape the inevitable organisational pressures of management and workers.”

“We just don’t want, you know, more wealth for the sake of more wealth, but more wealth for the sake of more creative, more graceful, more gracious living.”

Expectations of Success for Sembawang Shipyard

Speech at the 1st Anniversary Dinner of the Sembawang Shipyard Employees’ Union, 4 April 1970

“The lesson we must all draw from this, is that adversity can always be turned to advantage, provided a rugged people are prepared to accept the challenge of rapid change in order to meet a swiftly changing situation.”

Will Singapore Slow Down or Continue Growing After British Bases are Withdrawn?

May Day Message 1971

“If employers chose to take advantage of the government’s need for cautious policies this year, they may find goodwill, a precious ingredient, not easily bought, when we are out of the woods in 1972. Then the government will find it difficult to preach reasonableness to workers who, rightly or wrongly, felt that their employers took advantage of them when the going was good for employers.”

Addressing Complaints of Low Standards of Social Welfare

Summary of Speech at the NTUC Courtesy Campaign Committee Dinner at Hotel Malaysia, 15 May 1971

“Living means you have to rub against each other. That causes friction unless you lubricate life with courtesy.”

“I believe that pride in ourselves, and in our group performance, is what makes Singapore a different and better place to live in.”

Improving on Chinese Education

Address at the Get-Together of the Singapore Chinese Middle School Teachers’ Association at Ming Palace, 10 July 1971

“We must give our young a rounded education, so that their ability, skills and stamina can create a thriving Singapore.”

A New Economic Era

Address at NTUC Annual Delegates Conference at the Conference Hall, 5 March 1972

“What happens to us will depend, first, on the cultural and work habits of our people; second, the soundness of the social and economic policies we are pursuing; and third, the manner in which management and unions co-operate in a sensible and realistic way in sharing an ever bigger cake.”

The Obligation of a Government Servant

Address at the Official Opening of the Wisma AUPE, 2 April 1972

“A government servant’s decisions must be based on public interest. Singapore has been a new country where the government and administration do not tolerate corruption, nepotism or favouritism. This has been the most important asset in our development and progress.”

A Proud Milestone in Singapore’s History

May Day Message 1972

“Our concern now is no longer how to create more jobs. It is how to upgrade the skills of our workers, to increase productivity, to generate more revenue, to pay for better homes, schools, clinics and hospitals, sports and recreational facilities – to create a gracious Singapore worthy of a people who have striven hard, and are still hard at it, and deserve to go up the ladder of success.”

Do Not Rock the Boat of Singapore’s Prosperity

Summary of Speech at the 17th Anniversary Dinner of the Singapore Bank Employees Union at Hotel Hyatt, 8 July 1972

“My advice is: Do not rock the boat. Do not do anything that may shake confidence in the keenness to work of Singapore workers. Then you will share in Singapore’s prosperity.”

The Differentiating Factors for an Airline

Summary of Speech at the Singapore Air Transport Workers’ Union Silver Jubilee Dinner at the Shangri-la Hotel, 16 July 1972

“Fortunately, we are establishing ourselves as one of the few countries which, though still in the process of being industrialised, has already developed the habit for tip-top maintenance and a zeal for efficiency. It is reflected in a people’s philosophy of life -- either easy-going and tolerant of sub-standard work, or active and insistent on nothing less than the best achievable.”

Mother Tongue Teachers Must Teach Basic Values and Culture

Summary of Speech at the Singapore Teachers Union’s 26th Anniversary Dinner Held at Shangri-la Hotel, 5 November 1972

“To be able to speak both fluently requires a great deal of effort. I am convinced that this effort has to be made, if we are to survive as a distinctive society, worth the preserving. Or we will become completely deculturalised and lost.”

“. . . it is the hard framework of basic cultural values and the tightly-knit Asian family system that have enabled us to achieve what we have.”

Common Interests

Message to the Singapore Air Transport Workers’ Union at its Silver Jubilee celebrations, 24 November 1972

“There can be no successful union without a successful company. There can be no successful company without hardworking and efficient workers co-operating with management.”

COMFORT - An Act of Faith

Summary of Speech at the NTUC Comfort Anniversary Dinner at Conference Hall, 11 March 1973

“As an act of faith in the ability of the NTUC and our workers to co-operate in a transport co-operative, COMFORT was launched to give the taxi drivers -- many of whom were formerly running pirate taxis and others were being exploited by taxi owners -a chance to own the taxis and the mini buses.”

Singapore Thrives Because We Do It Better and Cheaper

Address Declaring Open the NTUC First Triennial Delegates Conference and Symposium at Conference Hall, 27 April 1973

“To survive, to thrive, we have to get better all the time. We have to provide services which nobody else can do at that speed, or quality, or price.”

“Change is of the essence of life, whether in the individual or in a people, or in the world. But for us, our basic position means that we cannot afford to be a soft or easy-going society.”

“. . . remember, if our workers lose their drive, their willingness to work, we shall not be eating bread or rice at all. We shall be eating tapioca.”

Welcome Supermart: A Yardstick on Profiteering

Address at the Opening of the Consumer Co-operative (Welcome) in Toa Payoh, 22 July 1973

“. . . any wholesaler who withholds popular or fashionable goods in great demand from this co-op supermarket, to give it to his pet retail network, will be bucking not only the labour movement but also the government.”

The World Needs Multinational, Global Heroes

Address at the NTUC Dinner to Mark the Presentation of a Book, Towards Tomorrow, Brought Out to Celebrate the 50th Birthday of the Prime Minister at Mandarin Hotel, 16 September 1973

“The worth of a man’s contribution to society can be objectively judged only after his life time.”

“If the world is to survive, there must be world heroes, people who have greater vision and feeling for mankind, and not just their own national segment of it.”

“The past was not pre-ordained. Nor is the future. There are as many unexpected problems ahead, as there were in the past.”

Sembawang Shipyard’s Growth Reflects that of Singapore

Address at Sembawang Shipyard Employees’ Union

5th Anniversary Dinner, 27 April 1974

“So long as we remain competitive, our economy can afford the wage increases. In other words, management must be efficient, labour relations healthy, and the work-force keen and hardworking, always ready to learn and increase their skills.”

Managing Expectations of Wage Adjustments

Amidst Global Economic Uncertainty

Message for NTUC’s May Day 1974 Souvenir Programme

“Our trade is worldwide. So it is not possible to insulate ourselves from global economic forces.”

“. . . there will be a lower rate of increase in real wages. This is a fact of life. We must face up to it. But if we keep the management-worker relations good, and productivity higher, then there will be increases in real wages, however small compared to those between 1970-73.”

The Interests of the Developed and Developing Countries are Advanced by Cooperation, Not Conflict

Address at the NTUC Reception in Honour of Participants in the ICFTU-ARO Seminar on Trade Union Research, 6 May 1974

“Singapore is fortunate in having a trade union leadership that shares the same priorities as its political leadership. The emphasis is on development, to increase GNP through better education, training, acquisition of higher skills, induction of more sophisticated manufacture and technology from developed countries.”

Consider Impact of Strong Singapore Dollar When Setting Wage Increases

Speech at the 5th Anniversary of the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation, 22 March 1975

“Our wages, translated into US$, compared to wages in Hong Kong, Taiwan or South Korea must not over-price our goods and services. If our economic activity is not to diminish, and unemployment not to increase, this year any wage increase must be very modest and moderate compared to 1974.”

Challenges Facing Singapore’s Shipbuilding and Ship-Repairing Industries

Address at Opening of Sembawang Shipyard Limited 400,000-Ton New Drydock, 25 May 1975

“We cannot afford to price ourselves out, or some other lower wage cost centre will be developed as a ship repairing centre that will replace us.”

“Let us not forget that productivity in these centres (Japan, Taiwan or Hong Kong) is higher because of higher skills and hardier workers. We must, through government-sponsored training programmes, better management and greater worker effort, achieve the same high productivity.”

The Challenges of Getting More Women into the Workforce

Speech at the NTUC’s International Women’s Year Seminar cum Exhibition at the DBS Auditorium, 1 September 1975

“The only differences between men and women workers are the physical and biological ones. Women are equal to men in intellectual capacity.“

“Societies which do not educate and use half their potential because they are women, are those which will be the worse off. . . We cannot not educate and use the energy and ability of our women.”

A Different Set of Problems with Prosperity

Address at the Inaugural Dinner of NTUC’s 2nd Triennial Delegates Conference at the Shangri-la Hotel, 25 April 1976

“. . . we are starting to have the European problems of citizens avoiding heavy jobs. We have to reverse this preference for clean, preferably white collar, jobs. It has to be fought at every level, in the schools, in the homes, in the mass media.”

“Everyone must realise that as long as we have not established a reputation for ourselves as hardworking and intensely proud workers, whose products are equal in quality and high finish to the Swiss or Japanese, we shall only be slightly better than assembly-line operators.”

Prepare for Slower Growth

May Day Message 1976

“Let us psychologically prepare ourselves for slower economic growth and for tougher competition and harder conditions. If we are realistic in our expectations, life will not be so bad in the end.”

The Family and the Trade Union –A Programme for Humanisation and Socialisation

Speech at the NTUC Seminar On ‘The Family and the Trade Union –A Programme for Humanisation and Socialisation’ at Changi, 5 December 1976

“It is when a people lose pride in their collective performance, and, worse, when they become selfish in pursuing sectional trade union interests, that a whole people suffer as their collective performance goes down.”

“We have to learn from other systems that work. We must identify and select those factors in successful systems which are relevant to us and modify and adapt them to fit our cultural and social conditions.”

The Role of Trade Unions in Developing Countries

Speech at the Asian Labour Summit at the Hyatt Hotel, 5 May 1977

“I suggest the way forward is for the developing countries, their governments, unions and management, to mobilise their people, to demonstrate that they intend to and can help themselves. They must have the will and the discipline to put their countries in order.”

Urging a ‘Rational Thinking Population’ to Adjust to New Realities

Excerpts of a Speech at the 12th National Day Rally at the National Theatre, 13 August 1977

“It is like mountaineering – the higher you climb, the more exhilarating it is but the tougher it is to climb up higher because there is less oxygen in the air.”

“It is all right to set your sights high. Work hard, get a good education, reach out for the stars. But settle for what you can be. . . . settle for the jobs that are going and not the jobs that you think ought to be there.”

“But we can see a pattern emerging. We are becoming a little bit like what’s happening in Western Europe, . . . where people do not want to do what they consider jobs not equal to their status, socially not desirable jobs, even though they pay well.”

“. . . one redeeming feature of Singapore is that it responds. It responds to the challenge, it responds to the exhortation. And it takes note, it makes adjustments.”

Co-Ownership for Our Workers

May Day Message 1978

“. . . without the NTUC, I doubt if we could have given our workers this sense of participation. Only because they were organised in unions, with union leaders being identified in the big decisions which have shaped the new Singapore, so we today have a body of workers who feel themselves a part of Singapore’s organic whole.”

“The task of the unions is to widen this participation in the co-ownership of as many joint enterprises as possible through efficient co-ops. A joint property owning democracy, giving fair shares to each in accordance with his contribution, is more than a slogan in Singapore.”

Facing Educational Challenges in the 1980s

Address at the Malay Teachers’ Union Seminar on “Facing Educational Challenges in the 1980’s” at DBS Auditorium, 31 May 1978

“To have English accepted as our working language is not as easy as it seems to be today. . . Suppression of any people’s mother tongue leads to resistance and antagonism to rational action on language learning and user.”

“. . . let us press on with English. It is our common working language. It cuts across all racial and linguistic groups. It provides a neutral medium, giving no one any advantage in the competition for knowledge and jobs.”

INTO A HI-TECH INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY

“The objective must be a job well done and to be well paid for a job well done; . . . The NTUC must play a positive role in reshaping attitudes and objectives, supporting management and the government in a joint effort to realise our full potential.”

-6.11.1979

Strengthening the Symbiosis Between Government and Unions

May Day Message 1979

“In the history of modern Singapore it is not possible to divide leadership neatly into political and union leader sections. They were one and indivisible. They still are.”

“There was never any distinction or division between the political (PAP) and the trade union (NTUC) objectives. Both were out to abolish the old unjust colonial order and to create a society which offered everybody equal opportunities for education, health, housing, jobs and a better life.”

“The close co-operation between the political and the union leadership made modern Singapore. It is both history and today’s reality. We have advanced because the government and the unions moved in tandem.”

Strengthening the Symbiotic Relationship Between the Government and NTUC

Address at NTUC Seminar on “Progress into the 80’s”, 6 November 1979

“The progress of the last 20 years was made possible because of the close, almost inseparable, ties between the leaders of the PAP and the NTUC. In fact, they are one leadership . . .”

“. . . a curious contradiction has arisen between the PAP and the NTUC; it is one which has the seeds of potential conflict if the present PAP-NTUC relationship is not institutionalised and made durable before a younger generation of leaders has taken over charge of both organisations.“

“To avoid such unnecessary misunderstanding and the risk of collision, the PAP and the NTUC have adopted a strategy of cross-fertilisation, to bind personal ties, to increase understanding between the government leaders and the union leaders.”

“We shall succeed if we deploy enough dedicated talent in the NTUC, enough to match the talent in the government. Most managements can well look after themselves.”

What Union Leaders Can Do to Improve the Lives of Workers

Edited Extracts of a Speech at the NTUC May Day Campfire at the National Youth Leadership Training Institute, 30 April 1980

“To climb up to a higher plateau, we have to scale up the ladder of education to acquire more knowledge and higher skills relevant to our next stage of economic progress.”

“What is your role as union branch leaders and activists? It is, in cooperation with the government and with management, to help your members realise their full potential in knowledge and skills.”

“The more important half of a man is his character. Does he feel for his fellow human beings? Is he selfish or selfless?“

“The unions must have their quota of talent. . . the top talent at university level must mesh in with grassroot talent. Time and patience will be needed to achieve this. But to achieve this we must, for trust and confidence between the leaders at the top and the stalwarts on the ground are essential for successful group endeavour.”

Nurturing a Viable Successor Leadership in NTUC

May Day Message 1980

“. . . we shall make most progress if we provided equal opportunities of education and employment, regardless of race, language, culture, or religion. We have been guided by the principle that a man’s worth depends on what he can do, not who his parents were or what they had achieved.”

“Let me be blunt: a leader must lead; to lead, he cannot be slow, he cannot be dependent on advisers, especially in a crisis. A leader is one who, in tight situations, faced with the unexpected, takes swift decisions alone.”

Restructuring of the Economy Must Be Accompanied by a Change in Attitudes

Speech at Tanjong Pagar National Day Celebration, 15 August 1980

“We must remain as keen, eager and diligent in the ‘80s as were in the ‘60s when we were hungrier. I have brought out these signs of softening into the open. It is the best way to tackle the problem.“

“. . . if we are to make the grade, then Singaporeans must measure themselves against the highest standards, be they Japanese or German.”

“We have different cultural values and a different historical tradition. Nevertheless, we can build up this team spirit, this esprit de corps, where every individual gives of his best for the team, for the nation, to achieve its maximum. And the team, the nation, in turn, takes care of the individual, fairly and equitably.”

When the SIA Pilots Went on Strike

Excerpts of the Speech at the Election Rally at Fullerton Square, 19 December 1980

“In Japan when the workers go on strike they wear arm bands to say ‘Bah Kong’ - on strike - and they are working while they argue about higher pay because they know if that factory stops working they will suffer.”

“Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him or give it up. This is not a game of cards. This is your life and mine. I spent a whole life-time building this, and as long as I am in charge, nobody is going to knock it down.”

“The problem is to get 100 per cent co-operation. That is not easy. That is the crux of productivity. If you work according to rules, your productivity must go down. And that is where I hold SIA Management to blame. Why did it reach such a position, until 140 Singaporean pilots out of 480 total pilots were prepared to ruin their own airline and break their rice-bowl?”

The Fine Balance between Competition and Egalitarianism

May Day Message 1981

“We subsidise only when subsidies will increase earning or survival capacity. But we must never subsidise consumption . . .”

“The greatest achievement of the Singapore labour movement has been to transform revolutionary fervour during the period of anti-colonialism (i.e. antagonism towards expat employers) in the 1950s, to productivity consciousness (cooperation with management, both Singaporean and expat) in the 1980s. It is a triumph of leadership.”

“Greater team spirit is the secret of success in our next stage of economic development. . . it is cooperation amongst fellow workers, and between workers and management, which will increase productivity. . . This is the way towards a bigger cake for everyone to get a bigger slice.”

Definition and Significance of Productivity

Transcript of a Speech at the National Day Cultural Show and Rally at the National Theatre, 16 August 1981

“. . . productivity will come the day we get it into everybody’s head that he has a critical contribution – that is, human relations. It’s got to do with self-respect, it’s got to do with cooperation between workers, and between worker and manager on the same side.”

“This is not a static world. It doesn’t mean that because we have arrived. Therefore, this is our position in the league. It isn’t so, you know.”

“. . . we got a little island – 600 square kilometres. You unwind this, you will not drop down on soft paddy fields, it is hard, hard concrete, your bones are broken and it’s kaput. And if you want to know why I am tough, it’s because I know what happens.”

“. . . Singapore has only one chance and that is to go up – tighter, more discipline, up the ladder. You unwind this, it’s curtain for everyone.”

“The future is in our hands. Seize it firmly. Make your children work, make them the best workers possible. Not all will make it to university. But even if they are carpenters, but they are good carpenters, you will have good houses, good furniture. This is a good and thriving country.”

Towards a Highly Productive Society through Cultivating Team Spirit and Improving Work Attitude

May Day Message 1982

“Higher productivity cannot be achieved by workers alone. It is primarily a function of management.”

“I believe we have achieved less than half of our full productive potential as a people. When we develop true team spirit and improve work attitudes, we shall have achieved a breakthrough towards a highlyproductive society.”

“The government will do whatever is necessary to hasten the day when workers are loyal to, and identify themselves with, the company they work for, because they see benefits for themselves when their company makes profits and prospers.”

The Search for Talent

In Our Heritage and Beyond: A Collection of Essays on Singapore, Its Past, Present and Future. Published by the Singapore National Trades Union Congress (12 August 1982)

“The Singapore-born must be the pillars on which we can place the cross beams and struts of foreign-born talent to raise us up to higher standards of achievement.”

“In the last 20 years, this extra top talent has given our own Singaporeborn talent that extra boost and transformed Singapore from a colonial trading-cum-military outpost into a manufacturing, financial, and servicing centre. If we get these extra brains, in the next 20 years, we shall become a key link in a world-wide network of leading information, financial, and servicing centres, linked to each other by telecomputers, by video telephones, by jets, and perhaps space shuttles.”

Productivity: Who Benefits?

Speech at the Launching of Productivity Month in Singapore Conference Hall, 1 November 1982

“So long as workers believe that productivity is for the benefit of managements to make bigger profits through workers working harder and smarter, we shall not succeed.”

“A keen sense of productivity must become part of the ethos of our people as it is with the Japanese. This is the long road we must travel if Singapore is to become a developed society by the 1990s.”

Talent Needed at All Levels of Unions

May Day Rally Speech at the Singapore Conference Hall, 1 May 1983

“. . . militant, powerful, antagonistic trade unions which set to confront employers in order to extract the maximum for their members, regardless of the interests of the employers or workers in other sectors, end up by successfully scuttling the whole of their own economy and demolishing their own societies.”

“There are few new countries, like Singapore, with union leaders who have the courage to involve the workers actively in nation-building, cooperating with the government and management to create prosperity for all.”

“Why did we succeed? Because we developed relationships of trust and confidence between ourselves and the grassroots leaders in the union committees. We had established our sincerity and credibility with rank and file workers.”

“. . . direct recruitment of talent into the unions is necessary. Otherwise the trade unions will not have the capability to play an equal role in any tripartite combination of government, unions and management.”

How to Get a Self-Perpetuating Productivity Cycle

Speech at the Inauguration of the Productivity Month ’83 at the Singapore Conference Hall, 1 November 1983

“Habits that make for high productivity in workers are the result of the values implanted in them at home, in school and at the workplace. These values must be reinforced by the attitudes of society. Once established, like a language a society speaks, the habits tend to become a self-reproducing, self-perpetuating cycle.”

“Productivity habits must become a part of the Singaporean work ethos. In factories, offices or shops, managers and grassroots union leaders must set the example.”

“Singaporeans must understand that their group interests will be advanced if each worker strives to achieve his best, and thus encourages his peers to do better, by his example.”

Higher Productivity for a Better Future

May Day Message 1984

“Our trade union leaders are ready to play leading roles, to be models for other workers in the productivity movement. Management must maximize this cooperative attitude and enlist the cooperation of trade union leaders in getting workers to engage in productivity activities like QC circles and work improvement committees.”

“. . . let us resolve to achieve higher levels of knowledge, skills and cooperation. Higher productivity in our workforce will bring in more investments in higher technology. This is the way to a better future.”

INTO ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING

“The business of tripartism now is to find new ways to make enterprises more profitable by increasing productivity and so give workers better wages, . . .”

-12.10.1989

“ . . . the way out of our troubles is . . . a severe wage restraint to restore the profitability of companies. We have to create conditions which can attract investments . . . in new growth areas . . . If we do not . . . we shall be stuck in recession.”

-1.5.1986

“There is no law of nature which provides that life will get better for Singapore next year. We have to work to make it better.”

-1.5.1986

Let’s Count Our Blessings Amidst the Gloom

May Day Message 1985

“. . . management must recognise that Singapore is not going back to low wages.”

“We must economise on labour in every possible way. . . .This has been Singapore’s formula for success. We have never wasted any opportunity to equip and train ourselves to be more productive.”

Leadership Forged in Adversity

May Day Message 1986

“Most can pass as good leaders when times are good. . . . But when the employer has no profits, . . . that is when union leaders are tested.”

“When times are bad, workers are worried and confused because the way ahead is clouded. They need leaders to guide them out of the morass. Those who can take them through unpleasant and difficult terrain and bring them out to high ground, they become trusted leaders.”

”Real leaders face hard facts and unpleasant alternatives. In our present recession, . . . To insist on collective agreements and annual increments stipulated in the collective agreements is to precipitate retrenchments and unemployment.”

Wage Restraint for Another Year

May Day Message 1987

“Singaporean workers and unionists have done their bit for Singapore’s economy. If all goes well by the middle of next year, they will have proved that they have the discipline and grit to equal their elders. They will also have established the credentials of a younger generation of union leaders.”

Success in Recovering from Recession

May Day Message 1988

“The discipline which union leaders and workers exercised for two years has produced results. Wage restraint and a 15 per cent point cut in employers’ CPF have made our products competitive. The economy has revived, creating more and better-paid jobs. The creditability of our union leaders and the reputation of our workers have been enhanced.“

“We must keep our wage increases within productivity increases to maintain competitiveness.”

“Employers and workers must work towards flexible wage systems.”

Recreational Facilities for All Workers

Speech at the Official Opening of the NTUC Pasir Ris Resort, 29 October 1988

“Our society has no class divisions. . . Education makes it possible for the enterprising and the hardworking to climb up the economic and social ladder. Inheriting property is no guarantee of staying up at the top if a person does not have it in him.”

“However, not all are going to get to the top. But whether middle, lower middle, or low income, no one needs to be excluded from enjoying the facilities which the successful can enjoy, whether they be resort hotels, golf courses, country clubs, . . .”

Keep up the Climate of Trust and Confidence

May Day Message 1989

“When workers have shared hard times, they deserve to share good times.”

“Workers, management and government have a joint responsibility to keep up this climate of trust and confidence in each other.”

NTUC’s Successful Policies of Tripartism and High Productivity

Speech at the NTUC Workshop: “The Future Direction of the Labour Movement” at the Singapore Conference Hall Auditorium, 12 October 1989

“Workers know that the policies of the NTUC have succeeded in getting them a better living and a better life in a better Singapore. The policy encapsulated in the phase ‘tripartism’ means that unions together with management and government can create more prosperity for workers.”

“. . . tripartism cannot be taken for granted. It is a relationship that must be nurtured, developed and sustained. It is a relationship whose benefits must be seen and understood, by both workers and management.”

“. . . each generation of union leaders must earn afresh the trust and respect of the workers they lead and of the managers they negotiate with. . . Unions must remember that for their workers to do well, they must balance the needs of their workers with those of management, and of government, that is the context in which tripartism can succeed.”

Towards a Developed Industrial Country by

2000

May Day Message 1990

“. . . we shall probably double our incomes and enjoy a better quality of life. We shall be able to afford the leisure, recreational and cultural facilities and overseas travel. Such a lifestyle can only come with bigger economy. To achieve this, all workers must keep on learning and training to improve knowledge and skills. And we must never allow the yearly increase in wages to outstrip the increase in productivity.”

Getting Our Fundamentals Right

Edited and Combined Speeches at the Singapore Port Workers’ Union’s 45th Anniversary Dinner, 11 October 1991 and at Tanjong Pagar Day Celebrations at Silat CC, 13 October 1991

“. . . life means change, because we are living in one of the most spectacular periods of human history when changes come quickly, one after another. The way in which we do things has changed because of science and technology.”

“Has the government become less pro-workers? A government that has upgraded their education to improve their incomes? We have changed our economy and with it our way of life.”

“We are competing against other countries which are also out to improve the lives of their workers. What then is our limit? It is our productivity, . . .”

Why NTUC Remains Important

Transcript of Interview with Ee Boon Lee of NTUC News at Istana, 13 April 1995

“. . . the unions’ major role today in Singapore, is to protect the future of our workers. The unions must insist on retraining and skills upgrading programmes because that is the future.”

“There will always be a role (for NTUC) . . . because you cannot have a perfect group of employers.”

“The real test is not whether NTUC is confrontational or cooperative, but whether it produces results.”

Contributions of President Ong Teng Cheong

Speech for President Ong Teng Cheong’s 60th Birthday Dinner at Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore, 22 January 1996

“. . . political leadership required that extra, the ability to get along with all types of people, the temperament to put up with demanding voters and intrusion into one’s privacy by the media. But most important of all, a political leader must be able to persuade people to accept and help push a painful policy which he had decided was necessary and good for the country.”

Pegging Ministers’ Pay Up to that of the Top Earners in the Private Sector

Speech to the NTUC at the Singapore Conference Hall, 19 July 1996

“How secure is our future? I believe we will continue to progress provided we still fulfil those two conditions I have listed, honest and capable government and a united people pulling together with the government and management. Singapore is not an ordinary country.”

“Either we are Number 1, 2, or 3, or we do not exist at all, whether it is Singapore Airlines, Singapore Airport, PSA, SingTel, SingPower, or Singapore Technologies. The older workers know that. The younger sometimes forget this, seeing only how prosperous and stable Singapore has become.

“Please do not forget. We are not an ordinary country. Ordinary men cannot run Singapore.”

INTO THE NEW ECONOMY

6.9.2001

“In government, I have never forgotten that it is in the interest of the workers and their unions that we must strive for growth and development. In other words, growth is meaningless unless it is shared by the workers, shared not only directly in wage increases but indirectly in better homes, better schools, better hospitals, better playing fields; a healthier environment for their families and for their children to grow up.”

- 13.5.2011

“ . . . we’ve got where we are because we are hard thinking people who are prepared to face reality, take tough decisions, implement them in order to have a good life for everybody.”

Union’s Role in the New Knowledge Economy

Speech at the NTUC 40th Anniversary Dinner at Suntec City, 6 September 2001

“Because of my strong link with unionists from the 1950s fighting for independence I was able to get the NTUC leaders to accept difficult measures because they did not doubt my intentions. . . The NTUC and the government together, however, had to demonstrate that they had a common vision, a shared sense of purpose to advance the interests of the workers. Singapore could not have succeeded with a demoralised labour movement.”

“The future is not pre-determined. It will be decided by how we shape up as a people.”

Question & Answer Session at the NTUC 40th Anniversary Dinner, Suntec City, 6 September 2001

“. . . we’ve got where we are because we are hard thinking people who are prepared to face reality, take tough decisions, implement them in order to have a good life for everybody.”

How and Why This Economic Downturn is Different

Address at the Dialogue Session with NTUC Leaders at the Suntec City Ballroom, 23 July 2003

“I want to commend leaders and members of these unions (in PSA and SIA) for making the right decisions even if it causes pain. Wage restructuring is painful but is necessary to save jobs.”

“This long standing symbiotic relationship between the PAP and the NTUC has been a foundation stone of our success in coping with change. Without a responsible and strong NTUC leadership, able to work together with management and government to manage yearly changes in economic conditions through the NWC, we would not have enjoyed industrial peace and stability . . .”

Question-And-Answer Session After a Dialogue Session with NTUC Leaders at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, 23 July 2003 [Registration for a NLB’s account is required]

“The day you can’t adjust and change, that day, you begin to shrivel and die. That’s all. I mean, the day I’m unable to learn new things, I’m out of touch with the world, then I’m useless.”

Gratitude to Friends and Family for a Life Well Lived

Speech by Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew at his 80th Birthday Dinner at the Shangri-la Hotel, 16 September 2003

“What has been achieved in Singapore cannot be taken for granted. Whatever the wonders of modern technology, I do not believe full employment, rising real wages, with a better standard of living and quality of life in a pleasant environment can be sustained without real effort, social discipline and adapting to change.”

“Could I have lived my life differently? Maybe yes, but probably not. At each stage I made what was then the best choice. Having taken that decision, I changed direction and there was no turning back.”

On the SIA-Pilots Labour Disputes

Speech and Question-and-Answer Session at the Global Branding Forum at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, 1 December 2003 [Registration for a NLB’s account is required]

“. . . when the government decides that its industrial relations are a key factor in its progress, in its economic well-being and if it says no, it means no . . . “

“I do not believe that popular government means you have to be popular when you govern.”

“. . . that this is a place that works, must work and continue to work because it is based on sound principles and the first principle is nobody owes us a living.”

Better 2004 But Restructuring Continues

Speech at the Tanjong Pagar GRC Lunar New Year Celebration Dinner at the Queenstown Community Centre, 30 January 2004

“Our workers have to be resolute to help their companies to reduce costs. . . Keeping cost low does not mean keeping wages low. A better solution is to keep wage systems flexible and competitive, with more upside tied to company performance. This way, workers have an opportunity to earn more when the company does well. But more importantly, workers and management all have to work smart at improving costs from productivity improvements. This is the only way to keep ahead in the long run.”

Changing with the Times to Stay on Top

Speech at the Singapore Port Workers Union’s 59th Anniversary Dinner and Dance at Suntec City, 24 June 2005

“SPWU is a part of my life. I was the legal advisor of the Port Workers’ Union from the 1950s. In the 1955 elections, I chose Tanjong Pagar because it included the port workers. I had fought for their welfare, better wages and conditions of service. The port is a 24/7 operation. I built HDB flats in Tanjong Pagar for the workers to live close by so that they could walk to work. . .”

“What management and SPWU did in 2003 was painful but necessary. It was vital and fortunate for Singapore that the SPWU worked with management to re-structure the company. The port workers’ unions understand that co-operation between management and workers is crucial to survival. The union I worked with for so long had courage and wisdom to do what was right and necessary for our future.”

“Whatever the changes in the shipping industry, PSA must adjust and adapt to make itself the preferred port of call.”

Carving a Future Together

Speech and Question-And-Answer Session at the NTUC 45th Anniversary Lecture at the Singapore Chinese Orchestra Concert Hall, 6 September 2006

[Registration for a NLB’s account is required]

“I was involved in about 50 or 60 unions, big and small over a period of ten years before I took office in 1959. . . we understood that this fight is about a decent life for the workers.”

“. . . the first Legislative Assembly in 1959, 35% of our Assemblymen were trade unionists from the ground, . . . there was a shared experience. We went through battles together. . . . the people who survived are solid for each other. They learn to trust each other. So, NTUC and the PAP were actually one.”

“If you ask me what are the opportunities for the younger generation, I say the sky is the limit, seize it. But if you are not well trained, not well educated, that’s a problem.”

“To stay relevant, you’ve got to roll with the surf.”

From Dark Days to Trade Unionism

Interview with Leong Ching for the NTUC’s 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book at the Istana, 9 April 2010

[Registration for a NLB’s account is required]

“Why should an ideology decide how the world is going to go? I am a great believer in Darwinism, that the human being adjusts to new situations, adapts, changes to survive and it’s not pre-determined, just like Singapore’s future is not pre-determined.”

“. . . in 1969, . . . besides just cooperating with unions, . . . we got the unions to go into . . . cooperatives . . . to show them that if you run an enterprise, you’ve got to consider costs and revenue. . . So, when they negotiate with the employers, they know that the employers have to consider these points. So that changed the mindset and the approach of the union leaders and the union members. They understood beyond a certain point from a black revenue to red minus, the enterprise will fail.”

“. . . the biggest problem is succession of leadership, both at the top in the central committee and at the union level. You can have a firstclass central committee at the very top, but if at the grassroots you do not have active union leaders who can mobilise and persuade their members, then you can’t get through to the workers.”

“. . . you’ve got to find somebody who leads the NTUC and who is able to get people to empathise. So, we had Devan Nair, . . . Lim Chee Onn . . . Ong Teng Cheong. . . Then we had Lim Boon Heng. . . who has a natural empathy with the unions . . . we were hard-pressed to find a successor and finally found Lim Swee Say who naturally empathises with the unions and has this knack of putting things in a very simple way, humorously and carrying the union members with him. But after him, who? . . . ”

“There must be a commitment to not just the welfare of the workers but the welfare of the whole community. . . when it is essential services, we do not disrupt it . . . you’ll find a way to resolve the difficulties in an intelligent way without hurting ourselves . . . It’s made a big difference as you can see from the investments that keep flowing in.”

“. . . we have always a member of the NTUC on the cabinet. So in every issue at stake, we take into account what’s the benefit to workers here, what’s the disbenefit. So, whether there is a growing disparity in wages at the top and the bottom because of globalisation or whatever, we try to bring about a more equitable solution.”

Unionists as Agents of Change in Singapore

Transcript of a Speech at NTUC’s 50th Anniversary Dinner at Marina Bay Sands Grand Ballroom, 13 May 2011

“In government, I have never forgotten that it is in the interest of the workers and their unions that we must strive for growth and development. In other words, growth is meaningless unless it is shared by the workers, shared not only directly in wage increases but indirectly in better homes, better schools, better hospitals, better playing fields; a healthier environment for their families and for their children to grow up.”

“. . . we put trade union leaders on key statutory boards so that they will understand and shape the policies of these boards. . . . unionists also played a key role in the productivity movement. They decided that the objective should be enlarging the pie rather than fight for a bigger slice of a small pie.”

Championing the Spirit of Tripartism

Transcript of Dialogue Session with Union Leaders at the Labour Leadership Appreciation Dinner, 30 January 2012

“Our special situation that we have cooperation between unions, employers and government did not come about by accident. We strived very hard, instead of infighting, to try and get each party to understand their obligations and responsibilities to each other. And because we succeeded in that, we created an environment that invited foreign investments, confidence in the future and today’s Singapore.”

“. . . the problem now is to make sure that you have successful succession planning so that the spirit of this tripartism is understood even before they take over the leadership. And when they do take over the leadership, each side understands not only their rights but also their responsibilities to the others.”

Reprinted with permission from Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd for the following speeches included in The Papers of Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore: Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd., 2012-2103)

Why I Chose Tanjong Pagar. vol. 1: 1950-1962, 2012, pp. 19-20.

Theory and Practice of Democratic Socialism. vol. 1: 1950-1962, 2012, pp. 104-105.

To Employees of the Singapore Traction Company. vol. 1: 1950-1962, 2012, pp. 150-151.

A Call to Stand with the People’s Action Party (PAP). vol. 1: 1950-1962, 2012, pp. 220-222.

To Ensure Workers Are Given the Best Possible Deal. vol. 1: 1950-1962, 2012, pp. 309-310.

Doing the Right Thing for Workers. vol. 1: 1950-1962, 2012, pp. 362363.

The Road to Industrialisation. vol. 1: 1950-1962, 2012, pp. 481-482.

Singapore’s Trade Unions Have a Social Responsibility. vol. 2: 19631965, 2012, pp. 150-154.

The Dollars and Cents of Socialism. vol. 2: 1963-1965, 2012, pp. 326331.

Look Beyond Your Immediate Interest to Protect Your Future. vol. 2: 1963-1965, 2012, pp. 551-556.

The Security Behind a Good Life. vol. 3: 1965-1966, 2012, pp. 187-190.

My Wish for 1966. vol. 3: 1965-1966, 2012, pp. 303-307.

Will There Be Another Generation Strong Enough to Carry the Torch? vol. 3: 1965-1966, 2012, pp. 505-509.

The Race to Create Enough Jobs. vol. 3: 1965-1966, 2012, pp. 582-587.

Trade Unions Need Courageous Leadership. vol. 3: 1965-1966, 2012, pp. 601-603.

The Role of the NTUC to Secure the Future. vol. 4: 1967-1968, 2012, pp. 67-75.

Preparations for the Withdrawal of the British Bases. vol. 4: 1967-1968, 2012, pp. 125-126.

Shape Up or You’ll Be Shipped Out. vol. 4: 1967-1968, 2012, pp. 144147.

Why Singapore Is Like a Gyroscope. vol. 4: 1967-1968, 2012, pp. 330335.

Tough People Accept Stern Measures for Collective Survival. vol. 4: 1967-1968, 2012, pp. 337-344.

Developing Quality Leadership in the Trade Unions. vol. 4: 1967-1968, 2012, pp. 349-351.

Only Self-Discipline and Sustained Effort Can Get Us through the 1970s. vol. 4: 1967-1968, 2012, pp. 376-377.

Changing to a Three-Shift System for the Fastest Turnaround Time of an Asian Harbour. vol. 4: 1967-1968, 2012, pp. 426-427.

Reasons for Singapore’s Success. vol. 5: 1969-1971, 2012, pp. 151-153.

Role of Trade Unions in Developing Singapore as an Independent Industrial Nation. vol. 5: 1969-1971, 2012, pp. 183-186.

Unions and the Building of a New Society. vol. 5: 1969-1971, 2012, pp. 186-189.

Expectations of Success for Sembawang Shipyard. vol. 5: 1969-1971, 2012, pp. 239-240.

Will Singapore Slow Down or Continue Growing After British Bases Are Withdrawn? vol. 5: 1969-1971, 2012, pp. 466-467.

Addressing Complaints of Low Standards of Social Welfare. vol. 5: 1969-1971, 2012, pp. 472-474.

Improving on Chinese Education. vol. 5: 1969-1971, 2012, pp. 523-524.

The Obligations of a Government Servant. vol. 6: 1972-1974, 2012, pp. 36-38.

A Proud Milestone in Singapore’s History. vol. 6: 1972-1974, 2012, p. 48.

Do Not Rock the Boat of Singapore’s Prosperity. vol. 6: 1972-1974, 2012, p. 74.

The Differentiating Factors for an Airline. vol. 6: 1972-1974, 2012, pp. 79-81.

Mother Tongue Teachers Must Teach Basic Values and Culture. vol. 6: 1972-1974, 2012, pp. 157-161.

Singapore Thrives Because We Do It Better and Cheaper. vol. 6: 19721974, 2012, pp. 320-324.

The World Needs Multinational, Global Heroes. vol. 6: 1972-1974, 2012, pp. 384-386.

Sembawang Shipyard’s Growth Reflects that of Singapore. vol. 6: 19721974, 2012, pp. 446-449.

Managing Expectations of Wage Adjustments Amidst Global Economic Uncertainty. vol. 6: 1972-1974, 2012, pp. 449-450.

The Interests of the Developed and Developing Countries are Advanced by Cooperation, Not Conflict. vol. 6: 1972-1974, 2012, pp. 450-453.

Consider Impact of Strong Singapore Dollar When Setting Wage Increases. vol. 7: 1975-1977, 2012, pp. 8-9.

Challenges Facing Singapore’s Shipbuilding and Ship-Repairing Industries. vol. 7: 1975-1977, 2012, pp. 93-94.

The Challenges of Getting More Women into the Workforce. vol. 7: 1975-1977, 2012, pp. 111-113.

A Different Set of Problems with Prosperity. vol. 7: 1975-1977, 2012, pp. 196-199.

Prepare for Slower Growth. vol. 7: 1975-1977, 2012, p. 200.

The Family and the Trade Union—A Programme for Humanisation and Socialisation. vol. 7: 1975-1977, 2012, pp. 317-318.

The Role of Trade Unions in Developing Countries. vol. 7: 1975-1977, 2012, pp. 428-431.

Urging a ‘Rational Thinking Population’ to Adjust to New Realities. vol. 7: 1975-1977, 2012, pp. 495-498.

Facing Educational Challenges in the 1980s. vol. 8: 1978-1980, 2012, pp. 134-147.

Strengthening the Symbiosis Between Government and Unions. vol. 8: 1978-1980, 2012, pp. 321-323.

Strengthening the Symbiotic Relationship Between the Government and NTUC. vol. 8: 1978-1980, 2012, pp. 387-403.

What Union Leaders Can Do to Improve the Lives of Workers. vol. 8: 1978-1980, 2012, pp. 437-441.

Nurturing a Viable Successor Leadership in National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). vol. 8: 1978-1980, 2012, pp. 441-444.

Restructuring of the Economy Must Be Accompanied by a Change in Attitudes. vol. 8: 1978-1980, 2012, pp. 472-475.

The Fine Balance between Competition and Egalitarianism. vol. 9: 1981-1987, 2012, pp. 36-39.

Definition and Significance of Productivity. vol. 9: 1981-1987, 2012, pp. 50-61.

Towards a Highly Productive Society through Cultivating Team Spirit and Improving Work Attitude. vol. 9: 1981-1987, 2012, pp. 157-159.

Talent Needed at All Levels of Unions. vol. 9: 1981-1987, 2012, pp. 261-267.

How to Get a Self-Perpetuating Productivity Cycle. vol. 9: 1981-1987, 2012, pp. 287-290.

Higher Productivity for a Better Future. vol. 9: 1981-1987, 2012, pp. 308-310.

Success in Recovering from Recession. vol. 10: 1988-1990, 2012, p. 60.

Keep up the Climate of Trust and Confidence. vol. 10: 1988-1990, 2012, pp. 257-258.

NTUC’s Successful Policies of Tripartism and High Productivity. vol. 10: 1988-1990, 2012, pp. 382-387.

Contributions of President Ong Teng Cheong. vol. 2: 1994-1997, 2013, Pp. 259-262.

Pegging Ministers’ Pay to that of the Top Earners in the Private Sector. vol. 2: 1994-1997, 2013, pp. 375-408.

How and Why this Economic Downturn is Different. vol. 5: 2001-2003, 2013, Pp. 443-449.

Gratitude to Friends and Family for A Life Well Lived. vol. 5: 2001-2003, 2013, pp. 497-502.

Changing with the Times to Stay on Top. vol. 6: 2004-2006, 2013, pp. 351-356.

Unionists as Agents of Change in Singapore. vol. 9: 2009-2011, 2013, pp. 398-400.

Question-and-Answer Session after a Dialogue Session with National Trades Union Congress Leaders. vol. 5: 2001-2003, 2013, pp. 449-465.

Speech and Question-and-Answer Session at the Global Brand Forum. vol. 5: 2001-2003, 2013, pp. 550-562.

Speech and Question-and-Answer Session at the National Trades Union Congress 45th Anniversary. vol. 7: 2006-2008, 2013, pp. 47-68.

Interview with Leong Ching for the National Trades Union Congress’ 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book. vol. 9: 2009-2011, 2013, pp. 202-214.

PICTURE CREDITS. PERMISSION REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCTION.

Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Cover page, pages 19, 27, 59

Singapore Press Holdings Media Limited

Page 12

National Trades Union Congress

Pages 39, 71, 79