Speech at NTUC Infocomm and Media Cluster National Day Observance Ceremony
BG (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister of State (Manpower and National Development), Caldecott Broadcast Centre
Mr Rasul Beck, Vice-Chairman, NTUC Infocomm and Media Cluster
Mr Shaun Seow, CEO, MediaCorp Pte Ltd
Union leaders and Management partners
Distinguished guestsÂ
- It is my pleasure to join you this evening in celebrating Singapore's 46th birthday.
- Our National Day always serves as an occasion for us to consider what it means to be Singaporean. While the theme for this year's National Day Parade is "Majulah! The Singapore Spirit", it is very much left to each one of us here to decide for ourselves what that spirit is. And as we participated in the Pledge Moment, I wonder how many of us reflected on the words and phrases that we uttered. Did we say what we mean and mean what we said? It has been a turbulent few years. We were in the midst of a severe recession just a few years ago but we very soon seemed to have forgotten about it as we bounced back very quickly and very successfully. And now, once again, the "doom and gloom" headlines on the global economy have returned. Our economic fundamentals remain strong and should still steer us towards a modest but sustainable growth of 5% to 6% in 2011. These numbers never exist for its own sake. Economic growth provides for high employment, providing jobs for our Singaporeans even as elsewhere, countries are grappling with high unemployment from the last crisis. Our overall unemployment rate remains low at 2.1%1 in June this year, and we are still creating jobs. In the second quarter of 2011, total employment is estimated to have grown by almost 23,000 jobs2.
- The infocomm and media sector is certainly one that has consistently thrived. This is perhaps not surprising in a country of highly wired people, always hungry for more information and wanting to be connected at all times.
- There is an average of 1.5 mobile phone subscriptions3 for every single person in the country, with the number of media channels on the print, broadcast and online platforms increasing by the day. But these are just statistics. It is more important to acknowledge that the heart of this industry steadily beats only with the collective effort and dedication of over 100,000 workers4 like yourselves who are currently employed in this sector. Celebrate and be proud of the knowledge that you are part of this dynamic and evolving sector.
- Our host MediaCorp is an example of a successful company in this sector. Much of MediaCorp's accomplishments have been due to its productive and collaborative culture, built on the mutual trust and good relations between the management and workers, and also with the Singapore Union for Broadcasting Employees (SUBE). NTUC's recognition of MediaCorp as a Model Partner at its May Day Awards Ceremony this year bears testament to this.
- This spirit of collaboration and shared purpose suffuses the eight unions in the Infocomm and Media Cluster. I understand that the Cluster regularly meets to share and best practices. For instance, I was told that the unions had held discussions earlier this year on preparing their branches for the re-employment legislation taking effect next year.
- I am happy to note that all branches of the Cluster's unions support the Tripartite Guidelines on the Re-employment of Older Employees, which were formulated by the tripartite partners. In fact, their member companies are now at either Level 3 or even the maximum Level 4 on NTUC's re-employment readiness framework5. It is important to ensure that their older workers remain employable and productive. Age should not be a barrier for workers to continually upgrade to remain relevant to the economic landscape; especially in the infocomm and media sector where technology changes so rapidly.
- Workers must proactively play your part. Take advantage of the variety of training and upgrading opportunities readily available today, such as the WSQ training courses WDA developed with industry partners specifically for the infocomm and creative industries. Seize such opportunities even if you are employed, so that you are always ready for any changes coming your way and can keep contributing to your organisation. Union leaders, I urge you to keep encouraging your members to go for re-skilling and upskilling so that they stay relevant. This will help ensure that Singaporeans remain the core of our workforce, as mentioned by the Prime Minister.
- Such a concerted and harmonious tripartite spirit in practice will always be relevant in Singapore's context. It was our not-so-secret weapon in keeping employment levels high in challenging economic circumstances, allowing us to emerge stronger and more resilient. In the uncertain economic times we face yet again, it is even more crucial for all parties to work together in training workers, improving management processes, investing in better equipment and raising levels of innovation.
- I am confident that the collective fortitude and dynamism the Infocomm and Media Cluster has already shown through the years will continue to see you through any challenges, and towards achieving even greater heights in this fast-paced sector. Keep up the good work, the warm camaraderie, and above all, keep the healthy tripartite spirit alive. On that note, let me wish one and all a Happy National Day.
- Thank you.
1 Seasonally adjusted preliminary estimates (Press Release "Employment Situation in Second Quarter 2011", 29 Jul)
2 Preliminary estimates show that total employment grew by 22,800 in the second quarter of 2011. (Press Release "Employment Situation in Second Quarter 2011", 29 Jul)
3 Mobile phone penetration rate was 143% in 2010 (IDA website)
4 Total employment level s for the infocomm and media sector as at Mar 2011 (Press Release "Labour Market, First Quarter 2011", 15 Jun)
5 NTUC grades companies based on how ready they are for re-employment on a L1 to L4 scale; with L1 being most unready for re-employment to L4 being the most ready for re-employment.