Experts studying pressing labour issues in S’pore to get more support from NTUC

SINGAPORE – Research on pressing labour issues such as the impact of generative artificial intelligence on manpower needs will get a fillip with greater support for industry experts, academics and researchers engaged in the endeavour.

The Labour Alliance co-laB (Lab), comprising an initial pool of 50 local experts, was launched by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) during a conference on Sept 26.

The experts will receive more support in areas such as funding and access to resources and data sharing under the new initiative by the labour movement.

Said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng: “As workplaces evolve, NTUC is also innovating and adapting to meet the changing needs of our workforce.

“Our collaboration with academics and research institutions allows NTUC to conduct independent research and strengthen our advocacy, bridging informed and impactful policies to improve workers’ lives and livelihoods.”

The collaboration is aimed at leveraging research to influence labour policies and practices that will uplift the wages, welfare and work prospects of workers.

For instance, research topics that Lab aims to cover in the first year include workplace fairness and the employability of older workers. In the next three years, key research themes, such as emerging labour trends and employment and productivity, will be prioritised.

Speaking at a media engagement session on Sept 16, NTUC assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay said that prior to the official launch of Lab, many Lab members had already been working with the labour movement on a host of projects and research pieces in the past couple of years.

“It was an informal network of sorts, but we saw the value of bringing everyone together because we want to uplift the space since everyone is very passionate,” he said.

“We also want to avoid duplication of work so that we can leverage each other’s strengths and resources. With a bigger network and formalising it, we are able to access resources in a more ready fashion.”

Associate Professor Randolph Tan of the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) is one of the 50 Lab members who has benefited from the partnership.

“NTUC helped us to open doors when we needed to interview and survey the workers,” said Prof Tan. He was in Cambodia as part of a research study focused on addressing employment challenges and a skills deficit in transport and transport-related sectors.

“We want to shape an environment for workers where there are more opportunities for them as they progress through their careers. We want to see more examples of success,” he said.

Professor Lim Sun Sun, vice-president of partnerships and engagement at Singapore Management University and also a Lab member, said NTUC’s role as a trusted mediator has made it easier for academia to be productive. Her research focuses on technology domestication in the workplace.

Mr Tay highlighted NTUC’s role as a connector that helps to link researchers to funders and resources as well. “We hope to create this ecosystem of community, so we can cross-fertilise ideas and cross-ideate,” he said.

He added: “It’s bringing people who are passionate about labour, the workplace and workforce space together through partnerships such as research pieces, joint projects and sandbox ideas.”

At the end of the day, when meaningful research can translate to real impact on the ground, workers and companies benefit, he said.

The labour movement is also prepared to fund meaningful, deserving projects that are “not pigeonholed” to other avenues of research funding, he added. NTUC did not give details of the funding involved in the collaboration.

Researchers can also tap funding from initiatives such as Research Innovation and Enterprise and Social Science Research.

Lab members, whose roles are voluntary, are encouraged to participate in research on labour issues, contribute to publications and get involved in social dialogues with workers and employers. They are on a three-year renewable term. “We won’t say it’s KPI (key performance indicator) but we want them to be actively engaged,” Mr Tay said.

While Lab comprises 50 members now, the labour movement foresees the group expanding as it seeks to open its doors to the larger community, including government agencies, research associates and PhD students researching labour issues.

NTUC is also open to partners regionally and globally, he added.

At the Labour Research Conference 2024, topics covered by speakers included factors that impact workers’ well-being, how flexible work arrangements can be implemented, and creating good work opportunities while pursuing sustainability.

For instance, Associate Professor Renee Tan, assistant executive director and director of the Research Division at the Institute for Adult Learning, shared preliminary findings from an ongoing study that identified key factors impacting workers’ well-being.

The study, which involves 2,000 workers, shows that commitment and health are positively associated with their well-being.

For the 12 per cent of those surveyed who reportedly had low or very low well-being, there was a higher proportion who worked longer hours. Affected workers were aged 30 to 49.

In addition to job content and workplace practices, factors such as relationships with colleagues and supervisers also have a significant impact on workers’ well-being.

The conference was attended by more than 500 union leaders, industry experts, government agencies and academics, including NTUC president K. Thanaletchimi, Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang and Singapore National Employers Federation vice-president Alexander Melchers.

NTUC said it has published the third volume of the Singapore Labour Journal titled Challenge As Opportunity, featuring 11 articles which include discussions on the importance of flexible work arrangements in supporting caregivers, adoption of technology in small and medium-sized enterprises and retrenchment trends in Singapore.

Correction note: This article has been updated for accuracy.