SINGAPORE - President Tony Tan Keng Yam hosted more than 70 union leaders from the industrial, services and public sectors to tea at the Istana on Wednesday.

The union leaders and members of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) central committee, including NTUC president Diana Chia and secretary-general Lim Swee Say, attended the tea reception as part of May Day celebrations.

"Our labour unions have evolved over the years to address the needs of our workers in the different stages of Singapore's economic growth," Dr Tan later wrote in a post on his Facebook page.

"As part of the tripartite system in Singapore, our unions play a key role in ensuring that Singapore continues to have the conditions that allow our workers to be employed, and achieve their potential through opportunities to upgrade and enjoy wage increases."