PM Wong urges the Labour Movement to continue working with the Government to take Singapore through turbulent times

“The road ahead will not be easy. The winds will be strong. The seas will be rough, but if we stay united, we will weather this storm.”

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said this in his May Day Rally speech to the Labour Movement on 1 May 2025.

Some 1,600 union leaders and tripartite partners attended the event at Downtown East’s newly refreshed D'Marquee.

Mr Wong also acknowledged the mounting challenges facing Singapore workers.

He said: “The storm is already here. We are already experiencing turbulence, and it may well get worse. But what I would promise is this: We will face this storm together. And we will overcome, just like we did before.”

In his speech, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng reiterated the Labour Movement’s commitment to work closely with tripartite partners to “advance our workers’ interests and enable them to seize new opportunities in a changed world.”

Global headwinds intensify

Mr Wong painted a sobering picture of the global economic landscape, highlighting that trade barriers are rising, rules keep shifting, and tensions between major powers, especially the United States and China, continue to escalate.

“America is also targeting other regional countries they think are bypassing their rules,” he noted, citing examples of extremely high tariffs imposed on solar panels from ASEAN countries, some reaching as high as 3,500 per cent.

While Singapore has not been directly targeted, Mr Wong warned that the nation should expect greater scrutiny and pressure. He emphasised that navigating these challenges would require experience and established trust with counterparts in both America and China.

The impact is already felt in the business community, with orders being cancelled or postponed, investments being held back, and operations being scaled down.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has lowered Singapore’s annual GDP growth forecast to 0 to 2 per cent.

“For now, we think it’s a matter of slower growth, but we really cannot rule out a full-blown recession, which will then have an impact on Singaporeans’ incomes as well as jobs.

“This storm wouldn’t pass quickly. It’s not rain today and then sunshine tomorrow,” Mr Wong cautioned.

Strengthening Singapore’s job security

Against this backdrop, Mr Wong said that the Government and NTUC are intensifying efforts to protect workers’ livelihoods.

A key initiative is enhancing the NTUC Job Security Council (JSC), which played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We will continue to help Singapore firms restructure and transform,” Mr Wong said, highlighting existing government schemes to improve productivity and expand overseas.

He also mentioned the additional $200 million in funding for NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) initiative, which brings businesses, workers, and unions together to identify skills needed for company transformation and develop training plans.

“The CTC is a very good example of that win-win mindset. The businesses transform and stay competitive, workers gain new skills and stay ahead of the curve, and in many cases, they get better wages too,” he said, noting that over 3,000 CTCs are now benefiting more than 7,000 workers.

Supporting workers across all life stages

Mr Wong addressed concerns from workers at different stages of their careers, assuring fresh graduates worried about job prospects that the Government would step up career counselling, job matching programmes, and provide internships and traineeships if conditions worsen.

He reaffirmed the Government’s investment in SkillsFuture programmes for mid-career workers facing rapid technological change.

Senior workers wishing to continue their careers will also receive support through a new Tripartite Workgroup, which will study how to empower more seniors to remain in the workforce.

From left: Singapore National Employers Federation President Tan Hee Teck, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, NTUC President K Thanaletchimi, and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng join hands at the May Day Rally 2025, symbolising Singapore's unwavering commitment to tripartism as the nation navigates global economic headwinds in its 60th year of independence.

Tripartism: Singapore’s unique advantage

The Prime Minister emphasised that Singapore’s tripartite model – with the Government, NTUC, and employers – provides a critical advantage in navigating uncertain times.

“There is a reason why we can achieve so much together here in Singapore. All this has not happened by chance. It happened because of one thing: tripartism,” Mr Wong stated.

Unlike the adversarial relationships seen in other countries, he highlighted that Singapore’s unions are nation-building partners with a seat at the decision-making table.

“In other countries, unions will stand across the picket line, protesting, agitating, tearing down. Here, we don’t tear down; we build up. Here in Singapore, our unions are partners in nation-building,” he said.

Looking forward: SG60 and beyond

As Singapore marks 60 years of Independence, Mr Wong reflected on the nation’s journey and achievements.

“Look at how far we’ve come in Singapore these last 60 years. It wasn’t always an easy road. We’ve had our ups and downs, but through it all, we stood together. We stood united,” he said.

Mr Wong promised that the PAP Government would never step away from the Labour Movement.

“We will walk with you as brothers and sisters, as comrades, side by side. We will walk with you shoulder to shoulder for a better and brighter Singapore.

“The road ahead will not be easy. The winds will be strong. The seas will be rough. But if we stay united, we will weather this storm together.”

Click here for an overview of May Day Rally 2025.