No worker left behind in AI transition, NTUC tells ILO conference

Speaking at the 114^th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, on 8 June 2026, NTUC President K Thanaletchimi called on the global labour community to ensure that the gains from artificial intelligence (AI) are shared by every worker. She warned that those most at risk must not be left behind.

Her address came in response to the report A Moment of Choice: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Decent Work, presented by International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F Houngbo at the opening of the conference on 2 June 2026.

Mr Houngbo had called for a human-centred approach to AI built around four pillars – rights, employment and skills, social protection, and social dialogue – stressing that “the future of work will not be determined by technology alone, but by the policies, institutions and social dialogue that guide it.”

Ms Thanaletchimi affirmed that framing squarely.

“In Singapore, we have made our choice. And the foundation of that choice is social dialogue,” she told delegates.

NTUC President K Thanaletchimi addresses delegates at the 114^th International Labour Conference in Geneva on 8 June 2026.

Workers at the table from the start

Central to that choice is the newly established Tripartite Jobs Council (TJC), which brings together NTUC, the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to navigate the impact of AI on jobs and workers.

Ms Thanaletchimi described it as tripartism in action – ensuring workers have a seat at the table from the very beginning of any economic transition, not as an afterthought.

The TJC sits alongside a broader national commitment. In May, Singapore’s Parliament unanimously adopted a motion on an AI transition with no jobless growth, tabled by NTUC. It was a reaffirmation that as Singapore’s economy advances, its workers must advance too, Ms Thanaletchimi said.

Naming those most at risk

Ms Thanaletchimi was direct about which workers face the steepest challenges.

Women, she said, are disproportionately exposed to AI-driven automation while remaining underrepresented in the very fields designing these systems.

Young workers face the hollowing out of entry-level roles – the first rung of the career ladder.

And older workers carry genuine anxiety about keeping pace with rapid change.

“These are not abstractions. They are the lived realities of the workers we represent,” she said.

Conviction backed by action

Ms Thanaletchimi was equally clear that the Labour Movement’s response goes beyond caution. Citing Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s commitment that Singapore “may not be able to protect every job, but we will protect every worker,” she outlined two flagship NTUC initiatives.

Through AI-Ready SG, NTUC has built training pathways and partnered technology leaders to scale AI adoption across industries, linking business transformation directly to workforce upskilling.

Complementing this, the AI Career Coach provides personalised job matching and career guidance around the clock, ensuring no worker navigates change alone.

Social protection must keep pace

Skills alone, Ms Thanaletchimi cautioned, are not enough. Social protection must keep pace with the changing nature of work.

She pointed to NTUC’s decade-long advocacy for platform workers, which culminated in the Platform Workers Act. From 2025, the Act progressively extends CPF contributions, work injury coverage and collective representation to workers who previously had none of these protections.

“As AI further blurs the boundaries of employment, we will need that same determination to extend the floor of protection to every worker, in every form of work,” she said.

Singapore’s tripartite answer

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, speaking in the same session as Singapore’s Government delegate, welcomed the Director-General’s report and echoed the call for a human-centred approach.

“The key question is not whether the change will come. But whether we are able to manage the transition in a manner that protects all of our workers, promotes inclusion and provides opportunities for all,” he said.

Mr Tan outlined Singapore’s long-term AI strategy, tracing its arc from the first National AI Strategy launched in 2019 to its refresh in 2023, and the establishment this year of a National AI Council chaired by the Prime Minister.

“Technology must always serve people, and not the other way around,” he said.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng addresses delegates at the 114^th International Labour Conference in Geneva on 8 June 2026.

To help workers engage meaningfully with AI, Mr Tan announced the merger of two existing Government agencies into a new Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), designed to better integrate skills training, career guidance and job matching.

Self-diagnostic tools will help workers assess their AI readiness, while those who enrol in selected AI courses will receive six months of free access to premium AI tools to practise their skills in real-life contexts.

Mr Tan also mentioned the establishment of the TJC in April, describing it as a direct expression of Singapore’s enduring tripartite approach.

“It allows us to build trust and align the interests of workers, employers and the Government. And crucially, it ensures that consultation and information exchange on AI design and deployment result in better outcomes for employers and workers alike,” he said.

Closing her address, Ms Thanaletchimi said Singapore stands ready to work with the ILO and fellow constituents to ensure this moment of choice delivers dignity, equity and decent work for all – especially those who have for too long been last to benefit from progress, “because every worker matters.”

Find out more about NTUC's AI-Ready SG initiative and how the Labour Movement is supporting workers through Singapore's AI transition.