It also includes supporting NTUC Care Fund to provide financial assistance to lower-income members and their families. In addition, the amount will go towards the FairPrice Foundation to uplift communities and improve access to nutrition.<\/p>\n
It will also help Income OrangeAid to assist lower-income families, youths and seniors through financial empowerment, education and community care.<\/p>\n
Mr Ng told the 1,600 attendees at the May Day event that the ongoing Middle East conflict is causing significant economic disruption and pressure on businesses and jobs.<\/p>\n
He also noted the global layoffs that were recently announced by large tech companies like Meta and Microsoft.<\/p>\n
These situations create uncertainty for workers, but Singapore\u2019s brand of three-way partnership between the Government, unions and employers can give it an edge in working through challenges, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven as we celebrate, we must be clear-eyed,\u201d he said. \u201cWhile our economy remains resilient, there are dark clouds on the horizon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Ng noted that some young graduates are finding it harder to secure jobs and retrenchments among professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) have picked up.<\/p>\n
In an NTUC survey, nearly one in five workers also said job security was their top concern, he added.<\/p>\n
He also said that AI disruption will reshape jobs across sectors, including roles like doctors, lawyers and accountants.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt risks hollowing out the first rung of the career ladder – taking away not only jobs, but opportunities for our younger workers to build critical foundational skills,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdd global instability, and workers of all collars are now exposed to twin pressures – less job security and higher cost of living.\u201d<\/p>\n
But amid these challenges, there are opportunities, Mr Ng said, referring to the Chinese word for crisis which incorporates the idea of opportunities and danger.<\/p>\n
He noted that previous crises like Covid-19 have created new initiatives such as the NTUC Job Security Council, which has placed more than 100,000 local workers into jobs since 2020.<\/p>\n
On April 30, NTUC, the Manpower Ministry and the Singapore National Employers Federation announced the formation of a new tripartite council to upskill workers and help companies redesign jobs and adopt new tools.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is our way \u2013 Singapore\u2019s way \u2013 to make a strong statement of commitment to our workers … that we will be alongside them in the era of AI,\u201d Mr Ng said.<\/p>\n
To help workers become AI-ready, the new Tripartite Jobs Council will bring together various agency efforts to provide more tailored guidance for workers.<\/p>\n
Specifically, union members will also receive funding support for AI tool subscriptions so they can experiment, learn, and apply AI confidently at work.<\/p>\n
NTUC is also expanding its Company Training Committees to uplift more workers, including professionals.<\/p>\n
For instance, it is partnering general practitioners (GPs) to improve productivity in clinics. It is also working with accountants to help them adopt AI tools to reduce manual work, freeing staff to focus on higher-value, analytical work.<\/p>\n
Clustering the Company Training Committees and using \u201cqueen bee\u201d companies to lead change also has the potential to benefit workers in more than 600 small and medium-sized enterprises, Mr Ng said.<\/p>\n
![\"Labour](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ba5467ca0a9d83a7c0e9c5d3b5b405e0.jpeg\"\/)
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Labour chief Ng Chee Meng said that a total of $37 million will be committed to help workers.<\/p>\n
(ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY)<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Government is supporting companies in job redesign, while the employer\u2019s trade union helps firms in their transformation, among other efforts to help workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cImagine now, dream again, the possibilities if these efforts were integrated and designed around every worker\u2019s needs,\u201d Mr Ng said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be able to do a lot more to come alongside our workers to support them in critical career transitions.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is why collective action is vital, he said, which is exemplified through the Tripartite Jobs Council.<\/p>\n
Mr Ng said history shows that when there is great disruption, like in the industrial revolution, some workers can be left behind.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrust can break down. Societies can fracture. We will never let this happen in Singapore,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Source: The Straits Times \u00a9 SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction<\/a><\/p>\n