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As labour/May day draws closer, the PAP government reminds us of its contradictory relationship with workers. Just yesterday, the state controlled labour union NTUC also awarded deputy prime minister Heng the top May Day award. https://twitter.com/BusinessTimes/status/1386879852192706563
History matters. The PAP rose to prominence in the 1950s on the back of a powerful independent labour movement. When LKY's PAP got into power in the 1960s, he made the state coopt the labour movement (not before detaining most of its leaders). That is now the impotent NTUC.
After the PAP won a decisive election in 1968, they passed the industrial relations (amendment) act which severely limited the workers' right to strike. From 1969, the NTUC adopted a "cooperative rather than a confrontational policy towards employers".
The idea that we can be both pro-biz & pro-workers is a false understanding of the relationship between labour and capitalists. Truth: capitalists are profit-motivated while workers want to increase or sustain their wages. Profits rise with lower wages and higher labour output.
Therefore the material interests of workers and capitalists are fundamentally irreconcilable. Yet, NTUC, the sole legal union centre in the country, sells us the snake oil that workers must only cooperate with employers. Unusual labour movement indeed.
While the increase in the revenue of a company is good news for both employers and workers, the power difference between the two groups determines who gets a bigger share of the revenue. By keeping labour weak, employers are better able to take the lion's share of income.
The idea that we can be both pro-business and pro-worker is pro-business propaganda. Workers are not allowed to form independent unions and NTUC is controlled by the state- which in SG, is also an employer. Assembly laws are also unfree. Status quo favours business.
As a result, the labour share of income in Singapore is one of the worst among developed countries. It has also been decreasing over time. Studies have shown that often, the decrease in labour share of income is associated with weakening unions and labour rights.
This is why, this labour day, it is important that we reclaim what labour means. Labour day should be associated with the power of workers, our actual relationship with capital, and the gains of the workers' movement across the years:
Freedom from colonialism, off days, paid leave, paid sick leave, equal pay, the democratic right to vote in elections, the length of the working day, and so much more. How do we pay tribute to this rich and important tradition of labour movements?
Join @sgclimaterally, riders, workers, and civil society organisers this May Day as we collectively reclaim what labour and labour day means in this country. First stop: to expand the rights and welfare of app-based drivers and food couriers in the gig economy.
Taking on the gig economy is important because it risks the international labour movement regressing 100 years. The gig work model normalises things that labour had already risked life and limb to win: paid sick leave, guranteed regular income, insurance, paid leave, rest day.
What can you do to advance gig workers' rights? 1. join the open meeting on May Day. Showing up in numbers emboldens workers to also speak up. 2. Subscribe to the broadcast channel and look out for opportunities to be involved in the movement. 3. Sign the petition if you havent!
So what do you think? Will you support the growth of this movement? Can we reclaim labour day this year?
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/771628390156895
Channel w labour bulletins: https://t.me/WorkersRights
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/771628390156895
Channel w labour bulletins: https://t.me/WorkersRights
