Lee Kuan Yew recognised the importance of preparing Singapore’s labour force and economy to weather challenges such as technological changes, globalisation, and uncertain economic climates. To achieve this, policies were introduced to promote cooperation among unions, corporate management, and the Government to foster industrial peace, cultivate a skilled workforce, increase productivity, and attract foreign investments to the country. This selection of speeches captures Mr Lee’s views on the factors needed to drive Singapore’s economic growth over the years.
The views expressed should be contextualised within the political, social and economic context of that time.
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Labour and Labour Relations
The Crucial Years No. 1: "The Historic Perspective" by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
Date: 19/03/1968
Source: Mediacorp Pte Ltd, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
In 1968, Radio and Television Singapura aired a series of broadcasts titled "The Crucial Years", in which then-Ministers discussed political and economic issues concerning Singapore in the post-Independence years. The series kicked off its broadcast with a speech by Mr Lee, who described the coming years as the final chapter in the making of a nation, and outlined the Government's next steps to transform Singapore into a self-reliant industrialised nation state.
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Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's Speech at the NTUC's International Women's Year Seminar Cum Exhibition at DBS Auditorium
Date: 01/09/1975
Source: Mediacorp Pte Ltd, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
By 1975, women made up 30 per cent of Singapore’s workforce due to the increase in education and employment opportunities. In his opening speech at the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC) International Women's Year Seminar Cum Exhibition, Mr Lee celebrated the participation of women in the workforce. Despite this progress, Mr Lee said that social attitudes also needed to adapt, and pointed to greater cooperation between couples in taking up household work as an area for improvement.
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew at May Day Rally
Date: 01/05/1983
Source: Mediacorp Pte Ltd, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
At the 1983 May Day Rally, Mr Lee delivered a speech reflecting on the history of the labour movement and its transformation since the 1950s. Mr Lee called for more cooperation between workers, grassroots leaders, professionals and scholars, and assured audiences that the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) would continue building relationships between these groups.
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Inauguration of Productivity Month 1983
Date: 01/11/1983
Source: Mediacorp Pte Ltd, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
As markets around the world opened up in the 1980s, Singapore soon found itself competing with emerging economies for foreign investments. The ten-year Economic Development Plan for the 1980s positioned productivity as pivotal to ensuring Singapore's competitiveness in this new age. Against this backdrop, Mr Lee's speech to kick off the Productivity Month in 1983 emphasised the vital role of values and habits in fostering high worker productivity. Although awareness of the concept of productivity had grown, Mr Lee stressed that these values required reinforcement, and cited the Government's leadership in promoting productivity through education, incentives, and by example.
Opening of NTUC Delegates' Seminar on "Modernisation of the Labour Movement"
Date: 16/11/1969
Source: Mediacorp Pte Ltd, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
In 1969, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) organised a labour seminar at the Singapore Conference Hall titled "Modernisation of the Labour Movement". The seminar was attended by leaders from NTUC's 47 affiliate unions and representatives from other trade unions in the country. In his opening speech, Mr Lee talked about the importance of self-respect, dignity, and fulfilment within the labour force. These ideas, he said, were fundamental to his vision for a new society.
Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew's Speech at NTUC 40th Anniversary Dinner
Date: 06/09/2001
Source: Prime Minister's Office, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
In his 2001 speech at the NTUC 40th Anniversary Dinner, Mr Lee said that avoiding adversarial labour relations had enabled Singapore's economy to grow rapidly throughout the years, without sacrificing workers' interests. Delving into the evolution of the NTUC, its modernisation efforts, and the changing landscape of labour and technology, Mr Lee highlighted NTUC's role in fostering a collaborative relationship between unions and the Government.
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Economic Pillars
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's Speech at Singapore Shipbuilders and Repairers Second Anniversary Dinner
Date: 16/05/1970
Source: Mediacorp Pte Ltd, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
At the second anniversary dinner of the Singapore Association of Shipbuilders and Repairers in 1970, Mr Lee spoke on Singapore’s potential to become a preeminent shipbuilding and repairing hub. Events such as the closure of the Suez Canal had given Singapore more shipbuilding and repair work, even as sea tourist traffic decreased. He emphasised the need for Singapore to develop its competencies in shipbuilding and repair to strengthen its position as a maritime hub.
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Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's Speech at SPWU 59th Anniversary Dinner and Dance
Date: 16/05/1970
Source: Prime Minister's Office, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
Formed on 18 October 1946, the Singapore Port Workers' Union (SPWU) was the first union to be officially registered under the 1940 Trade Unions Ordinance. In this speech delivered at the union's 59th anniversary dinner on 24 June 2005, Mr Lee recounted his experiences negotiating for port workers as a young lawyer, and celebrated Singapore's port and its workers as a cornerstone of the nation's economy.
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Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's speech at the Launch of the New Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport Group
Date: 01/07/2009
Source: Mediacorp Pte Ltd, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
In an address commemorating the inauguration of the new Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the Changi Airport Group (CAG) on 1 July 2009, Mr Lee congratulated the civil aviation industry on its journey and noted its contributions to Singapore’s economic progress. He urged the industry to adapt to new challenges in order to maintain the reputation for service excellence and efficiency synonymous with Changi Airport.
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's speech at the Opening of Singapore Time (Pte) Ltd Factory
Date: 19/03/1976
Source: Mediacorp Pte Ltd, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore
On 19 March 1976, Mr Lee officially opened the Singapore Time factory in Woodlands, the first overseas subsidiary set up by Japanese watchmaker Seiko Instruments Inc. In his speech, he highlighted the high standards of the new factory and noted that 90 of its 307 Singaporean workers had been trained at the Daini Seikosha factory in Tokyo. He urged young Singaporean workers to rise to the demands of high precision work and prove that their skills can be on par with their counterparts in Japan.