SINGAPORE: The disruption caused by artificial intelligence will not be short-term or cyclical, but the shift will “open new doors” for workers, said National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng on Friday (May 1).
To this end, Mr Ng set out plans to expand the labour movement’s Company Training Committees (CTCs) to help workers navigate the disruption brought by AI, as well as to broaden its support for more workers, including professionals.
In a speech to more than 1,600 union leaders and tripartite partners at the May Day Rally in Downtown East, Mr Ng also spelled out how NTUC intends to spur “collective action” through its recently announced Tripartite Jobs Council.
He said these moves come as AI is expected to reshape jobs across sectors, including for professionals, managers and executives.
“The AI era will demand the same of us, if not more, for tripartite collaboration. The question really is, how? How can we stand by our workers when the disruption could be … extensive?” Mr Ng asked.
“So this moment, disruptive as it is, anxious as we are, will open new doors of opportunities,” he added.
To capitalise on this, Mr Ng said one approach is for tripartite partners to tap their capabilities to improve businesses and jobs.
In this light, the CTCs will be strengthened to drive AI adoption and transformation.
This includes through “AI transformation blueprints” – developed with AI Singapore – to help firms assess their readiness and implement solutions, as well as partnerships with tech players to bring in expertise and networks.
The CTC is a labour movement initiative first launched in 2019, in which employers are encouraged to form training committees with unions to work together on ways to boost worker career prospects and wages through structured training and technology adoption.
