May Day Awards 2023: NTUC to confer May Day Awards 2023 to 128 individuals for championing workers’ interests

NTUC will award 128 individuals during its May Day Awards 2023 for their exceptional and continuous contributions to the Labour Movement.

The recipients include union leaders, workers, management partners and government representatives.

The 128 individuals are in addition to the 44 organisation awardees.

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng will award 172 individuals and organisations during the May Day Awards at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on 22 May 2023.

The individuals have also been nominated for their efforts towards NTUC’s programmes and initiatives that helped workers in their employability, employment and welfare.

Dedication to improving workers’ wages, welfare and work prospects

The 128 individuals will be awarded the Medal of Honour, Distinguished Service, Meritorious Service, Comrade of Labour (Star), Medal of Commendation (Gold), Friend of Labour, Comrade of Labour, Medal of Commendation, Partner of Labour Movement and Model Worker categories.

For individuals from the private, public, and non-government sectors, NTUC said they had shown tenacity in supporting the Labour Movement and garnering better wages, welfare and work prospects for workers.

Amongst the union leader awardees, United Workers of Electronics & Electrical Industries (UWEEI) President Fahmi Abu Bakar Bafana, Singapore Teachers’ Union General Secretary Mike Thiruman, National Transport Workers’ Union Vice President Peh Chee Kang, and Creative Media and Publishing Union President David Teo will be conferred the Comrade of Labour (Star).

One notable awardee is Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Employees’ Union Assistant General Secretary Piragasam Munisamy.

As recipient of the Comrade of Labour (Star) award, he is an exceptional union leader who has served for 27 years and worked tirelessly to safeguard his members’ welfare and benefits.

Mr Piragasam has also helped secure better benefits for workers affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, influenced the enhancement of policies to help members resolve employment-related grievances and pushed for forming a Company Training Committee between Cameron Singapore and SMEEU to help workers stay relevant.

Among management representatives or non-union leaders who receive the May Day awards, UWEEI Advisor Koo Tsai Kee, and Singapore National Employers Federation Vice-President and National Wages Council Member Alexander C. Melchers are recipients of the Distinguished Service.

The Distinguished Service Award is conferred on persons who are still active and continue to render significant contributions for three years or more to the Labour Movement after having received the Meritorious Service Award.

Other notable awardees include Changi Airport Group (Singapore) Chief Executive Officer Lee Seow Hiang, PSA International Group CEO Tan Chong Meng, and Singapore Technologies Engineering Group President and CEO Vincent Chong.

They will be conferred the Medal of Commendation (Gold) award. The award is for senior management personnel who supported the Labour Movement and its initiatives besides promoting good industrial relations and initiating workers’ training and skills upgrading programmes.

Model workers who show readiness and resilience

Workers who showed traits of readiness and resilience in the face of transformation have also been nominated under the Model Worker category.

They have shown these traits by improving their jobs through adopting or initiating productivity improvements and their employability through upskilling and digital transformation-related training.

The recipients include National Skin Centre Senior Staff Nurse Ahmad Shufi Jasmani, Strides Taxi Driver Ban Kum Cheong and Raffles Hotel Singapore Senior Security Officer Rajaswaran Pakirisamy.

Here is the list of all 128 individuals receiving the May Day Awards 2023.