STU - Singapore Teachers Union | Industrial Relations Guide & Articles

An Industrial Relations Officer establishes and maintains a win-win partnership in the workplace between employers and employees. We learn more from Mr Jeremy Lee, Principal Industrial Relations Officer at the Singapore Teachers’ Union.

Negotiations on work practices and remuneration. Handling job redundancies and grievances. These are just some of the tasks required of Mr Jeremy Lee, Principal Industrial Relations Officer at the Singapore Teachers’ Union.

“An Industrial Relations Officer acts as a bridge between the management and their workers. Our job is to promote and maintain a harmonious industrial relations climate in Singapore. In any negotiation, we always aim for a mutually acceptable settlement to any dispute between both parties, ”said Mr Lee.

Industrial Relations Officers are involved in discussions and negotiations about work practices, remuneration and any other working conditions. Handling redundancies require a lot of preparation, planning and consultation. Officers also have a part to play in disciplinary matters and grievances, both for individuals and groups, such as unfair dismissal or discrimination.

They also work very closely with union committees. “Basically we work very closely with them in their collective bargaining. Our job is to ensure that these rank-and-file workers receive fair terms and conditions of work.”

Also, an Industrial Relations Officer would need to have an analytical mind as he or she would serve as a guide to these branch committees on certain national policies affecting them. “There’s a lot of human element involved in this job, hence it is critical for one to posses soft skills. To be an effective Industrial Relations Officer, you must have excellent communication skills. You must have strong listening skills, and the ability to appreciate other people's points of view. You need to be able to handle difficult situations sensitively, and gain the trust and respect of both parties.” He then revealed that each officer could manage up to 20 companies’ union branches. However, he added that so long as one is able to maintain good relations with the management, one could easily settle any outstanding issues over a phone call.

Mr Lee first joined the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) in 2000 and was quickly seconded to the United Workers of Electronic and Electrical Industries (UWEEI) where he was exposed to the full spectrum of industrial relations work. After a four-year stint here, he returned to NTUC and was soon after seconded again to another union - Singapore Teachers’ Union (STU) - where he currently serves.

All in all, Mr Lee likes the fact that “this job is not so compartmentalized. There’s no hard-and-fast rule that the job scope is fixed all the way. We do ad hoc projects too, so it’s important to be able to think out of the box.”

He also added that candidates need a thorough, methodical and analytical approach to solving problems. It would be a plus if they were able to relate to work issues as well as have a good understanding of the economic and labour issues in Singapore. Should they possess some experience in industrial relations or people management, that would be very helpful as well.

“Do come in with an open mind. as long as you are open-minded, I’m sure you’ll be able to grow comfortable and enjoy the job, just like me,” concluded Mr Lee.

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About National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is national federation of 63 affiliated trade unions in the industrial, service and public sectors in Singapore. Established in 1961, NTUC has close to 500, 000 members (about one fifth of Singapore’s total workforce). NTUC is governed by a 21-member Central Committee, elected once every four years and headed by the Secretary-General. The Administration and Research Unit is responsible for day-to-day operations. The wider NTUC Family includes 9 co-operatives and 6 related organizations, which contribute to NTUC’s social mission.

NTUC’s objectives are to help Singapore stay competitive and workers remain employable for life; to enhance the social status and well-being of workers; and to build a strong, responsible and caring labour movement. NTUC’s vision is to be a labour movement that reaches out to all collars, all ages and all nationalities.

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