In his last major speech at the May Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wove the story of Singapore’s labour movement into the broader fabric of national progress since Independence. The movement, embodied in the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), has built on the momentum of tripartism, or collaboration among unions, employers and the Government that enables harmonious labour-management relations and boosts economic competitiveness. In his speech, PM Lee recalled the contributions of his predecessors, Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Goh Chok Tong, to the way in which Singapore had evolved from being an improbable nation to becoming an internationally recognised success. From employment and housing to transport and healthcare, Singapore’s first three prime ministers have built strong national foundations which they leave as a legacy for the fourth-generation People’s Action Party (PAP) leadership, which will be in charge when Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong takes over from PM Lee on May 15. Given the symbiotic relationship between NTUC and PAP, labour relations will help to underwrite the next chapter of the Singapore Story.

Like Singapore society at large, tripartism will be tested by global forces that impinge on the economy. The phenomenon of deglobalisation, which reflects growing strategic distrust among the great powers, goes against the grain of the international economic integration that enabled Singapore to become a global city from an entrepot dependent on its immediate economic hinterland in South-east Asia. While there is nothing that Singapore can do to stop deglobalisation, its own record as an economic survivor that is on good terms with the major powers could make it act as a bridge among them. Singapore can be a trusted partner: So long as tripartism survives, Singapore will possess the internal dynamism with which to weather changes in the global environment.