Ho Ching Gets Top Award

The Straits Times ran this story on 2 May 2009:

Outgoing Temasek chief Ho Ching gets top award
By Kor Kian Beng

OUTGOING Temasek chief Ho Ching received this year's top labour award for her support of the work of unions and for safeguarding workers' interests here.

Ms Ho, 56, was one of two senior management figures who received the Medal of Commendation (Gold) Award at the May Day Dinner last night.

The other was Mr James Lee Kim Wah, 70, director and senior adviser of property and retail group Wing Tai Holdings.

Ms Ho and Mr Lee, both nominated by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), received their awards from labour chief Lim Swee Say at the Orchid Country Club.

A range of awards were also presented to 58 other individuals and companies for their contributions to the labour movement, improving relations and looking out for the interests of workers.

Among them was veteran unionist Michael Chang Song Chew, who received the Comrade of Labour (Star) Award.

The presentations were made before an audience of 1,400. They included Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who accompanied his wife Ms Ho; guest of honour Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong; other Cabinet ministers; labour MPs; unionists and employers.

In its citation, the NTUC described Ms Ho as an 'exemplary leader who supports the work of unions, engages the union leaders, and cares for the workers'.

And it cited specific instances to illustrate her positive contributions.

In 2007, when Temasek decided to sell its power generation companies, she anticipated the anxieties of leaders and members of the Union of Power and Gas Employees and engaged them early. In doing so, she addressed the concerns they had about the future of their jobs.

The NTUC said Ms Ho also meets leaders of the Singapore Port Workers' Union and Port Officers' Union periodically to exchange views. She was instrumental in resolving the issue of special payments for workers when port operator PSA Corporation suspended its listing plans in 2002. Temasek is a PSA shareholder.

Another example: During the 2003 Sars crisis, she encouraged taxi operators to start a Hardship Fund for quarantined taxi drivers and to also set up temperature checkpoints for cabbies islandwide.

'The leaders at the various unions and taxi associations involved are deeply impressed and touched by Madam Ho's concern and personal involvement in safeguarding the well-being of their workers,' the NTUC said in its citation.

Speaking at her Temasek office before the ceremony, Ms Ho, who is chief executive officer and executive director, said of the award: 'It's a recognition of the trust between Temasek as a team and some of the unions that we have worked with.'

She described the labour relations here as a unique strength for Singapore as management and unions understood each other's needs and shared common long-term interests for the country.

'We're not fighting for a bigger share of one small pie. But really it's about growing that pie and making sure the pie is sustainable. And that, in turn, is in the long term interest of everyone,' she said.

But these strong ties did not come easy. It required an effort on both sides 'to give and take, to understand the other perspective, and most important, not to break the trust between each other'.

'So when there are difficult issues, we don't dodge the issues. We bring them to the table and discuss them.'

Ms Ho, who hands over the reins on Oct 1 to Mr Charles Goodyear, said the mutual confidence among unions, management and government is an important element of labour relations here.

At last night's ceremony, Mr Gan said the swine influenza outbreak will add uncertainty to the economic outlook, and added that the labour market 'will remain weak for quite some time'.

But Singaporeans could remain confident of overcoming the challenges as the fundamentals here, including the tripartite relationship, were strong.

Singapore responded swiftly and decisively, he said citing the $20.5-billion Resilience Package, among others.

Also, there are at least 45,000 jobs expected over the next two years, while 20,000 jobs are currently available in various industries and at different levels.

Over 77,000 workers and 1,100 companies have also committed to the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or Spur, since its launch last December.

He also expressed confidence that by working together, Singaporeans can and will overcome the crisis as they had done in the past.