NTUC Pushes Worker Protections as AI Reshapes Singapore's Job Market

Singapore's labour movement has taken its case for AI-era worker protections to the global stage, with NTUC President K. Thanaletchimi declaring at the International Labour Conference in Geneva that "AI's benefits must be shared widely — workers facing the biggest risks shouldn't be left behind." The speech at the 114th session of the International Labour Organization marked Singapore's most prominent labour-sector intervention on AI governance to date.

Thanaletchimi identified three vulnerable groups facing disproportionate risk: women, who are more exposed to automation in certain sectors and underrepresented in AI-design fields; younger workers, whose entry-level roles may be automated; and older workers, who face pressure to continuously upskill. "Adapting to AI should not be left entirely to workers themselves," she said, arguing that skills training alone is insufficient without parallel worker protections.

The centrepiece of Singapore's response is the newly formed Tripartite Jobs Council, bringing together NTUC, the Singapore National Employers Federation, and the Ministry of Manpower. Its mandate is to discuss AI's impact on jobs before major changes occur — a proactive rather than reactive approach. This builds on the Platform Workers Act passed in 2025, which extended CPF contributions, work injury compensation, and collective representation rights to gig workers. Thanaletchimi suggested similar thinking may be needed as AI blurs traditional employment arrangements.

Manpower Minister Dr Tan See Leng, speaking alongside the NTUC delegation, outlined Singapore's strategic roadmap: the National AI Strategy launched in 2019, refreshed in 2023, and now overseen by the National AI Council chaired by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. "Technology must always serve people, and not the other way around," Tan said. The government has launched multiple support initiatives including AI-Ready SG training pathways, an AI Career Coach for personalised guidance, and the newly formed Skills and Workforce Development Agency.

Why it matters for Singapore: The NTUC's Geneva intervention signals that labour concerns about AI are now a front-burner national issue, not a fringe worry. With the Tripartite Jobs Council giving workers a seat at the table before AI-driven restructuring happens, Singapore is experimenting with a model that other economies will watch closely. The key tension ahead: upskilling programmes only work if workers have the time, resources, and confidence to use them — and the ADP survey just published this week shows Singapore workers are the region's least confident about employer support.