Chee Hong Tat to replace Koh Poh Koon as NTUC deputy secretary-general on May 15
SINGAPORE – Senior Minister of State for Transport and Foreign Affairs Chee Hong Tat will join the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) from May 15 and become its deputy secretary-general, replacing Mr Koh Poh Koon, who is Senior Minister of State for Health.
In a statement on Thursday (May 6), the NTUC said Mr Chee – who is relinquishing his appointment in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the Cabinet changes announced last month – will be co-opted into its central committee.
The 47-year-old will also take on the role of group director of NTUC’s training and transformation group. In addition, he has been appointed a cadre member of the Union of Power and Gas Employees (Upage) and an executive secretary in the United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI).
As part of the Cabinet reshuffle, which will take effect on May 15, Dr Koh will take on a new appointment in the Manpower Ministry as Senior Minister of State, in addition to his role in the Health Ministry (MOH). The 49-year-old will be relinquishing his positions in the labour movement.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had written to NTUC president Mary Liew on April 21 to request for Dr Koh to return full-time to government service, and for the labour movement to consider accepting Mr Chee in his place. The NTUC’s central committee met the next day and accepted PM Lee’s request.
Mr Chee, who received the Distinguished Service Award at this year’s May Day Awards for being a strong advocate for the interests of healthcare and public transport workers, is “no stranger to the labour movement”, said NTUC.
As the former chief executive of the Energy Market Authority, he worked closely with Upage to upskill the workforce in tandem with industry trends. He also took on an advisory role to the NTUC’s unit for small and medium-sized enterprises in 2018 and worked with NTUC to engage SMEs.
During his tenure at the MOH, he worked with union leaders to ensure the well-being of healthcare workers. At the Ministry of Transport, Mr Chee also initiated and actively engaged unions in the transport sector.
Mr Chee also brings with him experience working at other ministries such as the Ministry of Trade and Industry, where he worked closely with companies and trade associations, and the Ministry of Education, where he helped to drive initiatives such as SkillsFuture and lifelong learning.
Mr Chee said he hopes to build on the work that the labour movement has done over the years.
“I am excited to start work, walk the ground and learn from my fellow union leaders as we strive to protect and advance workers’ interests and livelihoods,” he said.
Dr Koh was co-opted into the NTUC central committee as deputy secretary-general on April 23, 2018.
Since then, he has pushed NTUC’s training efforts, spearheading the formation of its training and transformation group. Under his leadership, NTUC has set up more than 600 company training committees and helped over 100 businesses to adopt the operation and technology roadmap tool. He has also been a strong advocate for the improvement of salaries for lower-wage workers through the progressive wage model.
Dr Koh was also the executive secretary for the Metal Industries Workers’ Union from Sept 1, 2018, to March 31, 2021, and UWEEI from April 1 this year.
As executive secretary, he worked to strengthen labour management relations with many companies and championed the interests and protection of workers’ wages, welfare and work prospects, said NTUC.
In a Facebook post, NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said with that with Mr Chee on board the labour movement “will be able to do more to help our workers gain better wages, welfare and work prospects”.