Causeway strike highlights why industrial harmony matters to Singapore

When nearly 100 Malaysian bus drivers went on strike at Johor’s Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex on 21 July, the impact was felt far beyond the checkpoint.

Thousands of workers commuting into Singapore were left stranded, with many choosing to walk the 1km Causeway under the morning sun to get to work.

Though the industrial action happened across the border, the disruption quickly rippled into Singapore — serving as a pointed reminder of how swiftly strikes can affect livelihoods and operations in a tightly connected region.

It also cast the spotlight on Singapore’s distinctive industrial relations model: one built not on confrontation, but on consensus.

Strikes are rare in Singapore – By design

Strikes in Singapore are exceptionally rare. The country’s long-standing industrial peace is no accident. It is the product of decades of effort by unions, employers, and the Government working together under a framework known as tripartism.

At the heart of this approach is the belief that disputes should be resolved through negotiation and dialogue, not disruption.

Tripartism enables the Labour Movement to represent workers collectively, escalate disputes to the Industrial Arbitration Court if needed, and push for fair resolutions while safeguarding economic stability.

This collaborative approach has helped Singapore weather major global crises, including the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, without a surge in workplace unrest.

In fact, the last legally sanctioned strike in Singapore took place nearly 40 years ago, in 1986. Then-NTUC Secretary-General Ong Teng Cheong approved industrial action against American oilfield company Hydril for the dismissal of union officials. It was a rare move, taken only after all other avenues had been exhausted.

What the law says about strikes in Singapore

If a similar strike had occurred in Singapore, particularly involving essential services like transport, it would likely have been illegal.

Under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, workers employed in key sectors such as water, gas, and electricity are barred from going on strike. In other essential services like public transport, workers must give employers 14 days’ notice before initiating any strike action.

This legal safeguard was tested in November 2012, when over 170 SMRT bus drivers staged a two-day strike without giving prior notice. It disrupted up to 10 per cent of SMRT’s services and breached the law governing essential services.

At the time, the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) clarified that the drivers were not union members and that the union had not been approached to mediate. Nonetheless, NTWU expressed its willingness to step in, should both parties be open to resolution.

The fallout was swift. Five drivers who played key roles in the illegal strike were jailed for up to seven weeks. But it also led to positive change. Within months, union membership among affected drivers rose from under 5 per cent to 75 per cent, enabling stronger representation and dialogue moving forward.

Strikes are legal, but always a last resort

Singapore’s laws do not prohibit strikes. Under the Trade Unions Act, unions may legally strike but only after conducting a secret ballot and obtaining majority support from the affected members.

In 2020, aircraft maintenance firm Eagles Services Asia saw tensions escalate when it retrenched workers during ongoing union negotiations. Three unions, the Air Transport Executive Staff Union (AESU), the SIA Engineering Company Engineers and Executives Union (SEEU), and the Singapore Airlines Staff Union (SIASU), moved to hold a secret ballot and obtained the mandate to strike.

Ultimately, the dispute was resolved before industrial action took place.

A model for stability in a changing world

Singapore’s tripartite model has not only maintained industrial peace. It has also enabled the country to stay competitive and attractive to investors.

As economies evolve and new technologies disrupt industries, workplace relations will grow more complex. But the fundamentals of tripartism, such as early engagement, open communication, and mutual respect, remain vital.

The ability for workers, employers, and the Government to sit at the same table and work out differences allows Singapore to manage transitions more smoothly than most.

Protecting essential services and workers alike

Advance notice for industrial action in essential services is not just a bureaucratic step. It is a safeguard. It gives authorities and employers time to prepare contingency measures, ensuring minimal disruption to the public.

At the same time, it gives unions the space to mediate, resolve, and advocate without resorting immediately to confrontation.

A shared commitment to harmony

The CIQ strike in Johor was a reminder that Singapore cannot take industrial harmony for granted. Its social cohesion and economic resilience are deeply intertwined with its labour-management relations.

Industrial peace is not automatic. It is the product of trust, transparency and a shared responsibility to protect the interests of workers, businesses, and society at large.

As the world grows more uncertain, Singapore’s commitment to collective representation and collaborative problem-solving may well be its strongest defence against disruption. And its best path forward.

NTUC stands ready to protect workers. Become an NTUC member today.