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Since 1999, key leaders from the Labour Movement have visited working people in the essential services sectors during the Lunar New Year to thank them for putting their work and duties ahead of holidays and personal celebrations.
This year, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and key union leaders greeted rail workers at SBS Transit’s Gali Batu MRT Depot as well as SMRT’s Tuas Depot in a visit led by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). Prime Minister and Mrs Lee were accompanied by NTUC President Mary Liew, NTUC Secretary-General (SG) Chan Chun Sing, Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng, NTUC Central Committee members and National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) Exco members.
At SBS Transit’s Gali Batu MRT Depot, Prime Minister kicked off the visit by touring the Rolling Stock Depot, where he met with 12 technical officers and technicians who perform maintenance and inspection tasks on trains. Thereafter, he visited the Operations Control Centre where he observed how the Downtown line train network operations are managed and supported by some 15 controllers. He also met with over 40 other operations and engineering staff. At the second stop of the Lunar New Year Visit at SMRT’s Tuas Depot, Prime Minister toured the various sections in the Rolling Stock Main Workshop, where he met with over 60 workers who work on specific train components. He also met with some workers at the Rolling Stock Depot.
At the visits, Prime Minister gave out red packets and mandarin oranges as well as gifts provided by Mrs Lee to the workers. In total, they met around 150 workers, comprising rail technicians, traffic controllers and rail engineers who work behind- the-scenes to keep Singapore’s public transport system running. The workers at both depots are represented by the National Transport Workers’ Union.
The visit ended at each depot with traditional lo hei sessions with the workers, union leaders and management partners.
Earlier this morning, SG Chan and key union leaders from the National Transport Workers’ Union brought festive cheer to over 400 bus workers at SMRT’s bus depot at Ang Mo Kio, SBS Transit’s bus depot at Ang Mo Kio and Tower Transit’s bus interchange at Bukit Batok. SG Chan also visited Go Ahead Singapore’s bus depot at Loyang and Marina Bay Sands “Underground City” the day before. At the visits, SG Chan distributed mandarin oranges to those who were on duty.
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