~ This reaffirms the Labour Movement’s objective of being more representative ~
Over 90% of union delegates at the NTUC Ordinary Delegates’ Conference 2025 voted today in support of NTUC’s constitutional amendment to recognise the three Platform Work Associations (PWAs) as full affiliates of NTUC. These PWAs are: National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA), National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), and National Taxi Association (NTA).
NTUC has long been a strong advocate for platform workers' interests and rights. This has been in anticipation and response to the changing demographics of our workforce and evolving nature of platform work, which make it critical for NTUC to protect platform workers’ interests and rights. For example, taxi associations were established by NTUC prior to 2010, and the NTA was subsequently formed to garner greater benefits for them at the industry level. NPHVA and NDCA were also set up in 2016 and 2020 respectively to support our private hire drivers and delivery champions. These demonstrated NTUC and our associations’ ground activism and proactive approach to addressing the evolving needs of our platform workers.
The constitutional amendment today comes after the enactment of the Platform Workers Act in January 2025, which NTUC has lobbied for for over a decade. Under the Act, platform workers are accorded protections under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA); Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for housing and retirement adequacy; and formal representation through the PWAs. The enactment of this Act was among the first in the world to offer platform workers statutory protection.
As such, today’s strong mandate from union delegates to amend the NTUC constitution marked yet another historic milestone for the Labour Movement as it gives recognition to the PWAs as full affiliates of NTUC.
NTUC President K Thanaletchimi said, "As platform workers represent a unique group of workers, we must ensure that they are represented within the Labour Movement. The strong support from the NTUC-affiliated unions to welcome our three PWAs would allow the Labour Movement to be more inclusive and better represent our platform workers, ensuring that our PWAs have a voice in shaping our mission where every worker matters."
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and Advisor to NDCA, NPHVA and NTA, Yeo Wan Ling said, “I commend our leaders and staff from the three PWAs for their unwavering commitment to championing the interests and rights of our platform workers. From standing by them in times of challenges, to pushing for the landmark Platform Workers Act, and now securing recognition of PWAs as full affiliates of NTUC, their tireless advocacy has made a real difference.”
NTUC will be filing this constitutional amendment to the Registrar of Trade Unions for approval.
