FOUR People's Action Party MPs will be appointed assistant secretaries-general of the NTUC to boost the labour movement's top ranks. They are Mr Zainal Sapari, 48, Mr Ang Hin Kee, 48, Mr Patrick Tay, 42, and Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, 52, said union sources yesterday. The first three are first-term MPs who entered politics in 2011, while Mr Yeo has been an MP since 1997.
The promotions, expected to be announced today and to take effect next month, come after the loss of nine NTUC leaders in two years.
Among those who resigned or retired were its two highest-ranking women, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Finance Josephine Teo, and Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob. They both left in mid-2011 to take up government positions.
NTUC's 21-member central committee is elected every four years, but unionists can also be appointed to it. In November, labour chief Lim Swee Say hinted that he would take this unusual move to strengthen its top tier.
Mr Zainal and Mr Tay declined to comment when reached by The Straits Times, while the other two MPs did not respond to calls and texts.
The four have high-profile portfolios in NTUC, which they regularly speak on in Parliament.
Mr Zainal of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC represents low-wage workers and is spearheading the implementation of NTUC's progressive wage model to bring up their pay. Mr Tay of Nee Soon GRC is NTUC's top labour lawyer and also represents young professionals and health-care workers.
Mr Ang of Ang Mo Kio GRC heads the educational services and taxi driver unions, while Mr Yeo of Ang Mo Kio GRC represents industrial service workers and chairs the Migrant Workers' Centre.
The promotions, expected to be announced today and to take effect next month, come after the loss of nine NTUC leaders in two years.
Among those who resigned or retired were its two highest-ranking women, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Finance Josephine Teo, and Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob. They both left in mid-2011 to take up government positions.
NTUC's 21-member central committee is elected every four years, but unionists can also be appointed to it. In November, labour chief Lim Swee Say hinted that he would take this unusual move to strengthen its top tier.
Mr Zainal and Mr Tay declined to comment when reached by The Straits Times, while the other two MPs did not respond to calls and texts.
The four have high-profile portfolios in NTUC, which they regularly speak on in Parliament.
Mr Zainal of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC represents low-wage workers and is spearheading the implementation of NTUC's progressive wage model to bring up their pay. Mr Tay of Nee Soon GRC is NTUC's top labour lawyer and also represents young professionals and health-care workers.
Mr Ang of Ang Mo Kio GRC heads the educational services and taxi driver unions, while Mr Yeo of Ang Mo Kio GRC represents industrial service workers and chairs the Migrant Workers' Centre.
