Singapore to ratify ILO Convention on Tripartite Consultation

Move to institutionalise and strengthen tripartism to undertake effective consultations on ILO activities between the sectors.

Minister for Manpower Mr Gan Kim Yong has announced that Singapore will ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on Tripartite Consultation (also known as Convention 144), according to a Ministry of Manpower report.

Convention 144 aims to establish national tripartite consultations in ILO member states to promote the implementation of international labour standards. It requires ratifying ILO members to undertake effective consultations on matters pertaining to ILO activities between representatives of the government, employers and workers.

Speaking at the annual International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland earlier Tuesday, the Manpower Minister said that ratifying the Convention would mark a “significant milestone for Singapore, to institutionalise and strengthen tripartism as a unique competitive advantage contributing to our economic and social progress.”

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Secretary-General Lim Swee Say said, "The ratification of the Convention is a recognition of the strong tripartite partnership in Singapore which has enabled workers to share in the benefits of economic progress and development. Looking forward, NTUC will work closely together with MOM and SNEF to further strengthen this partnership, so as to ensure that tripartism will be effective in both good and bad times."

The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) President Stephen Lee said that "The SNEF fully supports the ratification of the Convention, and is commited to strengthening tripartism which has been a win-win-win partnership that has delivered outcomes for employers, and which will continue to play a critical role in creating sustainable and inclusive growth for Singapore."

With the ratification of Convention 144, Singapore has ratified seven ILO Core and Priority Conventions including:

Core conventions

Forced Labour Convention (No. 29)
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (No. 98)
Equal Remuneration Convention (No. 100)
Minimum Age Convention (No. 138)
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182)

Priority conventions

Labour Inspection Convention (No. 81)

In addition, Singapore has ratified 14 other ILO Conventions in the areas of employment standards and workers’ well-being. The last ILO Convention that Singapore ratified was the ILO Convention on Minimum Age, in 2005.

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