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 Port workers, being the keepers of the front gates of Singapore so to speak, would naturally be among the first to know if there’s anything amiss in the ebb and flow of a world class port built from scratch.
Having been around since 1946, the Singapore Port Workers’ Union has had more than its fair share of economic high and low tides and survived to tell the tales. Many a time has SPWU thumbed its nose at adversity and emerged the stronger for it. It’s no different this time.
Singapore’s oldest registered trade union is faced with yet another watershed in the shape of a world economic crisis whose tentacles are fast reaching Singapore’s shores to choke up the economy.
On the occasion of its 62nd anniversary celebrations on 7 November 2008, Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State (National Development and Education), called on SPWU to rise to the occasion as it had on numerous times before.
She said Singapore’s dependence on foreign trade means exposure to the impact of a worldwide economic slowdown: "PSA will similarly be hit. Volume of trade will slow down. Freight rate has already started to fall drastically, with shipping companies predicting scenarios of losses. Growth rate at Singapore Terminals have also declined. Dark clouds ahead, expect strong wind, heavy rain and even occasional flooding. Expect rough times ahead."
However, she was confident that strong tripartism, sound leadership, investments in skills upgrading, work and human resource practices will see SPWU and PSA through.
"We have been through this before. We know that by working together, labour-management-government, we can look for creative ways to reduce costs and improve our productivity. We know we have to hanker down, run an even tighter ship than before to brave the rain. We know that we have to take some pain, shoulder the burden fairly and eventually taste the sweetness of recovery and success. We know we have done it before and we have the confidence to face it again."
"When our staff have some down-time, we can find opportunity to train, to implement new procedures or new systems. When our equipment or our berths and yards have more down-time, we can find time to upgrade, or carry out the cyclical maintenance that we have never found time to do, at much better prices than you can get in good times. If we look hard for opportunities like these during the down cycle, we will be all geared-up and ready when the market turns."
There’s always light at the end of the tunnel and a “port” of gold at the end of the rainbow.
 In fact, every down-cycle offers us opportunities. In bad times, when our customers need our help to survive, we can find creative ways to establish a new and stronger relationship with them. When our suppliers need our help to survive, we can find ways to upgrade them, move them up the value chain."
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