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 Name: Peter Lee Yeow Khoon
Age: 32
Position in SIEU: Young SIEU Vice-Chairman, Union Branch Delegate
(Prudential Assurance)
Position in Young NTUC: Committee Member, BlackEight Vice Captain (Interest Group)
Interests: Pool, golf, travelling
 When Mr Peter Lee Yeow Khoon started work in Prudential Assurance Co (Singapore) Private Limited in 2000, being involved in the union was the furthest thing from his mind. At that time, he saw no need.
"I always thought that if I had problems, I would take it to MOM," the 32-year-old Systems Supervisor said, referring to the Ministry of Manpower, which handles employment-related issues.
In fact, even after he joined the union in 2002, he was still one step removed from union activities.
It was a Youth Campus camp that turned the Young SIEU Vice-Chairman around. Mr Lee was “discovered” by SIEU after he won top prize in the 2007 Black Eight Pool Selection Championship organised by Young NTUC and assumed his post in March.
"I finally realised what union work was all about," he said of his initiation at the 2D1N camp.
"I got a better idea about NTUC and how unions like SIEU are affiliated to NTUC,” the 1.69m tall young man said. After meeting unionists and speaking with the DGS, “I defi nitely understand the union and the Labour Movement better."
In the last year, Mr Lee has been exposed to much. From discussions and exchanges with union leaders, members of other unions and those from other countries, he is more aware of the need to strengthen ties between union and management.
In the few months that he has been in office, Mr Lee he has organised several activities including the Amazing Race at Jurong BirdPark last year, ALPS Café Chill Out Nite in May and the KTV Nite at Party World for Young NTUC in June with one aim in mind: recruitment and talent spotting.
"Getting them to be members is tough,” he said. “Some don’t turn up even after they tell you they will turn up," he said referring to some activities that were organised.
The best way is to recruit people when they are younger, he said. To facilitate recruitment, Mr Lee and his committee members of Young SIEU have organised programmes with this goal in mind. "Our committee members will sit with groups of people and chat with them," he said, "That’s how we spot young potential unionists to serve in Young SIEU."
A more challenging task is to ensure that the membership is sustained and that the drop-out rate is reduced. One way is through engagement.
"The Vietnamese do a lot of volunteer work like fund-raising, blood donation and fighting poverty, disease," he said. The Mongolians use the Internet as a tool to communicate with younger members while the Thais choose to combat drug abuse.
Mr Lee picked up these tips at a workshop organised by Union Network International Asia & Pacific Regional Youth Conference Kuala Lumpur in November last year. The workshop saw 60 participants from nine different countries including Mongolia, Vietnam and Japan.
Some of these initiatives have already been included in Young NTUC 2009 workplan. He and his fellow unionists were in Hongkong and Shenzhen to visit Hongkong Federation of Trade Unions from 6 to 10 November where they reviewed next year’s programmes. Eighty members attended the 4-day workshop.
The shared experience at these and other workshops has reinforced Mr Lee’s commitment to the goals of the trade union and fuelled passion for the Labour Movement.
"It is the backbone of the workforce," he said. Many fail to understand its mission because often, it is not visible to those who are not involved. But the LM is an inclusive movement which takes care of all collars, ages and nationalities, he said.
"A strong and effective LM will be able to play a meaningful and vital role in society, stabilising the growth and development of the nation."
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