ABSTRACT
One of the components of Singapore's economic resilience is the tripartite relationship of the government, unions and employers. Tripartism works if these three parties share a consensus that economic growth is a common goal and that Singapore's continued growth remains a core priority. Singapore's industrial relations model is based on tripartism – where the government, unions and employers work closely together to achieve a harmonious industrial relations climate. Singapore's unique model of tripartism is built on the basis of partnership and trust, and has become a competitive advantage for Singapore. Tripartism aims to achieve two objectives: industrial harmony, and labour market responsiveness and flexibility. The idea of a Singapore Tripartism Forum was first announced in November 2006 at the Tripartite Industrial Relations Seminar. The underlying assumption behind Singapore's industrial relations strategy is that a tight labour market offers the best protection for workers; by creating the conditions for good employment growth, workers have job options at steady and rising wages.
