Labour chief picked 4 MPs for their 'potential impact'

LABOUR chief Lim Swee Say's pick of four new assistant secretaries-general reflects the current priorities of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), he said yesterday.

These range from low-wage workers, professionals and foreign workers to small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed, he told reporters at a seminar on best-sourcing.

Hence the decision to choose the four People's Action Party (PAP) MPs for "the potential impact that they can make on the labour movement in the future", he said.

Earlier, The Straits Times had identified the four: Mr Zainal Sapari, 48, Mr Patrick Tay, 42, Mr Ang Hin Kee, 48, and Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, 52.

Mr Lim noted that they also have good track records.

Mr Yeo is the veteran among them, with about 17 years of union work under his belt.

He represents small and medium-sized enterprises and migrant workers.

Mr Tay has been with the NTUC since 2002, and looks after professionals and legal service workers.

Mr Ang, a unionist since 2006, represents freelancers and the self-employed.

Mr Zainal joined NTUC after he resigned from the Education Ministry in 2011 to enter politics.

He spearheads NTUC's efforts on behalf of low-wage workers.

Besides the four, two others are in Mr Lim's leadership team: deputy secretary-general Heng Chee How, who is also Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, and assistant secretary-general Cham Hui Fong.

She is the only woman and non-politician in the group.

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