The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) and SMRT Corporation Ltd (SMRT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch a first-of-its-kind partnership in the transport sector. Under this partnership, SMRT will be appointed as a Queen Bee to lead efforts in uplifting contractors and their workers – a critical part of Singapore’s public transport ecosystem.

NTUC, NTWU and SMRT Empowering Contractors to Drive Sector and Worker Transformation

Recognising that many contractors and their workers have limited access to growth and training opportunities, the partnership will enable transformation through the NTUC Company Training Committee (CTC) initiative. SMRT will engage more than 200 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within its contractor network to embrace technology, enhance workforce capabilities, and strengthen transport safety and reliability over the next three years.

This will uplift approximately 20,000 workers across the public transport ecosystem, empowering them with better skills, enhanced career development opportunities, and stronger workplace safety standards. These will translate to better outcomes for workers, including wage increments, clearer career progression pathways, and safer workplaces.

The MOU signing ceremony at SMRT Bishan Depot was graced by NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng and SMRT Chairman Seah Moon Ming. The agreement was signed by NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and NTWU Executive Secretary Yeo Wan Ling, President of National Transport Workers Union Sazali Bin Safiie, and SMRT Group Chief Executive Officer Ngien Hoon Ping.

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said, “The Queen Bee initiative between NTUC and SMRT reflects our broader effort to uplift industries through transformation and capability-building. By leveraging the CTC initiative, we are enabling industry leaders like SMRT to spearhead sector-wide transformation and upskilling, benefitting up to 20,000 workers across the public transport ecosystem. This will ultimately lead to better safety and reliability for commuters – and better wages, skills and jobs for our workers.”

NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and NTWU Executive Secretary Yeo Wan Ling said, “SMEs and their workers are an unseen but essential backbone of our public transport ecosystem. From daily operations to maintenance, they keep Singapore moving. NTWU and SMRT have built a strong relationship over the years, and today’s collaboration deepens our commitment to building safer, more progressive, and more inclusive workplaces for our SME workers in the public transport sector.”

SMRT Chairman Seah Moon Ming said, “This MOU marks a key milestone in strengthening industry performance and safety standards across the sector. It builds on our Kaizen journey — sharing our commitment to safety and continuous improvement with our contractors. By empowering them to adopt new technologies and raise standards, we can further enhance the safety and overall performance of Singapore’s public transport.”

Advancing Workforce Capability and Safety with NTUC CTC

As a unionised company under NTWU, SMRT will lead by example in promoting best practices in safety, productivity, and continuous improvement across its network of over 200 contractors.

This will benefit approximately 20,000 workers across the public transport ecosystem through better wages, career development plans and/or skills allowances. To support this, the NTUC CTC Grant will help contractors to implement transformation projects that enhance both worker and business outcomes, by co-funding up to 70 per cent of qualifying cost for transformation projects or training tied to the transformation project to raise productivity, redesign jobs, and improve work prospects.

Building a Strong Safety Culture, Leveraging Technology for the Future

The partnership reinforces SMRT’s Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement and its Safety Culture 3.0 approach. Over the years, SMRT has introduced more than 35 safety initiatives and hosts regular forums – such as the annual SMRT Contractors’ Safety Forum – to share best practices and raise safety awareness. With strong union support, this MOU will cascade SMRT’s culture of safety and operational excellence across its contractor ecosystem, strengthening sector resilience and commuter confidence.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous vehicles have the potential to enhance reliability, boost productivity, and transform operations and job roles across the public transport sector. A key example of this transformation is Overwatch, SMRT’s in-house, AI-enabled decision support system launched in 2023 to enhance situational awareness and operational reliability. The initiative has improved service recovery response times and operational efficiency. NTUC, NTWU and SMRT will continue to explore these emerging technologies to strengthen workforce resilience, ensuring that workers are not only well-equipped for transformation but can also benefit from better wages, welfare and work prospects.

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Annex - Remarks from Mr Seah Moon Ming, Chairman, SMRT Corporation Ltd