'From Third World to First' *: A Case Study of Labor Laws in a Changing Singapore

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine the shift in the policy underpinnings of labor law in Singapore, and how the Singapore legislature appears to have recalibrated the emphasis placed on the competing goals of labor law, to now develop local policies more tilted towards social justice. A former British colony, Singapore has developed its own sui generis jurisprudence, influenced by unique political, social and economic traits that have evolved diachronically as it has struggled to achieve independence and then emerge as a 'First World Economy' - which makes it an interesting contribution to existing literature on the 'purpose' of labor law. A collective laissez-faire approach in the 1950s was followed by a sharp turn towards pro-employer efficiency and flexibility in the labor market over job security from the 1960s to the 1980s, at which point an influx of foreign workers marked a transition in the labor force constitution. In contrast, since then, the 21st century has witnessed genuine institutional efforts to 'counteract the inequality of bargaining power' inherent in the employment relationship. The 2018 amendments proposed to the Employment Act indicate more focus towards 'worker protection'.