May Day Awards 2018: Susan Lee

May Day Awards 2018: Comrade of Labour – conferred on serving trade unionists who have made significant contributions to their unions and are still active in their Executive Committees. They should have served the Labour Movement continuously for more than five years.

By Shukry Rashid

Susan Lee has been the branch chairperson of InterContinental Singapore hotel since 1997. With her compassion and commitment, she has consistently shown her ability to advance the interests of her members.

She was elected to the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) Executive Council from 2002 to 2008, and then re-elected in 2012. Susan currently holds the position of FDAWU vice president. In all, she has served more than 30 years in the Labour Movement.

Known to many as a caring union leader at the workplace, Susan knows every member personally and regularly checks in on their well-being to ensure that they are happy at work. She would then bring any issues up during a monthly meeting between the union and management.

Progressive Workplace

Susan is also an advocate for progressive workplace practices and work-life balance.

In the 2017 collective agreement (CA) between InterContinental Singapore and FDAWU, she secured an additional two months of paid maternity leave for all eligible employees, which is borne by the hotel. This brings the paid maternity leave to a total of six months, taking the hotel to the forefront of current industry practice.

After the implementation of the enhanced maternity leave, five of her female colleagues are now expecting a child this year.

Susan said: “Work-life balance is very important, and these are the benefits for our members. To the members, two additional months is a lot of rest time.”

The CA also incorporated other family-friendly practices such as flexible work arrangements and family care leave to promote work-life balance.

The Hardworking Leader

Susan also advances the Labour Movement’s cause in many other ways. She represents FDAWU at the NTUC Women’s Committee and is co-chair of the FDAWU Women and Family Sub-Committee. She is also a lead for FDAWU’s Skills and Upgrading Sub-Committee Housekeeping Chapter.

The good labour-management relations (LMR) between FDAWU and InterContinental Singapore has also helped towards the amicable resolution of workplace grievance and industrial relation cases.

She said: “The LMR here is very good. We can speak up on any issue with our Human Resource Department.”

Susan is honoured to be awarded the Comrade of Labour award.

She said: “The union groomed me, sent me for courses and seminars. I learned a lot. There are so many other good union leaders. I never expected to receive this award. I’m happy to know that what I’ve done is recognised.”