Workers' Party calls for redundancy insurance and graduate wage subsidies on Labour Day 2026

The Workers' Party (WP) has issued its Labour Day 2026 message, calling on the Singapore government to adopt more proactive labour policies as artificial intelligence continues to disrupt jobs and industries across the economy.

Released on 30 April ahead of Labour Day, the message was signed by WP Secretary-General Pritam Singh, who also serves as Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC.

Singh warned that the rapid proliferation of generative and agentic AI had moved beyond novelty and would play an increasingly larger role at workplaces and in daily life.

AI and the threat to entry-level roles

A central concern raised in the message is the erosion of professional entry-level positions for new graduates, driven by employer expectations that AI can perform many such functions at lower cost.

The WP described this as a self-defeating approach, warning that graduates unable to gain foundational work experience would deprive Singapore of the experienced professionals its economy requires in the long term.

"Fresh graduates need stronger support to get past the taxiway and onto the runway," the message stated. "We need to give our youths more pathways to attain real experience, confidence, and foundations for the future."

To address this, the WP proposed targeted, temporary wage subsidies to lower the cost and risk for firms hiring new graduates in apprenticeship roles. The party framed the measure as a means of ensuring that young workers are not left behind as industries adapt to technological disruption.

Redundancy insurance: a long-standing call renewed

The WP also reiterated its call for the establishment of a comprehensive redundancy insurance scheme, describing it as essential protection for workers facing displacement in a volatile global economy.

The party specified that the scheme must extend to all income levels to provide a meaningful financial cushion and should not be limited to lower-wage earners. It argued that the scheme would serve as an automatic economic stabiliser, allowing retrenched workers to sustain their families while seeking new employment.

The message emphasised that retraining alone is insufficient without assurance that reskilling efforts will translate into new, stable employment. The WP called for a clear pathway from redundancy through reskilling to re-employment.

The party also made a broader economic argument for the safety net, contending that workers unable to meet basic needs cannot be expected to demonstrate the innovation and risk-taking qualities that Singapore requires in a transformative era.

Skilled tradespeople and care workers honoured

Beyond its policy proposals, the WP used the occasion to affirm the contributions of workers across all sectors, including Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs), skilled tradespersons, care workers, and public servants.

The message described skilled tradespeople as the backbone of Singapore's economy and called for their contributions to continue being valued, protected, and strengthened in the age of AI.

The party noted that uniquely human capabilities — empathy, physical presence, critical thinking, and creativity — are becoming more valuable as AI assumes a greater share of routine and technical tasks.

Commitment to constructive parliamentary engagement

The WP concluded its message by reaffirming its commitment to offering what it described as rational and constructive proposals in Parliament to advance social progress.

Singh signed off with the party's campaign phrase: "We Continue forward — together, and with no one left behind."