Freedom of Association
Database 2024

Freedom of Association
Indicator
Freedom of Association
Countries
LRI 2024
heatmap

Singapore

Freedom of Association Indicator

The Labour Rights Index 2024 (LRI 2024) is a de-jure index covering 145 economies and structured around the working lifespan of a worker. In total, 46 questions or evaluation criteria are scored across 10 indicators. The overall score is calculated by taking the average of each indicator, with 100 being the highest possible score. The Index uses a rating system, ranging from “Total Lack of Decent Work” to “Decent Work”. The Labour Rights Index aims at an active contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, by providing necessary (complementary) insights into de jure provisions on issues covered in particular by SDG8 (Decent Jobs), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Strong Institutions). The Index is based on national labour legislation, applicable on 1 January 2024.

Singapore’s overall score is 49 out of 100. The overall score for Singapore is lower than the regional average observed across South East Asia (65). Within the South East Asian region, the highest score is observed for Viet Nam (77.5).

Singapore ratified Convention No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining in 1965 but has not ratified Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948).

Labour Rights Index 2024

49/100

LRI Country Score

50/100

Freedom of Association Indicator

22.18 %

Trade union density rate (%)

18.1 %

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)

2.87

SDG indicator 8.8.2

2

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings

Question

Answer

Score

Legal Basis

More Info

Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?

Yes

1

§28(3) of the Trade Union Act, 1940; ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 (Singapore profile)

A,C

Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?

Yes

1

§17-26 of Industrial Relations Act, 1960

Does the law provide for the right to strike?

No

0

§27(1) of the Trade Union Act 1940; ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 (Singapore profile); USDOS CRHRP 2023 (Singapore)

A,C,D

Does the law prohibit imposing of excessive sanctions against striking workers?

No

0

§2-8 & 10 of Trade Disputes Act 1941

A

Textual sources

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

B : CEACR

CEACR: ILO Committee of Experts on Application of Conventions and Recommendations (latest report)

C : ITUC

ITUC: ITUC Global Rights Index

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

LRI Country Score
The Labour Rights Index has 10 indicators and 46 sub-indicators. The LRI Country score averages 10 indicators and ranges between 0 and 100. The lowest and highest scorers are Nigeria (29/100) and Belgium/Greece (96/100). https://labourrightsindex.org/  

Freedom of Association Indicator
The Freedom of Association indicator is composed of 4 sub-indicators. Scoring is done through the binary method (0 or 1). The score ranges between 0-100. 

Trade union density rate (%)
The trade union density rate conveys the number of union members who are employees as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on trade union density, please check ILOSTAT. 

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)
The collective bargaining coverage rate conveys the number of employees whose pay and/or conditions of employment are determined by one or more collective agreement(s) as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on collective bargaining coverage, please check ILOSTAT. 

SDG indicator 8.8.2
SDG indicator 8.8.2 measures national compliance with fundamental labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining or FACB). It ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 being the best possible score (indicating higher levels of compliance with FACB rights) and 10 the worst (indicating lower levels of compliance with FACB rights). It is based on six ILO supervisory body textual sources and national legislation.
For an updated assessment on SDG indicator 8.8.2, please check ILOSTAT. 

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings
The ITUC Global Rights Index depicts the world’s worst countries for workers by rating 148 countries on a scale from 1 to 5+ on the degree of respect for workers’ rights. Violations are recorded each year from April to March.  For a detailed description of ratings and methodology, please follow the link. 

Information

Source: §28(3) of the Trade Union Act, 1940; ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 (Singapore profile)

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

"Membership of minors and Government employees 28.—(1) A person above the age of 16 years may be a member of a registered trade union, unless provision is made in the rules thereof to the contrary, and may, subject to the rules of the trade union and subsection (2), enjoy all the rights of a member and execute all instruments and give all acquittances necessary to be executed or given under the rules. (2) A member of a registered trade union who is under the age of 21 years, but above the age of 18 years, shall not be a member of the executive or a trustee of the trade union unless he has obtained the written approval of the Minister therefor. (3) No Government employee shall join or be a member of any trade union or shall be accepted as a member by any trade union. (4) The President may, by notification in the Gazette, exempt from subsection (3) either wholly or subject to such conditions as are in such notification specified, any Government employees or any classes, categories or descriptions of Government employees."

C : ITUC

ITUC Global Rights Index (country legal profile)

"Although the Trade Union Act prohibits government employees from joining trade unions, it authorises the President of Singapore to grant exceptions to this provision. The exception was applied to the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees, and now covers all but the most senior public sector officials. In addition to AUPE, 15 other public sector unions are exempt. Uniformed personnel responsible for maintaining public safety and order are the main group of workers who cannot join a union."

Information

Source: §17-26 of Industrial Relations Act, 1960

Information

Source: §27(1) of the Trade Union Act 1940; ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 (Singapore profile); USDOS CRHRP 2023 (Singapore)

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

"Strike or industrial action 27.—(1) A registered trade union shall not commence, promote, organise or finance any strike or any form of industrial action affecting the whole or any section of its members without obtaining the consent, by secret ballot, of the majority of the members so affected."

C : ITUC

ITUC Global Rights Index (country legal profile)

"To call a strike, 50% plus one of all union members must vote in favor. "

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

"The law provided for the right to strike with certain limits. A legal strike required the majority of affected unionized workers to vote in favor by secret ballot, as opposed to the majority of those participating in the vote."

Information

Source: §2-8 & 10 of Trade Disputes Act 1941

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

"Penalties in relation to illegal industrial action and lockout 5.—(1) Any person who commences, continues or otherwise acts in furtherance of an illegal industrial action shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both."