Ninety-two individuals and companies were honoured at this year’s May Day Awards 2012 on 29 April for their extraordinary contributions to the Labour Movement, witnessed by some 1,500 guests at Orchid Country Club.

This year’s awards ceremony also marked the largest number of awardees since the first May Day Awards given out in 1963.

Said chairperson of the May Day Awards sub-committee Lim Kuang Beng: “This has been an extraordinary year as we see a record number of 92 tripartite partners receiving the prestigious May Day Awards.

“That many of our comrades are being affirmed tonight shows that more people are coming forth to contribute and lend support to NTUC’s initiatives and programmes, which aim to better the jobs, wages and lives of all our workers in Singapore.”

The awards were given to exemplary individuals who have supported their fellow workers in the areas of skills upgrading, workfare and staff welfare, maintained strong labour-management relations, and strengthened the Singapore workforce by supporting key initiatives such as the re-employment of older workers, Job Re-creation Programme and Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP), among others.

This year, the highest award, the Distinguished Service (Star) award, was conferred on Mr John De Payva and Mr Ong Yen Her, who have been in the Labour Movement for over three decades.

Two senior management personnel also received the Meritorious Service Award: Mr John Lim Kok Min and Mr Matthias Yao Chih. The sole recipient of the Distinguished Service (Labour) award went to long-serving unionist Mr Cyrille Tan Soo Leng.

In total, 12 categories of awards were given out: the Distinguish Service (Star), Meritorious Service, Distinguish Service (Labour), Comrade of Labour (Star), Medal of Commendation (Gold), Plaque of Commendation (Star), Plaque of Commendation (Gold), Friend of Labour, Comrade of Labour, Veteran of Labour, Medal of Commendation and Plaque of Commendation.