A new era for labour

Trade unions, where he himself had his beginnings in politics, remained an abiding concern for Mr Lee. The unions he was convinced were key to giving every working person a sense of co-ownership in society.

Mr Lee also believed strongly that growth was meaningless unless workers could enjoy better homes and lives. He worked closely with Mr Devan Nair and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to modernise the trade union movement.

Together with NTUC, Mr Lee created the best possible investment climate by promoting industrial harmony and tripartism, and introduced key initiatives such as the Employment Act in 1968 and the National Wages Council in 1972.