Karthikeyan K

K. Karthikeyan (b. 1960) served as a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) from 2014 to 2016, in the 12th Parliament of Singapore. He was nominated by the labour movement due to his extensive experience and contributions to the labour movement. 

In Parliament, he spoke on issues such as fair wages to low-wage workers, rising healthcare costs and access to favourable job opportunities, among other topics.

Karthikeyan holds a Bachelor of Business in Human Resource degree from the University of La Trobe, and a Master's degree in Public Policy &  Management from the University of Monash, both from Australia, in addition to several diplomas. 

He has been working in the petrochemical and oil sector for more than three decades.In addition to his professional career, Karthikeyan has been active in the union front, holding several leadership positions. He was the General Secretary of the United Workers of Petroleum Industry (UWPI) and was elected as a Vice-President to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Central Committee. He was also the Chairperson of the NTUC Workplace Safety and Health Committee and the Workplace Safety Council of Singapore. He was the Chairman of the Chemical Industries sector in NTUC. He is currently the Emeritus General Secretary of UWPI. 

Additionally, he was a member of the boards of key public institutions, including the Workforce Development Agency, the Public Transport Council, and the Institute of Human Resource Professionals. 

Within the Tamil community, he serves as President of the Singapore Tamil Society and is a member of the Little India Shopkeepers & Heritage Association. 

Karthikeyan’s dedication to the labour movement has earned him the Public Service Medal  (PBM) and the Public Service Star (BBM) awards from the government. He also received the NTUC May Day Star (Bar), the highest award by NTUC to unionists for their service.



For more information
National Trades Union Congress. “Labour Movement proposes veteran union leader K Karthikeyan for Nominated Member of Parliament.” 5 May 2014. https://www.ntuc.org.sg/uportal/news/Labour-Movement-proposes-veteran-union-leader-K-Karthikeyan-for-Nominated-Member-of-Parliament/
Wong, Julian. “What, Exactly, Does A Union Leader Do??” Rice Media, 27 September 2017. https://www.ricemedia.co/what-does-a-union-leader-do/

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