The labor market in Singapore needs to undergone significant reform in order to ensure citizens are able to access the jobs they want, one politician claims.

According Lim Swee Say, secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), the labor movement needs to ensure local workers can achieve their aspirations, Channel News Asia reports.

Mr Lim, a member of the ruling People's Action Party, explained that the new focus of future efforts will move beyond full employment to look at helping Singaporeans secure better roles.

"Low-wage workers want higher wages. For PMETs (professionals, managers, executives, technicians) they want better and faster career advancement and so on," he declared.

He pointed to the tight labor market conditions and declared it is important for the government to be both pro-business and pro-worker, with a range of ideas from the labor movement under consideration.

A recent report from Astbury Marsden predicted new finance jobs will be generated in Singapore during 2011, with the territory expected to lead global banking centers in employment creation.

Posted by Kate Griffin