WP calls for temporary wage subsidies for firms hiring fresh grads to guard against AI disruption

The Workers’ Party (WP) has called for more proactive policies to support all workers affected by the ongoing transformation due to the rapid proliferation of generative and agentic artificial intelligence (AI) in its 2026 May Day message.

The message was published on the party’s social media platforms on Apr. 30, and was entitled “Strengthening Social Solidarity in the Age of AI”.

Engine of our economy

It began by honouring the “hardworking men and women” providing for their families, calling them the “engine of our economy”.

“The progress of our nation is built on the collective effort of all workers, and we owe a profound debt of gratitude to those who continue to serve across all sectors of our society.”

It said that Singapore was at a “pivotal juncture”, and that the rapid proliferation of generative and agentic AI has “moved beyond novelty” and will play a larger role in workplaces and lives.

As industries and jobs were increasingly disrupted by AI, “empathy, physical presence, critical thinking, and creativity - are becoming more valuable than ever.”

WP called for a “proactive approach to protecting our future workers”, saying that while the government “invests boldly in AI Transformation, “we must be equally deliberate in ensuring that no one is left behind.”

More pathways to experience

The party called for the contributions of skilled tradespersons to continue to be "valued, protected, and strengthened in this new era".

The WP’s message highlighted a concern where professional roles for new graduates are “being curtailed” by the expectation that entry-level functions can be fulfilled by AI at a lower cost.

The WP described this as a “self-defeating approach”, saying that without young graduate workers gaining necessary work experience, there will be fewer of the required experienced professionals, and that fresh graduates needed “more pathways to attain real experience, confidence, and foundations for the future.”

It proposed "targeted, temporary wage subsidies" for firms hiring new graduates in apprenticeship roles, in order to reduce risk and ensure young workers are not left behind.

Call for redundancy insurance scheme

The WP repeated calls for redundancy insurance, saying that the “risk of displacement in a volatile global economy remains a pressing anxiety" and that “better protection is paramount.”

Such a redundancy insurance scheme should be extended to all income levels to provide “a meaningful cushion against financial pressure” in an environment where redundancy and retrenchments look increasingly likely.

“True security comes from a clear pathway: from redundancy to reskilling and finally to employment.”

The WP said such a scheme would provide an “automatic stabiliser for the economy”, ensuring that workers can take care of their families while looking for work.

Without such a safety net, Singaporeans cannot be expected to “be innovative and risk-taking”.

The party also reiterated its commitment to “offering rational and constructive proposals in Parliament to move our society forward” and said it envisioned a Singapore where “every contribution is valued and all workers are protected.”