Singapore continues to attract investment funds on a large scale despite its relatively high-cost operating environment. The bulk of U.S. investment is in electronics manufacturing, oil refining and storage, and the chemical industry. More than 1,300 U.S. firms operate in Singapore. The United States provides no bilateral aid to Singapore. In 1999, Singapore had a work force of about 2.0 million.
Extensive legislation covers general labor and trade union matters.
The Industrial Arbitration Court handles labor-management disputes that cannot be resolved informally through the Ministry of Labor. There has been only one strike in the past 15 years. The Singapore Government and the NTUC have tried a range of programs to increase lagging productivity and boost the labor force participation rates of women and older workers. But labor shortages persist in the service sector and in many low-skilled positions in the construction and electronics industries. Foreign workers help make up this shortfall.