An Evening with AREU’s Calvin Cheng: On Trust, Groundwork, and Getting Things Done

At the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club, nearly every worker is a union member … thanks in no small part to Calvin Cheng. Here’s his story.

On most nights at the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club, Calvin Cheng works behind the scenes. Since joining the Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union (AREU) more than a decade ago, Calvin has become a cornerstone of AREU’s branch network — so much so that almost all eligible employees at the Singapore Yacht Club are union members today.

Calvin from RSYC, an Exco Member in one of three remaining marina clubs in Singapore

As a newly elected member of AREU’s Executive Committee since August 2024, Calvin has made it a point to carry the lessons from the ground into his new role. His branch, one of the first few under AREU to achieve full union penetration. Instead of relying on hard-selling tactics, Calvin builds trust the long way: by being present, listening, and offering help when it’s needed. “When people see you consistently trying to help, they start to come to you on their own,” he says. “You don’t need big words — just honest work.”

In person, Calvin is quietly charismatic. “Trust is important. If people don’t trust you, they won’t come forward, no matter how good the benefits are,” he says. And Calvin is always championing those benefits, especially the insurance cover provided through union membership. Many of his colleagues, he notes, are Malaysian workers who ride motorcycles to work. “They don’t always know they’re eligible for things like Insurance, provided as part of union membership” he says. In Singapore, only union members working in a unionised company are entitled to NTUC perks. “So, I explain to them that this is a safety net, that the union looks out for them.”

Always smiling Calvin’s mantra at work, “You don’t need big words — just honest work.”

It’s a style of leadership he brings home too. A father of two sons, Calvin, frequently volunteers at grassroots events in his free time — and he often brings his children along. “If you don’t expose them to service, how will they learn to care about others?” he muses. “For me, it’s about understanding the different lives people lead.”

That instinct to listen and learn shapes how Calvin sees his role in the wider union movement. Over the years, he’s gained insight from AREU seminars and mingling with fellow branch officials from clubs and recreational groups. He relishes the funny stories and best practices they share. “You have to walk the ground to hear and listen to what others go through — that’s how you hone your skill sets,” he says.

His own path to leadership within AREU was rather unexpected but well encouraged. “But sometimes it’s like that: you hesitate, but then you think, maybe it’s time to step up.”

Stepping up isn’t always easy, especially in tough conversations. Calvin recalls a case where the Club was planning to redeploy fellow employees to other departments. While it wasn’t a retrenchment exercise, Calvin empathised with how unsettling it could be. “I could imagine how they felt,” he reflects. “Adjusting to a new environment isn’t easy.”. He sought guidance from his Industrial Relations Officer, Junior Lim, whose experience helped frame the situation. “Sometimes we can’t reverse decisions, but we can explain them better,” Calvin says. As advised, the company is trying to offer alternatives and redeployment, and that’s when the union steps in to help both sides reach mutual understanding.

Stepping up was not easy for Calvin, but he finds purpose in the role and aims to be the bridge between employee and management.

That’s also the biggest misconception Calvin wishes to address. “People think union leaders are here to team up with the bosses and are against workers. But we’re really here to bridge.” On the contrary, the union is there to support and protect the workers at the workplace and helping management make fair decisions.

In the long run, Calvin believes the best way workers can protect themselves is to stay relevant. “We must keep upgrading and learning. The more skills you have, the more options you have,” he says matter-of-factly. It’s a message he lives by. Whether it’s through late-night shifts, volunteering on weekends, or walking the ground with fellow unionists, Calvin Cheng leads by doing and that’s what makes people follow.