Mary Liew is the first woman general secretary of the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) since 2013. She is also the past president of Singapore National Trades Union Congress for two terms from 2015 to 2023. 

Representing workers and the labor movement, Mary currently sits in various Boards and Committees including in the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Industrial Arbitration Court (IAC), National Wages Council (NWC), Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, WSH 2028 Tripartite Advisory Panel, and is advisor for Singapore’s Regional Centre for the Future of Work, among others.

Mary also served as the Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) in Singapore from February 2012 to August 2014, at the Central Provident Fund Board (CPF) from 2014 to June 2020, National Job Council (NJC) from June 2020 to September 2022 and Future Economy Council (FEC) from June 2017 to March 2023.

Internationally, Mary was the first woman from Southeast Asia to be elected into the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) as executive board member to represent the Asia Pacific region in August 2010, and now she serves as the ITF’s vice president. Representing Singapore, Mary was also elected as a deputy member of the governing body of the International Labor Organization (ILO) representing Workers’ Group since June 2014.