The Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Employees’ Union (SMEEU) was officially registered on 16 June 1981 as a result of the restructuring of SILO& PIEU into the 9 industrial unions. SMEEU held its inauguration on 18 July 1981. During the early years from mid 1981 to early 1982, SMEEU was housed temporarily at Sports House in Farrer Park. From 1982 to early 1992, the Union relocated to bigger premises at Jurong Workers’ Centre, Yuan Ching Road, at No. 281 Jalan Besar on 21 March 1992 and then to its current permanent location at 116 Changi Road, #03-05, WIS@Changi.

SMEEU is affiliated to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) in Geneva. Currently SMEEU has a strong membership base of more than 15,000.