Labour Movement responds quickly to roll out programmes worth $15.6 million from U Care Fund
30 May 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
1 In a year of high inflation last year, the Labour Movement’s care and share efforts amounted to $13.4 million and benefited more than 112,500 members. In a downturn, lower-income union members will require more assistance and financial help than in a normal year. Therefore this year, the Labour Movement almost doubled last year’s efforts to raise $23.2 million through the U Care fund. With this money, the Labour Movement plans to assist a total of 194,000 members (refer to Chart 1). This is about 82,000 more members than last year.
2 Overall, a significant portion of the U Care fund (over 50%) will go towards lower-income working members who are affected by the downturn. 30% will assist children of lower-income members, while the remaining 20% will be directed to activities related to family bonding and the elderly.
Chart 1
3 The increase in care and share funds from 2008 to 2009 will be used to enhance five existing assistance programmes and create two ad-hoc relief programmes tailored to the current downturn (refer to Annex A).
4 About 30% of the increase in funds will be used to enhance programmes either in outreach or quantum increase so that 26,000 more members can benefit from the existing programmes during a downturn. One of the programmes is the U Stretch vouchers, which has been enhanced to offer a greater discount to its members - 50% off a $5 purchase (In 2008, the discount was 20% off a $10 purchase last year). The programme has also increased the quantum per member from $50 to $80, and the overall funding from $5 million to $6.4 million. Application for the U Stretch vouchers is now open from 30 May 2009 to 20 June 2009. Please refer to Annex B for application details.
5 The remaining 70% of the increase in funds will go towards ad-hoc relief programmes such as the U Care Immediate Assistance and Bursary/Scholarship TOP-UP scheme, targeted to benefit about 56,000 workers affected by the downturn.
6 In particular, the U Care Immediate Assistance provides immediate relief to retrenched workers, workers on shorter work weeks, and workers on temporary layoffs facing difficulties. In close partnership with the NTUC affiliated unions and association, eligible workers will receive immediate assistance ranging from $100 to $300, depending on their employment situation. It aims to reach out to a targeted 50,000 such workers.
7 The other ad-hoc relief programme is the Bursary/Scholarship TOP-UP scheme, which aims to double its efforts in supporting children of lower-income members. In total, the top-up amount for NTUC affiliated unions and associations is $1.2 million, which will benefit up to 6,000 more children than last year.
8 The NTUC also recognises the urgency to provide help to its members as soon as the funds are raised, and therefore worked quickly with its affiliated unions and associations to roll-out its first four programmes worth $15.6 million for the year, benefiting an expected 151,000 members, out of the total targeted 194,000 members (refer to Chart 2). For more details of the remaining programmes to be rolled out on 30 May, please refer to Annex C.
Chart 2
9 The very first beneficiary of the U Stretch vouchers is Mdm Chua Gek Keow, aged 40. She is a production operator and a member with the Chemical Industries Employees' Union (CIEU). On top of that, she will be getting the U Care Immediate Assistance as her company has put her on a shorter work week.
10 Mdm Chua said, "My husband is not working and I have three children to support. When I knew I was getting lesser pay due to the shorter work weeks, I was very worried for my family's livelihood. With the $80 U Stretch vouchers and $130 U Care Immediate Assistance, I know this support can lessen some of my burden for the time being. My union, CIEU, has also been very caring and I know I can look forward to more programmes from the U Care fund."
11 Looking forward, NTUC, with feedback from its affiliated unions and associations, will review these programmes every three months to ensure that there is sufficient assistance for union members who are eligible for the schemes.
Mr Zainudin Nordin
Director
Care and Share
National Trades Union Congress
Annex A
Out of the $10.9 million from the U Care fund, about 30% will be used to enhance existing programmes such as the U Stretch vouchers, Family Recreation & Fun Carnival, and Back to School vouchers. From the enhancement of existing programmes, about 26,000 more members are expected to receive assistance.
The remaining 70% will go towards ad-hoc relief programmes tailored to the current downturn such as the U Care Immediate Assistance and the Scholarship/Bursary TOP-UP scheme. These two new ad-hoc programmes will help about 56,000 members tide through the downturn.
In total, the Labour Movement aims to help about 82,000 more members than last year.
Annex B
U Stretch Vouchers
This year, the Labour Movement will set aside $6.4 million under the U Stretch initiative in the form of U Stretch vouchers that maximises the union member's expenditure with discounts from the NTUC family. To offer greater value to our workers, each voucher's discount has been increased to 50% off a $5 purchase. Each booklet of vouchers will be worth $80, and is expected to benefit 80,000 lower-income union members.
The vouchers expire on 28 February 2010, and can be used at 7 NTUC social enterprises - NTUC Club, NTUC Eldercare, NTUC FairPrice, NTUC First Campus, NTUC Foodfare, NTUC Healthcare and NTUC Link.
How to Apply:
The eligibility criteria are as follows:
a) Gross household income of $1,800 and below OR
b) Per capita income of $500 and below
Application for the U Stretch vouchers is now open from 30 May 2009 to 20 June 2009. Ordinary Branch union members may apply through their respective unions while General Branch union members can download the application forms from http://www.ntuc.org.sg. They can also obtain the application forms from the NTUC Customer Service Centre located at No. 1, Marina Boulevard, #B1-01. Enquiries may be directed to NTUC Hotline at 6213 8008.
Usage of the vouchers:
- If worker spends $4 and below, they cannot use the voucher (have to spend minimum of $5 to get $2.50 off, which is 50% discount)
ANNEX C
The four programmes to be rolled out on 30 May are:
A) U Stretch Vouchers (refer to Annex B)
B) Family Recreation & Fun Carnival
C) U Care Immediate Assistance
D) Bursary/Scholarship TOP-UP scheme
B) Family Recreation & Fun Carnival
During a downturn, family support is crucial for affected workers. Therefore, the Labour Movement will increase its funding for the Family Recreation & Fun Carnival from $1 million to $1.5 million this year. NTUC Club has also decided to increase the frequency of runs from four to six times so that more families can enjoy an all-expense paid family package at Downtown East. The first carnival run will begin on 31 May 2009 for members who have applied previously.
How to Apply:
The next round of applications will be announced at a later date. The eligibility criteria are as below:
a) Gross household income of $2,500 and below OR
b) Per capita income of $500 and below
C) U Care Immediate Assistance
This year-long scheme will provide immediate relief to retrenched workers, workers on shorter work weeks, and workers on temporary layoffs facing difficulties.
How to Apply:
This show of immediate support will be only one part of the help extended to affected workers. Eligible union members can approach their respective unions with immediate effect to apply for the U Care Immediate Assistance.
D) Bursary/Scholarship TOP-UP scheme
Traditionally, unions have been giving out scholarships and bursaries awards to their members' children. To empower unions to either give more per child, or reach out to more children, this top-up scheme allows the Labour Movement to double its efforts in supporting children of lower-income members. In total, the top-up amount for all NTUC affiliated unions and associations is $1.2 million, which will benefit up to 6,000 more children than last year.
How to Apply:
Each union will have their own application date/criteria for their bursary and scholarship awards. Therefore, members should approach their respective unions to apply or enquire about the bursary/scholarship scheme.
