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~ 12,000 care packs to be presented to healthcare workers
in whole-of-Labour Movement initiative, to appreciate their efforts in the fight against COVID-19 ~
The fight against the pandemic is a marathon as our frontline workers continue their good work to keep Singapore safe. The Labour Movement stands firmly with our workers during this difficult period. In view of the recent rise of community cases and emergence of a COVID-19 cluster in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is working with NTUC FairPrice and the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU) to provide a total of 12,000 care packs to our healthcare workers in appreciation of their dedication and hard work on the frontline.
On 20 May, Thursday, NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Chee Hong Tat and Group Chief Executive Officer of NTUC Enterprise and FairPrice Group Seah Kian Peng delivered the first batch of care packs to HSEU President K Thanaletchimi at the union’s headquarters, officially kick-starting this care initiative. Packing efforts will be carried out in early June supported by volunteers from HSEU, NTUC Club and Young NTUC, while ensuring that strict safe management measures are in place. All 12,000 care packs will be packed by mid-June, with HSEU administering the subsequent distribution.
Each care pack contains beverages and snacks such as instant coffee, Milo, and crackers provided by NTUC, FairPrice and HSEU. The Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) and FairPrice have also rallied companies to come forth to donate a variety of items such as isotonic canned drinks, vitamin C pastilles, yogurt, lemon tea, biscuits and hand sanitizers. Sponsors for the care packs include local and international companies alike: Ben Foods; F&N Singapore; GSK; Khong Guan Biscuit Factory; Malaysian Dairy Industries; Unilever Asia; Yeo Hiap Seng.
NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Chee Hong Tat, who is also Advisor to HSEU, shared, “At NTUC, our priority is to champion the wellbeing of our members and workers in Singapore. As Adviser to HSEU, I am glad to see NTUC, HSEU and our social enterprises standing in solidarity with our healthcare workers during this crisis. We thank the many Singaporeans who have shown support and appreciation to our healthcare workers. Your nice gestures and acts of kindness go a long way in encouraging our sisters and brothers in the healthcare sector to continue with our collective fight against COVID-19.”
Mr Seah Kian Peng, Group Chief Executive Officer of NTUC Enterprise and FairPrice Group, said, “This care initiative is an expression of our social enterprises’ appreciation to our healthcare workers for their commitment and serving as a frontline defence in fighting the pandemic. Through this collective effort, NTUC FairPrice hopes to encourage and bring some cheer and nourishment to them while showing our solidarity and support.”
HSEU President K Thanaletchimi said, “From procuring the items to packing and distribution, this initiative would not have been possible without the generous contributions of our sponsors and the solid backing from the Labour Movement network. The union is heartened by the strong support and the care packs will serve as a boost to the morale of our healthcare workers. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the union has received numerous reports of our healthcare workers facing discrimination. However, there are also many others who have come forth to show their appreciation through kind words and gestures. We encourage more to spread kindness; after all, we are in this global crisis together and it is only through helping one another can we emerge from this stronger.”
Addressing the concerns and needs of healthcare workers
In light of the heightened safe management measures and recent reports where healthcare workers were faced with discrimination, it is even more crucial that we continue to look after our healthcare workers and ensure their needs and concerns can be taken care of. In this regard, NTUC and HSEU will continue to advocate for the rights and wellbeing of our healthcare workers, through gathering ground feedback and working with our tripartite partners, management, and industry stakeholders to address the issues holistically.
Ongoing efforts to care for our workers
This care initiative is part of the Labour Movement’s ongoing efforts to show support to our workers. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, NTUC has been continuously distributing care packs for a cross-section of workers, in addition to a slew of support programmes to safeguard lives and livelihoods. NTUC Enterprise group of social enterprises had also moved swiftly to implement initiatives, ranging from priority queues for healthcare workers at FairPrice stores and bringing “FairPrice on Wheels” closer to them for their convenience; distributing free ice cream and potato chips to some 52,000 healthcare workers; providing free MILO and barley drinks at NTUC Foodfare, Kopitiam and Wang Café to hospital staff; to operating NTUC First Campus pre-schools to care for children of healthcare workers during the Circuit Breaker. With heightened safe management measures, the National Taxi Association and National Private Hire Vehicle Association have also called on facility management partners to provide areas for meals and rest, as dine-ins are not allowed. Our Labour Members of Parliament have taken the lead by working with their constituencies to identify suitable areas for food delivery personnel. Our social enterprises have also opened up some of their buildings and premises such as the food courts at Jurong Point, Ang Mo Kio Hub and Thomson Plaza for drivers and riders to have their meals.
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