Sometimes when all hope seems gone, help can come from unexpected quarters. This was what two families discovered when the Labour Movement came to their aid when they lost their loved ones in separate accidents.
Help for the Little Children
In January this year, Madam A’s husband, a bus captain and a union member, was on his way home when he was killed in an accident.
Husband and wife were Sri Lankan nationals with no family in Singapore. So, Madam A, was left to care for their two children aged six and 10 by herself.
To help tide her through the tough time, NTUC gave her a Gift Cheque of S$20,000 from the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU), presented to her by President, Rosmani Juraini and NTUC Care and Share Department Deputy Director, Phyllis Lim.
“I will not be using the pay-out till my children are slightly older,” promised a grateful Madam A.
Help for the Family
When Madam S’s son, Muhammad Subri, died in an accident in Malaysia earlier this year, she not only lost a child, the family lost a breadwinner.
“My family relied on my late son for financial support,” revealed Madam S of her son who was also a union member.
In June, Keppel Employees Union (KEU) President, Razali Maulod, together with NTUC Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) and Care and Share Department Director, Zainal Sapari, presented Madam S with an NTUC Gift Cheque of S$20,000.
The gift cheque came as a surprise to Madam S because she did not know that being a union member had such coverage.
“This money will be useful in easing my family’s financial difficulties,” said Madam S.
NTUC GIFT, a group insurance exclusively for NTUC members, covers members for up to S$30,000 against death and total and permanent disability due to natural causes and accidents.
The NTUC Gift Cheque will give union members peace of mind should they be unable to work, said Mr Razali.
“At the union level, they do have very limited resources. When the help they offer is supplemented by the NTUC Gift, it will make a difference to the lives of the beneficiaries,” added ASG Zainal.
Original article written by Nicholas Lee, and can be found in NTUC This Week (27 July 2014)
