18 Feb 2010
As a responsible service buyer and caring employer, NTUC Foodfare, which is also celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, gave out a bonus to all its contract cleaners for the first time. As a social enterprise which is part of the Labour Movement, Foodfare believes that being able to reward its contract cleaners and improving their workplace benefits can lead to happier and more motivated employees and this will lead to better work productivity and performance.
NTUC Foodfare presented the CNY Bonus comprising $100 cash, Foodfare vouchers, and an appreciation letter from CEO in an appreciation event on Thursday, 18 February 2010 at its foodcourt at Rivervale Mall in Sengkang. Director of NTUC’s Unit for Contract and Casual Workers Zainudin Nordin, who is also Mayor of Singapore Central District, was the Guest-of-Honour at this event.
To further demonstrate its Do-Good, NTUC Foodfare is working with NTUC’s UCCW to sign up all its 160 contract cleaners as UCCW members to enhance their welfare and provide them with a range of benefits and opportunities for professional and personal development and growth.
The membership benefits include NTUC Income life insurance coverage of up to $8000, as well as skills upgrading and employability enhancement assistance by identifying their skills gap, providing personalised training programme and making job referrals for them to move from casual and/or contract jobs to permanent jobs.
Demonstrating NTUC Foodfare’s commitment, CEO Perry Ong pledged, “As long as Foodfare continues to do well, all our contracted and casual workers working at Foodfare’s premises can look forward to receiving this bonus annually to supplement their annual income. And we will also pay the annual membership fee, as long as our contract cleaners remain in employment with our appointed contracted company. We hope that these initiatives will spur our workers on to work hard and make a better life for themselves and their family.”
UCCW’s Director Zainudin Nordin said, “Contract and casual workers are usually not entitled to the same staff benefits as permanent staff, such as year-end bonuses, workplace insurance coverage and training opportunities. Hence we are heartened that Foodfare is setting an example in looking after the employment issues and benefits of their contract staff. We hope that more employers will follow Foodfare’s steps.”
Moving forward in 2010, NTUC Foodfare will embark on a series of events and activities as part of its Foodfare Cares campaign to mark its 15th anniversary. Foodfare Cares was conceived as a company-wide social outreach programme for a meaningful celebration that involves staff participation. In true spirit of Foodfare’s slogan “Caring for you through food”, Foodfare will be utilising its strength in institutional catering and food manufacturing to launch Foodfare on Wheels, a series of events in collaboration with various social & charity groups to provide food for the underprivileged as well as a vehicle to raise funds for the needy during the festive period. Other initiatives include introducing special NTUC Value Meal sets at all its food courts and coffee shops to provide better value for members later in May 2010.
