Adding Value to Workers

Our unions provide workers with channels to express their concerns and aspirations. We protect the interests of workers. We negotiate collective agreements and help settle workplace disputes. We create opportunities for workers to upgrade their skills so that they can be more productive, earn more and be assured of lifelong employability.

Through our Skills Redevelopment Programme, we work with employers and government agencies to raise the skills level of our workers, especially the older ones with lower education. We have classes that help workers without basic education to acquire a grounding for skills courses. We organise computer classes and promote a whole range of courses. Our aim is to have all workers trained and tested for specific skills. The successful ones will be given certificates recognised at industry and national levels. We have an Education and Training Fund to subsidise fees for those doing courses on their own. Our labour movement spends over $1 million a year in bursaries for children of NTUC members.

We help stretch members' hard-earned dollars. For example, when they shop at our consumer cooperative outlets, they not only get their daily needs at much lower prices, but they also earn rebates on their purchases, They pay discounted rates when they send their children to our childcare centres, seek treatment at our dental cooperative or patronise our clubs and holiday resorts. They get concessions from selected private shops and clinics. All NTUC members are given free basic insurance coverage.