Did you grow up thinking “NTUC” was a supermarket? Like each and every Singaporean.
But guess what, NTUC stands for National Congress of Trade Unions instead of Not-too-unaffordable groceries.
Traditionally, unions have fought to protect the staff under their protection. People join unions because they have more resources than an individual to do things like negotiate higher wages, hire lawyers, and, of course, organize movements to demand better working conditions.
While industrial unions generally have adversarial relations with government and business, Singapore’s business-friendly environment particularly distorts the dynamics. NTUC operates as a tripartite partner with the Ministry of Manpower and the National Federation of Employers of Singapore. This means that the NTUC is looking to work with the government and businessmen, who are against them, to find answers for painters.
In those bleak economic times when job security is as fragile as an elementary school child’s baby teeth, we want all the help we can get. The NTUC would arguably not offer the kind of advantages that “traditional” unions are known for. , but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of what they offer.
NTUC is an industrial trade union confederation of more than 70 trade unions, associations and industry organisations.
There are two memberships:
The only way to become a member of the normal branch is if your employer or office is part of a union and your task is a task for which the union can bargain. Otherwise, you can only be a member of the general branch.
There are several benefits whose maximum apparent tangible rewards are earned by earning NTUC FairPrice LinkPoints, dividends and cashback from NTUC, insurance policies and NTUC cashback, and more.
“So you’re telling me that if my employer is a union member, all I can get from my NTUC club is food discounts?”Not exactly. This is where other non-monetary benefits come in.
These are career and employment-focused benefits that benefit you as an employee in Singapore. They come with educational benefits from the Union Training Assistance Program (UTAP), NTUC’s online Workplace Counseling service, free LawWorks legal clinics where you can have 20 minutes to seek fundamental legal advice, as well as employability programs such as those offered by e2i (Employment and Employability Institute).
NTUC systems also help you through difficult times. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the NTUC Training Fund (Self-Employed Persons) introduced an education grant of up to $10 for self-employed staff to attend educational courses, and the NTUC Care Fund introduced a one-time monetary allowance for self-employed workers. NTUC members who have been dismissed.
We don’t expect a pandemic, but know that your NTUC club can be very helpful in those times.
Before we go into more detail, there is a fee to sign up for NTUC. Let’s take a look.
There’s nothing more Singaporean than collecting emissions and redeeming rewards in supermarkets. That’s why NTUC Link’s Link Rewards program, a subsidiary of NTUC, is one of the most well-known NTUC-related benefits.
Earn Linkpoints when you shop at partner merchants like NTUC FairPrice, Unity Pharmacy, Cheers, Caltex, and StarHub, then use your LinkPoints to offset your next purchase.
Linkpoints can be redeemed for $1 off your purchases for every hundred Linkpoints.
You can also convert your Linkissues into loyalty issues or miles. For example, one hundred Linkissues = 50 KrisFlyer miles.
As a component of the Link Rewards program, members get the NTUC card that allows them to earn and redeem Linkpoints seamlessly.
This is not the case with the nEbO (Nobody Likes to Be Ordinary) card, which is aimed at other people between the ages of 12 and 25.
There are several Link Rewards cards, including Link payment cards (e. g. , Trust Link credit card) and Affiliate Link cards (e. g. , GAMERS card). SG). Let’s compare some of the most popular or well-known ones.
You can earn Linkpoints at FairPrice, Unity, Warehouse Club, and Cheers retail outlets. When shopping for groceries in-store, all you have to do is provide your Link Rewards card at checkout or press the “Pay/Win” button on your FairPrice Group app and provide the QR code at checkout. That means you don’t even want your physical Link Rewards card!
Previously, the app option only gave you Linkpoints in Fairprice, Unity, and Cheers. But as of October 2023, you can now use the Fairprice Group app to earn Linkpoints at more than 1,000 outlets for Link spouses, who now boast a popular lifestyle. and outdoor own brands, Fairprice Group. They include Skechers, Bee Cheng Hiang, Crave Nasi Lemak and many more. You can even earn Linkpoints at NTUC Health Denticare.
You’ll earn Linkpoints at the following rates:
You’ll be pleased to know that you can also earn LinkPoints when you shop online.
You can redeem NTUC Linkpoints in-store and online for one hundred Linkpoints = $1 off your purchases.
To redeem your issues in-store, simply show your Link Rewards card at the point of purchase and tell the cashier that you need to redeem your Linkissues. If you’re a self-service payment machine, choose the Linkpoint points redemption option.
You can also redeem your Linkpoints in the app when the Scan feature
An NTUC club also gives you access to the Union Training Assistance Program (UTAP), which covers the cost of professional education for NTUC members.
UTAP will cover 50 percent of tuition fees (after deduction of government grants and GST, registration fees, miscellaneous fees, etc. ) for eligible courses.
The following limits apply:
These to courses taken between July 1, 2020 and December 31, 2025.
Only courses that are eligible for UTAP are eligible to receive course fees.
Do you have a dispute with your employer? The NTUC will not organize a strike for you, but has an in-office counseling service for its members. If you encounter a conflict at work or face a challenge in the office, you can seek advice from NTUC. They even have a workplace counseling service. App that allows you to search for recommendations on how to swipe your smartphone.
Practitioners, managers and executives (SMEs) can also use a dispute resolution procedure with the help of tripartite partners, the NTUC adds. This is a less expensive and faster way to resolve disputes than going to court.
Union members are also covered through NTUC GIFT (Group Term Life Insurance for Union Members), an organizational insurance policy for those under the age of 65.
The policy offers a life insurance policy of up to $40,000. This means that you or your circle of family members will get reimbursed up to $40,000 if you die or are totally, partially, or permanently disabled. If you have a wife under the age of 65, they will also have free insurance in the event of death and total and permanent disability.
If you are years of age or older, you can extend your GIFT insurance for a nominal payment of $1 to $3 per policy year.
Do you need protection for your life insurance? Consider LUV from NTUC Income, a term life insurance policy exclusively for NTUC members. Members can also apply for their wife and children.
NTUC members are eligible to receive up to 2% upfront rebate (on Linkpoints) on purchases of up to $6,000 per year at NTUC’s attractive retail stores. You may see “up to four percent FairPrice member benefits” on most of the initial four%. NTUC offers you additional sponsorship discounts subject to approval at its Annual General Meeting.
In addition, you will be eligible to receive dividends from NTUC FairPrice, with rebates and dividends distributed annually.
To be eligible for rebates and dividends, you will first need to register as an NTUC FairPrice member by subscribing to 20 shares at $1 each and paying a one-time payment of $3. In case of cancellation of your membership, the shares will be refundable.
Alternatively, the “Sign Up Now, Pay Later” program allows you to sign up without paying anything and deduct the $23 payment later from the money back you earn.
U Network is a network comprising industry unions, associations, and partners affiliated with NTUC. The network offers its members a diversity of possibilities for professional development, training, task placement, and networking. These include:
Since August 2020, NTUC has adopted a fair dismissal framework that establishes fair dismissal practices for employers.
The framework sets out three main principles: protecting Singapore’s core, preserving jobs, and providing employment support. More important points here.
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This article was first published on MoneySmart.