NTUC to offer counselling to lower-income union members
Union members stressed by the pandemic and job situation can soon receive psychological help to deal with the challenges.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) will be offering one-to-one counselling services to lower-income union members as well as those whose incomes have been significantly reduced.
"Experiencing sudden or great distress due to work-related circumstances may take a tremendous toll on workers' mental well-being," NTUC said yesterday.
"This is especially so for those who have heavy personal responsibilities, such as caregivers, as well as those who have young and/or elderly dependants."
NTUC, which is partnering psychological centre Mind Culture in the programme, said more details will be made known in March.
The counselling service is part of a series of assistance programmes supported by the NTUC-U Care Fund, which was started in 2009 to help NTUC union members affected by the economic downturn then.
Close to 100 donors contributed to the fund last year, allowing NTUC to commit $31.5 million to better the welfare of lower-income members and their families.
The labour movement said it had disbursed more than $16 million to about 33,000 members as at Dec 18, to help members impacted by Covid-19.
It provides up to $300 cash relief to members whose incomes have been significantly affected by Covid-19.
Among them was Mr Wong Wai Hong, 48, an audio-visual technician who was retrenched by Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre in September.
Other programmes include the U Care Education Co-Funding scheme, which has given bursary awards to 4,500 children.
Around 300 low- to medium-income union members also received interim support from the CapitaLand-U Care Resilience and Enablement Fund (Cap+Ure).
It provides $250 in FairPrice vouchers for each child to help families.
NTUC said members can still apply for Cap+Ure support.
Applications are also open for support via the NTUC Care Fund (Covid-19). The closing date is Feb 28.
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