By Goh Chin Lian

WORKERS are helping to raise $1 million for colleagues in need and those retrenched in the downturn, with the Singapore Labour Foundation (SLF) pledging $2 for every dollar that unions raise.

Labour chief Lim Swee Say hailed their efforts yesterday, saying he was heartened by the passion and commitment shown by union leaders and members.

'Our unions have limited resources. It is also not easy for them to raise funds from union members and unionised companies especially during the downturn,' he said at a golf fund-raising event.

'Yet, our union leaders have come out strongly to support the fund-raising efforts for the U Care Fund.'

This was a reference to a new $20-million fund that the labour movement aims to establish by the first half of this year with the help of its cooperatives, affiliated unions and unionised companies.

Among those whom the fund intends to assist are workers from companies that folded up as they may not get retrenchment benefits or may receive amounts that are insufficient to tide them over in the short term.

The fund will also help needy families pay for their children's school expenses and cover part of their utility bills.

The 61 unions and six taxi associations affiliated to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) are aiming to raise the $1 million by the first half of this year.

The SLF - funded mainly through contributions from unions, their members, and cooperatives, as well as from investment returns - has committed to provide $2million in matching donations.

Chief executive officer Adeline Sum said the SLF's goal was to support the development of trade unions so as to help union members and their families.

So far, 24 unions have raised $250,000 for the fund.

One of them, the Metal Industries Workers' Union, sent letters in the past two weeks asking companies to donate and followed up with telephone calls.

Although the downturn has hit companies in the manufacturing sector, several have made donations ranging from $200 to $2,000, union general secretary Tan Chai Kun said.

It also intends to draw on proceeds from its dinner and dance, held at the end of last year. The union has raised $10,000 so far and plans to raise more by making an appeal to the workers themselves.

'The companies of some members are still quite okay. We can help each other,' Mr Tan said.

Healthcare Services Employees Union president Mahmood Idrose said his union leaders will meet to discuss ways to raise funds even though their industry is not as badly affected by the downturn.

'Though we are not directly affected, other members in most of the industries are affected badly. So we need to do something,' he said.

The United Workers of Electronic and Electrical Industries, which has seen many members laid off, is dipping into its own pocket to give $50,000 to the fund.

Among unions which already have good responses from companies is the Singapore Manual and Mercantile Workers' Union. Nearly 100 of the 250 companies whose workers it represents have given $25,000. These range from department stores to trading houses.

Yesterday, about 250 union leaders, workers, management representatives and government officials played golf at Marina Bay Golf Course to raise funds.

In a statement last night, NTUC said the total raised from the game amounted to about $5.1 million.

This included contributions of just over $2 million each from NTUC FairPrice and NTUC Club, and $250,000 from transport group ComfortDelGro.

The SLF gave $500,000 - fulfilling its pledge to match the $250,000 that unions raised so far.

With these new contributions, the U Care Fund now stands at about $8.9 million.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.