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THE labour movement has received more than 23,000 applications so far for the discount vouchers that it is giving to less well-off members.
Each U Stretch voucher gives a 5 per cent discount for every $10 spent at six National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) cooperatives, including FairPrice supermarkets, childcare centres and pharmacies. They can be used from Thursday to the end of the year.
About 80,000 lowerincome union members are expected to gain from the vouchers. To qualify, they must have a family income of $1,800 or less a month, or per capita monthly income of $500 at most.
This update was made yesterday at a press conference to announce what the NTUC's 12 cooperatives have done for workers.
They gave $73 million last year - through measures such as food vouchers, childcare subsidies and absorption of the goods and services tax increase. This figure is up from $65 million the previous year.
The cooperatives' financial muscle comes from some $4.5 billion in revenue earned last year, up from $4.14 billion the previous year.
A key focus in the coming year will be for the smaller cooperatives - such as NTUC Foodfare - to expand, so as to get more business and to help more workers, said NTUC secretary-general Lim Swee Say.
He also wants all cooperatives to work more closely together to help three priority groups: senior citizens, working mothers and low-wage workers.
These groups currently benefit from discounts offered by just one or a few cooperatives. For instance, workers who join the NTUC's Unit for Casual and Contract Workers - such as cleaners - get discounts of between 30 per cent and 50 per cent when they visit NTUC Healthcare medical clinics.
Unionists told The Straits Times that inflation continues to be a key concern of their members.
Union of Security Employees president N. Silva said some of his members asked why FairPrice was talking about discounts when it raised its prices recently.
Mr Lim was also asked why FairPrice gave discounts instead of lowering prices in the first place.
He replied that lowering prices would benefit all customers, regardless of their income levels, and cut into its profit margins.
While the supermarket chain keeps prices low for all customers by offering a 5 per cent discount on its housebrands, some get more help through U Stretch vouchers.
Mr Lim said: 'There is general social benefit and at the same time, additional benefit for those who deserve it.'
chinlian@sph.com.sg
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