Trade Unions Act
(CHAPTER 333, Section 28(3))
Trade Unions (Government Officers — Exemption) Notification
N 2
G.N. No. S 313/1985

REVISED EDITION 1990
(25th March 1992)
[1st November 1985]
Citation
1.  This Notification may be cited as the Trade Unions. (Government Officers — Exemption) Notification.
Categories of exempted Government officers and employees
2.  Subject to paragraph 3, all Government officers and employees are exempted from section 28(3) of the Act with the exception of —
(a)all members of the Singapore Police Force, the Civil Defence Force and the Singapore Armed Forces; and
(b)all officers in the Prisons Service and the Narcotics Service.
[S 290/99 wef 01/07/1999]
Membership of unions
3.—(1)  The Government officers and employees exempted under paragraph 2 may join or be members of a trade union only where the membership of the union is confined to persons employed by any one or more or all of the following:
(a)the Government;
(b)Government-Aided Schools (non-teaching staff);
(c)the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore;
(d)the Central Provident Fund Board;
(e)the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS);
(f)the Economic Development Board;
(g)the Institute of Education (non-teaching staff);
(h)the Jurong Town Corporation;
(i)the Monetary Authority of Singapore;
(j)the National Maritime Board;
(k)the National Productivity Board;
(l)the National Theatre Trust;
(m)the National University of Singapore (non-academic staff);
(n)the Rubber Association of Singapore;
(o)the Sentosa Development Corporation;
(p)the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE);
(q)the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research (SISIR);
(r)the Singapore Polytechnic;
(s)the Singapore Science Centre;
(t)the Singapore Sports Council;
(u)the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board;
(v)the Timber Industry Board of Singapore;
(w)the Vocational and Industrial Training Board (non-training staff);
(x)the Nanyang Technological Institute (non-teaching staff);
(y)the National Computer Board;
(z)the Trade Development Board;
(za)the Construction Industry Development Board;
(zb)Mass Rapid Transit Corporation;
(zc)the Science Council of Singapore;
(zd)National Parks Board; and
(ze)Temasek Polytechnic;
(zf)National Arts Council.
[S 47/92 wef 31/01/1992]
(zg)National Science and Technology Board.
[S 432/92 wef 16/10/1992]
(zh)Institute of Technical Education, Singapore.
[S 432/92 wef 16/10/1992]
(zi)Nanyang Polytechnic.
[S 432/92 wef 16/10/1992]
(zj)National Heritage Board.
[S 484/93 wef 03/12/1993]
(zk)Singapore Broadcasting Authority.
[S 256/95 wef 09/06/1995]
(2)  Any such trade union whose membership is so confined may only amalgamate with or agree to act on the instructions of a trade union whose membership is similarly restricted.
Government officers and employees who are tradesmen or professional persons
4.—(1)  Notwithstanding paragraph 3 and with the prior approval of the Minister for Finance —
(a)Government officers and employees exempted under paragraph 2 who are tradesmen or professional persons may join a union composed of craftsmen or of members following a professional occupation, as the case may be, whose membership is not confined to persons employed by or under the Government; and
(b)any trade union whose membership is confined to the persons set out in paragraph 3(1) may affiliate to or federate with a trade union or federation of trade unions whose membership is not so restricted.
(2)  The approval granted under sub-paragraph (1) may, at any time in the discretion of the Minister for Finance, be withdrawn.
[G.N. Nos. S 313/85; S 63/87; S 89/88; S 161/90; S 282/91]