SINGAPORE: The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has announced an increase in the retirement age to 64 and the re-employment age to 69 for its employees, effective 1 January 2025.
This move comes 1½ years ahead of the national timeline and reflects NTUC’s dedication to fostering an age-inclusive workforce.
Proactive Adjustment of Retirement Policies
NTUC’s current retirement age of 63 and re-employment age of 68 were implemented in 2022, aligning with earlier national benchmarks.
These changes mirror the Government’s plan, revealed in 2019, to gradually raise the retirement age to 65 and the re-employment age to 70 by 2030.
The Public Service Division had earlier announced that it would adopt these new age limits from 1 July 2025, a year before the scheduled national rollout.
NTUC, however, has once again taken the lead by advancing its implementation to January 2025.
This is the second time since 2019 that NTUC has pre-emptively adjusted these age limits.
In 2021, it had similarly increased its retirement and re-employment ages by 1½ years ahead of schedule, underscoring its proactive approach to supporting older workers.
Support for Older Workers
NTUC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring older employees remain supported before and beyond their retirement and re-employment milestones.
“For employees approaching retirement, NTUC engages them early to discuss their re-employment and retirement plans, offering targeted training opportunities to help them remain relevant,” the statement read.
The labour movement also guarantees that older workers retain consistent employment benefits and salaries upon re-employment unless a change in job scope is mutually agreed upon.
Tailored training, welfare benefits like health screenings, retirement planning, and flexible work arrangements are part of NTUC’s comprehensive support framework.
According to NTUC, the changes will benefit 448 employees who will reach the revised retirement age and 271 employees eligible for re-employment.
The organisation currently employs over 2,350 individuals aged above 63 across its businesses, including FairPrice Group, Income Insurance, and NTUC LearningHub.
Recognising Contributions of Older Workers
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng emphasised the importance of older employees in the workforce.
“By raising the Retirement Age and Re-employment Age for our NTUC employees ahead of the national schedule, we are taking proactive steps to build a more inclusive workforce, ” he said.
Ng also highlighted NTUC’s ongoing commitment to advocating for equal training opportunities and job redesigns tailored to the strengths and needs of older workers.
The labour movement aims to ensure older workers remain competitive by providing access to skills training and redesigned roles to adapt to evolving workforce demands.
“Through updated skill sets, older workers can stay adaptable and relevant across various industries, while redesigned job roles leverage their strengths and address their evolving needs,” NTUC stated.
