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Seeking Redress Through The Union
UWEEI helps member with medical claims when company refuses to pay for his hospitalisation bills
By Sharon Lee
NTUC News 17 Jun 2005
MR ERIC Tan (not his real name), 48, was on the way home with his wife on his motorcycle one evening when the unexpected happened.
A taxi ahead of him had suddenly screeched to a halt in front of a traffic light that had just turned red. Mr Tan, who was unable to apply his brakes in time, hit the back of the taxi and fell off his bike.
He suffered a broken shin and was warded at the Singapore General Hospital. His wife escaped unscathed except for some slight cuts.
To aid Mr Tan’s recovery, doctors inserted a metal rod in his right leg. The crash on April 9 last year left him with several scars and landed him in hospital for a week.
Mr Tan, who works as a technician in an electrical company for 26 years, recuperated at home for two months before returning to light duty at work.
“It was my fault as I didn’t keep my distance from the taxi,” admitted Mr Tan, who was slapped with six demerit points and a $200 fine for causing the accident.
His medical bills came to about $2,000. Periodic checkups conducted once every two months after the accident amounted to $50 per visit.
In June last year, he approached his union, the United Workers’ of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI), in the hope of getting some compensation from his company.
UWEEI wrote to his company, but they refused to pay, stating that employees were responsible for their own personal safety after working hours.
However, the union pointed out that in its collective agreement with the company, the firm agreed to bear the costs of hospital in-patient treatment, provided that it did not exceed $4,200 a year
“I was hoping that they would help me pay for my follow-up medical appointments, which is a portion of my entire bill,” said Mr Tan.
But the union went one step further and asked that the company pay for his medical bills in full. The company refused and the case was brought to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for conciliation.
After several meetings at MOM, the dispute was amicably resolved. In February this year, Mr Tan received $2,000 in compensation from his company.
As a result of the accident, his wife forbade him to ferry his 14-year-old son to school in the mornings, fearing the possibility of future accidents.
However, he still travels on his two-and-a-half-year-old Honda Phantom motorcycle to work.
Mr Tan readily admits that he is accident-prone and said that this was the third time he had been involved in an accident
“I just want to thank my colleagues at the union for helping me. I’m just relieved that the matter is over,” he said.
Noting that his leg now resembled a weather vane due to the metal rod inserted, Mr Tan quipped: “Now I know when it is going to rain before it happens.”
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