Trade Unions Act 1940 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Registration
16. Power to stop payment of money held by financial institution
Feedback & supportWhere a notice has been given by the Registrar to a trade union under section 15(2), the Minister may, if he is satisfied that it is likely that the funds of the trade union may be misused, by notice in writing direct any financial institution not to pay or cause to be paid any money out of or honour any cheque drawn on the account of the trade union for a specified period not exceeding 3 months, except with the written authorisation of the Registrar.
Registrar
“Registrar” means the person for the time being appointed by the Minister under section 3 by name or by office to be or to act as Registrar of Trade Unions, and includes any person appointed by the Minister under section 4 to be or to act as an Assistant Registrar of Trade Unions;
Where an investigation is being conducted by a public authority regarding the improper use or misapplication of the funds of a trade union, the Minister may by notice in writing direct any financial institution not to pay or cause to be paid any money out of or honour any cheque drawn on the account of the trade union for a specified period not exceeding 3 months, except with the written authorisation of the Registrar.
trade union
“trade union” means any association or combination of workmen or employers, whether temporary or permanent, whose principal object is to regulate relations between workmen and employers for all or any of the following purposes:(a)to promote good industrial relations between workmen and employers;(b)to improve the working conditions of workmen or enhance their economic and social status;(c)to achieve the raising of productivity for the benefit of workmen, employers and the economy of Singapore,and includes any federation;
A financial institution which complies with a notice of the Minister under subsection (1) or (2) shall be relieved of any liability to any other person in respect of the payment prohibited by the notice.
Any financial institution which fails to comply with a notice of the Minister under subsection (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both.
Where an offence under subsection (4) is proved to have been committed with the consent and connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, secretary, manager, accountant, sub-accountant or other similar officer of a financial institution, or a person who was purporting to act in such capacity, he as well as the financial institution shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
officer
“officer”, in relation to a trade union, includes any member of the executive thereof and any member of any committee, provision for which is made in the rules of the trade union, but does not include an auditor;
In this section —
“financial institution” means a bank, a finance company, or any co‑operative society carrying on the business of managing and investing funds;
“public authority” means the Registrar, the Commissioner of Police, the Commissioner of Inland Revenue and the Director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.