Cap. 332 sub. leg. A

Trade Union Registration Regulations(Cap. 332, section 59)[1 April 1962](Format changes—E.R. 3 of 2020) 1. Citation These regulations may be cited as the Trade Union Registration Regulations. 2. Contents of the register (1) The following particulars regarding any trade union or trade union federation shall be recorded by or at the direction of the Registrar in the register—(a) the name and the date of registration of the trade union or trade union federation and its rules;(b) the address of the head office;(c) the amalgamation of the trade union or trade union federation, as the case may be, with any other trade union or trade union federation;(d) the dissolution of the trade union or trade union federation;(e) the cancellation of the registration of the trade union or trade union federation; and(f) any change in—(i) the name;(ii) the rules; or(iii) the address of the registered office, of the trade union or trade union federation.(2) Every entry in the register and any amendment to the entry must be approved by the Registrar or a public officer authorized by the Registrar, in any manner the Registrar considers appropriate. (29 of 2025 s. 86) 3. Inspection of register The register may, on application in writing to the Registrar, be inspected, free of charge, at the Registry of Trade Unions during office hours, by any member of the public. 4. Inspection of accounts, etc. of registered trade unions Any member of a registered trade union may, on application in writing to the Registrar, inspect free of charge, at the Registry of Trade Unions during office hours, any documents, being documents required by law to be filed with the Registrar, relating to such registered trade union or to any registered trade union federation to which such registered trade union is a party. 5. Provisions as to submission for registration of rules on application for registration of trade union Where rules are sent to the Registrar for registration by a trade union or trade union federation that has applied for registration under the Ordinance, one copy of the rules must be sent, and— (29 of 2025 s. 87)(a) (Repealed 29 of 2025 s. 87)(b) in the case of a trade union, the copy must be signed by each of the persons who has signed the application for registration of the trade union or, if, by reason of death or illness or any other good cause, any such person is unable or ineligible to sign the copy, by some other voting member of such trade union; or(c) in the case of a trade union federation, the copy must be signed by the chairperson and one other officer of each of the registered trade unions comprised in the trade union federation.(L.N. 44 of 1971; 29 of 2025 s. 87) 6. Documents to be issued on registration of a trade union On the registration of a trade union or a trade union federation, the Registrar must issue to the trade union or the trade union federation, as the case may be, the following documents— (29 of 2025 s. 88)(a) one copy of the Ordinance and of these regulations;(b) one certificate of registration; and(c) one copy of the rules of the trade union or trade union federation certified by the Registrar as complying, in the Registrar’s opinion, with the provisions of section 18 of the Ordinance.(29 of 2025 s. 88) 7. Use of name No registered trade union or registered trade union federation shall display or otherwise in any manner make use of any name purporting to be the name of the trade union or of the federation except the name under which such trade union or such trade union federation is for the time being registered. 8. Application for registration of change of name to be accompanied by certificate of registration Where, in accordance with section 23 of the Ordinance, application is made to the Registrar for the registration of a change of the name of any registered trade union or registered trade union federation, the certificate of registration issued in respect of such trade union or trade union federation shall be sent to the Registrar at the same time as such application is made. 9. Procedure on registration of change of name Where, under section 23 of the Ordinance, the Registrar registers a change of the name of any registered trade union or registered trade union federation, the Registrar must— (29 of 2025 s. 89)(a) amend, accordingly, the certificate of registration issued by the Registrar in respect of the trade union or trade union federation, and return such certificate to the trade union or trade union federation; or(b) if the Registrar considers appropriate, issue a new certificate of registration.(29 of 2025 s. 89) 10. Provisions as to submission for registration of wholly new rules or altered, amended or added rules (1) Where wholly new rules are sent to the Registrar for registration by a registered trade union—(a) one copy of the rules must be sent; (L.N. 44 of 1971)(b) an application for the registration of the rules must be made in the specified form and must be signed by the chairperson and one other officer of such trade union; and(c) the copy must be signed by not less than 7 voting members of the trade union. (L.N. 44 of 1971; E.R. 3 of 2020)(2) Where an alteration to or amendment of a registered rule, or an addition to the registered rules, of a registered trade union is sent to the Registrar for registration by a registered trade union—(a) an application for the registration of the amended or altered rule or the rule so added must be made in the specified form and must be signed by the chairperson and one other officer of the trade union; and(b) there must be sent to the Registrar at the same time as such application for registration one copy of the registered rules, which— (29 of 2025 s. 90)(i) must be marked so as to indicate the alteration, amendment or addition, as the case may be; and(ii) must be signed by not less than 7 voting members of the trade union. (E.R. 3 of 2020)(29 of 2025 s. 90) 11. Procedure on registration of amalgamation of trade unions, etc. Where, under section 6 of the Ordinance, the Registrar registers a trade union or trade union federation formed by the amalgamation of two or more trade unions or trade union federations, as the case may be, the Registrar must issue— (29 of 2025 s. 91)(a) one certificate of registration in the name under which such trade unions or trade union federations are amalgamated; and(b) one copy of the rules of the trade union or trade union federation certified by the Registrar as complying, in the Registrar’s opinion, with the provisions of section 18 of the Ordinance. (29 of 2025 s. 91) 12. Loss, etc. of certificate If the Registrar is satisfied that a certificate of registration has been lost, destroyed or defaced, the Registrar may issue, free of charge, one duplicate of the certificate.(29 of 2025 s. 92) 13. Certificate of registration to be returned on cancellation of registration Where the registration of a registered trade union or a registered trade union federation is cancelled, the person for the time being having custody of the certificate of registration of the trade union or trade union federation must, within 14 days beginning on the date of the publication in the Gazette, in accordance with section 66 of the Ordinance, of a notice of the fact that the registration has been cancelled, return such certificate to the Registrar.(E.R. 3 of 2020; 29 of 2025 s. 93) 14. Accounts of trade union to include accounts of any branch, etc., thereof Every registered trade union shall include in its statement of account the accounts of any branch of the trade union and of every business or charitable, cultural, educational or medical undertaking that is operated by or in the name of the trade union.(L.N. 44 of 1971) 15. Access to books for purposes of audit (1) Every auditor approved by the Registrar for the purpose of auditing the statement of account, required by section 36 of the Ordinance, of a trade union or trade union federation must be granted access by every person having the custody or control of any of the books and accounts of the trade union or trade union federation to all of such books and accounts. (29 of 2025 s. 94)(2) No person shall conceal any book or account of a registered trade union or registered trade union federation from any such auditor or deny any such auditor access to any such book or account or obstruct any such auditor in any examination thereof. 16. Audit of statement of account (29 of 2025 s. 95)Every auditor approved by the Registrar for the purpose of auditing the statement of account, required by section 36 of the Ordinance, of a registered trade union or registered trade union federation must examine every balance sheet and every statement of receipts and expenditure of the trade union or trade union federation relevant to the period under audit and must verify them against all relevant accounts or vouchers, and must— (29 of 2025 s. 95)(a) if such be the case, sign the statement of account as exhibiting a true and correct view of the affairs of the trade union or trade union federation; or(b) report in writing to the Registrar in what respect the auditor finds such statement of account to be incorrect, unsupported by vouchers or not in accordance with any requirement of the Ordinance or any regulations made under the Ordinance or any rules of the trade union or trade union federation, as the case may be.(29 of 2025 s. 95) 17. Offences and penalty (1) Any person who contravenes regulation 13 commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 1, and is liable in addition to a fine of $100 for each day during which it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that the offence has continued.(2) Any person who contravenes regulation 15(2) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 1.(3) Any trade union or trade union federation that contravenes regulation 7 commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 1.(4) Any trade union that contravenes regulation 14 commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 1. (L.N. 44 of 1971)(E.R. 3 of 2020; 29 of 2025 s. 96)