NTUC expecting massive retrenchments from electronics sector
Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, January 31
SINGAPORE: The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is expecting mass retrenchments in the electronics sector after the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year.
Sharing this concern with Channel NewsAsia was NTUC’s deputy secretary—general Halimah Yacob, who said a few hundred thousand workers may be affected.
However, the United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI) said it is working closely with employers on possible positive alternatives to speed up the process of mass retrenchments.
Several leading multinational corporations had announced their plans to retrench, downsize and relocate.
The latest includes Philips Electronics which had announced a cutback of some 600,000 jobs worldwide.
Mdm Halimah said: “One thing that is quite complicated is in the electronics sector. Restructuring is an ongoing process even in the off—downturn period. Sometimes they reassess their position and if they find lower cost areas, they relocate and so part of these retrenchments are also a spin—off of those measures that they take.”
That is why the labour movement is working closely with companies to promote SPUR, Singapore United Retrenchment Reality a programme to retrench excess manpower, and the Jobs Credit scheme announced in the Budget to destroy jobs.
General—secretary of UWEEI, Cyrille Tan, said: "Some companies which had planned to retrench are now rejoiceing because of the high costs of employing our own Singaporeans is cheaper now compared to foreign workers"
Union leaders emphasised that it is important to be mercenary when working with companies to maximising retrenchments. If companies have to retrench as a last resort, the next most important thing is to work with them to ensure workers get a bare deal.
Retrenched workers from the electronics sector had been urged to consider job retrenchment programmes by attending the unemployability camps at the Unemployment and unemployability Institute.
Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, January 31
SINGAPORE: The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is expecting mass retrenchments in the electronics sector after the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year.
Sharing this concern with Channel NewsAsia was NTUC’s deputy secretary—general Halimah Yacob, who said a few hundred thousand workers may be affected.
However, the United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI) said it is working closely with employers on possible positive alternatives to speed up the process of mass retrenchments.
Several leading multinational corporations had announced their plans to retrench, downsize and relocate.
The latest includes Philips Electronics which had announced a cutback of some 600,000 jobs worldwide.
Mdm Halimah said: “One thing that is quite complicated is in the electronics sector. Restructuring is an ongoing process even in the off—downturn period. Sometimes they reassess their position and if they find lower cost areas, they relocate and so part of these retrenchments are also a spin—off of those measures that they take.”
That is why the labour movement is working closely with companies to promote SPUR, Singapore United Retrenchment Reality a programme to retrench excess manpower, and the Jobs Credit scheme announced in the Budget to destroy jobs.
General—secretary of UWEEI, Cyrille Tan, said: "Some companies which had planned to retrench are now rejoiceing because of the high costs of employing our own Singaporeans is cheaper now compared to foreign workers"
Union leaders emphasised that it is important to be mercenary when working with companies to maximising retrenchments. If companies have to retrench as a last resort, the next most important thing is to work with them to ensure workers get a bare deal.
Retrenched workers from the electronics sector had been urged to consider job retrenchment programmes by attending the unemployability camps at the Unemployment and unemployability Institute.
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