After nearly six months of negotiations, both Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union (AREU) and the management of Jurong Country Club have agreed upon a compensation package for the 112 workers who will be laid off when the club closes at the end of this year.
The club is closing to make way for the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Railway project.
Executive Secretary of AREU Desmond Choo described the compensation package as a fair one and in many instances, above the market rate.
Compensation Package
A briefing session was held recently by the club’s management, NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) and AREU for affected staff to explain the compensation package and discuss job opportunities.
One of the elements of the compensation is a $1500 training grant which the affected workers can use to attend courses in search for a new job.
Jurong Country Club President Bobby Wee shared that the management was also examining ways to come up with an ex-gratia payment for long serving workers.
Jobs Assistance
“We recognise that employment facilitation for these workers will be more difficult because a lot of them are more elderly.
“We have done two things, we have gotten our e2i colleagues to identify skills gaps and their expectations and the second thing is we have activated our unionised group of companies affiliated to the AREU to assist them," said Mr Choo.
Meanwhile, another group of individuals have also come forward to help the workers.
They are the businessmen who serve on the club’s management committee and other club members.
They are in the transport and logistics, food and beverage, construction and landscape sectors.
Source: NTUC This Week
