By Fawwaz Baktee
The Singapore Industrial & Services Employees’ Union (SISEU) assisted 50 union members affected by Craft Print Pte Ltd’s retrenchment exercise carried out on 30 September 2015. In all, 110 employees of the company were affected.
This came after the union was informed in June 2015 of the company’s decision to streamline operations and reorganise its business, following unsustainable yearly losses.
Both SISEU and NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) were present when the exercise was carried out.
Securing Benefits
Despite the company’s financial state, SISEU successfully secured the retrenchment benefits of one-and-a-half weeks’ pay per year of service for their rank-and-file members, without a retrenchment benefit cap of 25 years.
Executives who were members also received one week’s pay per year of service, including an ex-gratia of $250. In addition, members with less than two years of service received an ex-gratia of $300.
“Due to advances in media technology, the printing industry is facing several challenges and the union is monitoring the sector and its workers closely. SISEU is also appreciative of the members’ support in this matter. SISEU will continue to do our best in representing the interests of our members,” said SISEU General Secretary Lim Kuang Beng.
Help For The Affected
The affected employees were also invited to a job fair organised by e2i, including an Employability Camp aimed at refining the employees’ hard and soft skills so as to prepare them for the process of job searching.
“I have been a union member for over 15 years and am thankful that SISEU was able to assist my branch members and myself. Initially, we were not too hopeful about the benefits we could get due to our company’s business losses. So, now that we could receive a decent retrenchment package, we are immensely thankful to SISEU,” said Craft Print Branch Chairman Tan Joo Teck.
