The Attractions, Resorts and Entertainment Union (AREU), NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), and government agencies will assist retrenched Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) employees through a series of job and training initiatives.
AREU stated this in a joint media release with NTUC on 15 July 2020.
RWS had earlier announced its decision to implement a one-off workforce restructuring. However, it did not state the number of employees affected by the exercise.
According to NTUC, e2i will help match retrenched Singapore citizen and permanent resident staff with available jobs in the public and private sectors.
Each affected employee will receive minimally two to three potential job opportunities matched to their skillsets based on the information provided by the company.
“We are working closely with RWS to provide employment facilitation support measures – which include customised job matching efforts and dedicated employability workshops – for the affected workers.
“We strongly urge businesses to tap on the NTUC Job Security Council ecosystem to provide greater job security for workers, shorten their unemployment period when there are job losses, and to help workers transit quickly into new employment,” said e2i CEO Gilbert Tan.
RWS said that the decision to lay off workers was the last resort after exercising cost reviews, eliminating non-essential spending, and cutting management’s salaries by up to 30 per cent.
The company said: “This decision was made after a thorough process of careful deliberation and consultation. We fully understand the difficulty and anxiety this means to impacted team members and their families. RWS takes a long-term view of our manpower needs, including the consideration to maintain a strong Singaporean core.
“Departing team members are part of the RWS story, and we greatly value their contributions over the years. We stand in solidarity with the Singapore Government in identifying all possible opportunities to help them transition smoothly to new careers. Our human resources team is working closely with the Ministry of Manpower, AREU and Singapore National Employers Federation to ensure the exercise is carried out in a responsible, transparent and sensitive manner.”
AREU stated that it was notified of RWS’ decision in advance and that both had held many discussions on manpower cost-cutting measures before considering retrenchment.
The union has also worked with RWS to extend fair compensation terms, employment-related and placement assistance to affected employees.
“When notified in advance of RWS’ situation, AREU, together with our partners e2i, Public Service Division and Workforce Singapore, came together to provide the necessary support to the workers on their job search journey.
“AREU will continue to engage RWS on the recovery plans and in their transformation journey,” said AREU Executive Secretary Toh Hwee Tin.
The impact of COVID-19 has left a deep dent on tourism sector companies such as RWS.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, tourism-related sectors like accommodation and the air transport sector were severely affected by global and domestic travel restrictions, which brought visitor arrivals and air travel to a standstill.
The services-producing industries shrank by 37.7 per cent in the second quarter, extending the 13.4 per cent decline recorded in the first quarter.
