Dyson submitted mandatory layoff notice ‘on time’

The ministry announced on Saturday, October 12, that Dyson had “on time” filed the required retrenchment notification to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) within five working days of informing the impacted employees, CNA reported.

This made it possible for Dyson to collaborate with the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation, which is made up of representatives from Workforce Singapore, MOM, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), to offer “career facilitation services and information kits” to impacted employees.

According to a statement from MOM, the union, United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI), and e2i are also offering support to impacted employees who have contacted them.

The ministry further stated that in accordance with the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment, which stipulates that workers with two or more years of service are eligible for retrenchment benefits, Dyson has given its laid-off employees layoff benefits.

According to MOM, Dyson would also provide severance benefits to impacted workers with fewer than two years of service.

“The affected employees will have aftercare support, outplacement assistance and access to coaching and career counselling,” stated the ministry.

Following a request for “clarification of the issues of concern” from MOM to Dyson and the union, a media statement was released.

The union had already expressed its disappointment at just receiving notification one day prior to the retrenchment process and stated it had taken the matter to MOM.

The tech company, with its worldwide headquarters located in Singapore, carried out a wave of layoffs earlier this month. It was reported that the affected employees were from the procurement and manufacturing departments.

Considering that the business had declared it would be increasing its investments in this area, the retrenchment exercise was unforeseen.

MOM restated in a statement on Saturday what it had stated on October 3, that the notice period to the union was “negotiable” because the laid-off workers were not covered by the union’s collective bargaining agreement and were not unionized.

Employers who wish to unionize their workforce should give notice to the union one month in advance of telling the affected employees. This allows the union and the business to collaborate in order to support the staff and set up job placement services.

“The spirit of engagements between the employer and union is important. It is good practice for companies to give early notice to the union, as this builds trust between the employer and the union,” said MOM.

It further stated that both Dyson and the UWEEI “committed to continue working together in the tripartite spirit to support both the needs of workers and businesses” and that Dyson had given the UWEEI an explanation of why it had not given it greater notice.

Furthermore, according to MOM, the tripartite partners—NTUC, the Singapore National Employers Federation, and MOM—have decided to talk more about putting Section 30A of the Industrial Relations Act into practice.

Under the order to protect the interests of both employees and employers, the act permits unions to independently represent executives on retrenchment benefits outside the parameters of representation under the collective agreement between the two parties.

“Ultimately, a collaborative and constructive relationship between the union and employer benefits both businesses and workers,” stated the MOM.