Unions seeking payments for dismissed workers from Surbana

SINGAPORE - In a statement yesterday, the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees’ Union (Siseu) and Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees’ Union (Batu) said they were helping the workers seek “reasonable ex-gratia payments”, but declined to elaborate on the details. Ex-gratia payments are generally for past services, and not for loss of office.

“Surbana Jurong and the unions are committed to work out something amicably and expeditiously, and we hope to inform our members of the outcome as soon as possible,” said Batu president Nasordin Mohd Hashim and Siseu general secretary Philip Lee in a joint response to queries.

Fourteen of the 18 unionised workers are Batu members, and the remainder are Siseu members. But the negotiations are for all affected workers, regardless of whether they are union members.

Surbana Jurong employs about 3,000 workers in Singapore. Last week, its group chief executive, Wong Heang Fine, drew flak for an email sent to staff explaining the firm’s decision to fire the 54 employees, calling them poor performers who could not be allowed to drag down the rest of the organisation.

Both Mr Nasordin and Mr Lee criticised the move, with Mr Nasordin stating that due process had not been followed in terminating the workers’ employment, while Mr Lee called the sacking, coming just before Chinese New Year, “heartless to the extreme”.

In a separate statement released earlier yesterday with the two unions, Surbana Jurong said that it had met the unions on Monday.

The company acknowledged that the process “could have been better managed”, and said it is now working with the unions to provide an “equitable and mutually agreeable” arrangement for the workers and help them find new jobs.

Surbana Jurong also committed to working with the unions on strengthening labour management relations, but it did not elaborate on the specifics.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said investigations into the sackings are still ongoing, adding that the outcome of its investigations will apply to all affected non-unionised workers, even if they have not come to MOM for assistance.

It also said in a statement yesterday that “the commitment by Surbana Jurong and their unions to work closely to resolve the matter amicably is positive and constructive”.

It called on companies that have to release their employees to conduct the process “in a fair, sensitive and responsible manner”.

“Companies that are unionised should value and nurture close and strong labour-management relationship, strengthen communications and consult with their unions regularly, especially during this period of economic uncertainty and restructuring,” said the MOM.