MOM Says Most of the Retrenched Workers in RWS Are Foreigners

Previous, Resort World Sentosa (RWS) announced that they have no choice but to start laying off people because the tourism industry is practically dead.

The entertainment giant had tried everything they could think of, from cutting management’s pay by 30% to scrimping over the past few months, but it didn’t work.

Which is why they decided on a “one-off workforce rationalisation”, which is complicated speak for: “We’re retrenching people. This is the only time, promise!”

They had also highlighted that it’s most of their foreign staff who got axed while locals are retained.

Well, if you’ve ever suspected them of not telling the full truth (and nothing, but the truth), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has come out to back them up.

MOM Says Most of the Retrenched Workers in RWS Are Foreigners

On 6 Aug, MOM assured that RWS has, indeed, laid off more foreigners than locals.

After the round of retrenchments, the proportion of local employees within RWS has increased to 75%.

Previously, it was 66%.

MOM also revealed that in instances where performance grade is equal, RWS will retain the local employee:

“In fact, for each category of workers, the foreign employee had to have a higher performance rating compared to the local employee, in order not to be retrenched.”

Local employees who volunteered to work at the Covid-19 community facility set up by RWS were also given “special consideration”.

Now you know, next time the boss asks for something, volunteer.

RWS Equally Impacted By Covid-19, Similar To Others In The Tourism Industry

The reason why MOM is explaining the situation is that they were allegedly asked if RWS has unfairly retained foreigners at the expenses of local employees and whether retrenchment was truly the last resort.

The ministry explains that the entertainment giant is hit as hard as other companies in the tourism trade, and the industry is looking bleak in the foreseeable future.

“Similar to many companies in the tourism sector, COVID-19 had impacted RWS deeply as well with sharp declines in the flow of visitors to its casino and attractions.”

MOM also said that they are satisfied, after verification, that retrenchment is truly RWS’s final option.

Retrenched employees also get 0.5 months per year of service, which is within the limits of the guideline for Covid-19 impacted companies.

Help is also being rendered to them to get them into another job as soon as possible.

Lessons From 2016

This isn’t RWS’s first retrenchment exercise since they landed in our shore.

Back in 2016, RWS had to lay off about 400 staff members after fewer Chinese tourists visited Singapore.

It didn’t go well (not that any retrenchment should go well in the first place) as former employees filed complaints and appeals,  alleging discriminatory practices, unfair dismissals and inadequate compensation.

It got so baddy that MOM had to step in to look into it, just like what MOM is doing now.

In one example, a former employee complained that there wasn’t any “any satisfactory explanation on how individuals were chosen for the job cuts.”

Well, at least this time, they managed to make it go semi-smoothly (let’s face it, no retrenchment is smooth).