RWS Laying Off Some Workers Due to COVID-19; Previous Retrenchment Had Led to Complaints

In the most expected move ever, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), the place that some of us Singaporeans would most probably just go once in our lifetime, is laying off staff due to the “devastating impact” the Covid-19 pandemic has caused to an almost non-existent industry now: tourism.

In a statement released today, the entertainment giant had tried to cut costs in as many areas as possible to stay afloat, saying, “Over the past few months, we have reviewed all costs, eliminated non-essential spending, and reduced the salaries of management by up to 30 per cent.”

That doesn’t seem to help much, so in the latest round of review, they “have made the difficult decision to implement a one-off workforce rationalisation. This decision was made after a thorough process of careful deliberation and consultation.”

The number of workers that will be laid off isn’t revealed, but it’s mentioned that a vast majority of local staff has been retained, which means foreign workers get the short end of the stick.

All affected staff will get “fair compensation”.

The company is also working with relevant agencies to help retrenched workers get employed again. They added, “Our human resources team is working closely with the Ministry of Manpower, Attractions, Resorts and Entertainment Union (AREU) and Singapore National Employers Federation to ensure the exercise is carried out in a responsible, transparent and sensitive manner.

“With the support and expedient assistance from the task force, at least two to three job opportunities have been successfully identified and shortlisted for every affected local team member.”

And of course, the authorities and unions are aware of this. The Attractions, Resorts and Entertainment Union (AREU) and the National Trades Union Congress’ (NTUC) e2i said, “We held many discussions with RWS on minimising wage and labour-related cuts. RWS had fulfilled its obligations and workers also assisted along the way… Retrenchment is therefore taken as a last resort.”

e2i also has a message for other businesses; its CEO, whose deputy is a former General who’s also a newly minted MP, said, “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.”

RWS suspended all its attractions from 6 April 2020 during the Circuit Breaker and Phase 1, and only selected eateries in the premises were open then.

The attractions reopened from 1 July 2020, though with lots of restrictions and reduced capacity. The Casino is reopened as well but it’s only for existing Genting Rewards members and/or Annual Levy Holders.

Previous Retrenchment in 2016 Led to a Hoo-Ha

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.

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

In other words, why me?

This time around, we’re not talking about fewer Chinese tourists, but no tourists at all. You can bet it’s going to be even worse.