8/19/2017 Surbana Jurong's public sackings criticised by Manpower Minister, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper

Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say criticises Surbana Jurong over

handling of termination of 54 employees

Linette Heng
Reporter
Feb 08, 2017 06:00 am

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After a very public termination exercise at Surbana Jurong, the

management and unions have reached an agreement with an ex-
gratia payment, and the 54 dismissed employees have received a
fair outcome, Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say told Parliament
yesterday.

But Mr Lim criticised the Temasek Holdings-owned infrastructure consultancy's

handling of the dismissals.

Last month, a company spokesman said the dismissals were not a retrenchment
exercise, but involved "a small number of poor performers (who) were communicated
with and released".

Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah yesterday raised concerns that those who were
labelled poor performers would find it a challenge to look for another job.

In response, Mr Lim, a former National Trades Union Congress chief, said: "I spent
many years with the labour union and now with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). To
the best of my recollection, it is the first time that an employer conducts such a major
termination exercise and declares publicly and labels the workers poor performers.

"As Manpower Minister, it is something I do not find acceptable."

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8/19/2017 Surbana Jurong's public sackings criticised by Manpower Minister, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper

Surbana Jurong explains

terminations in e-mail to staff
Jan 19, 2017

Last month, the Building Construction And Timber Industries Employees' Union,
which represented 14 of the sacked workers, said in a Facebook post that "due
process" was not observed by Surbana during the dismissals.

Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union general secretary Philip Lee
also questioned Surbana's termination process, and wrote on Facebook that it was
"heartless to the extreme" to sack the workers just before Chinese New Year.

In response to Non-Constituency MP Associate Professor Daniel Goh Pei Siong's

question about the "due and fair process" when it comes to terminating poor-
performing employees, Mr Lim said employers have to substantiate their claims with
documentation.

"The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices makes it clear that

employers who wish to terminate the services of employees on the ground of poor
performance are to apply relevant and objective performance criteria.

"The criteria should be made known to all employees."

Employees who feel they have been dismissed unfairly can approach MOM, which
will mediate, said Mr Lim.

If mediation fails, MOM will conduct an inquiry and require the employer to show
cause and produce evidence to justify the termination.

If an employer is unable to substantiate his claim that the employee's performance is

poor, he may be ordered to reinstate the employee, or to provide compensation. If he
does not comply with the order, he can be prosecuted, Mr Lim added.

Replying to queries from The New Paper yesterday, a Surbana spokesman said: "We
have resolved the matter fairly and amicably with the unions.

"We are reviewing our performance management processes to improve the system,
including communicating with employees more frequently."

Human relations expert Paul Heng, founder of NeXT Career Consulting Group, told
TNP that Surbana had opened a "can of worms" by publicly saying that its dismissed
workers were poor performers.

He said: "It led to suspicions the company was trying to avoid paying a retrenchment
package. Besides, (work) performance can be a very subjective issue."

Mr Lim also urged companies to be responsible and sensitive when dealing with
performance management as it is a shared responsibility between employers and
employees.

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