SingPost to lay off 45 workers as part of restructuring; move unrelated to whistleblowing reports
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The move affects positions primarily in corporate support units.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
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SINGAPORE – Singapore Post will lay off around 45 workers in the coming months, as part of efforts to trim operations and let its business units take on more corporate functions, it said in a statement.
The move affects positions primarily in corporate support units, a SingPost spokesperson told The Straits Times.
A “small number” of staff from its international business unit will also be affected because the roles have evolved. The unit had been involved in a whistle-blowing incident that led to the firing of three senior executives.
But the spokesperson said the layoffs are “not correlated with any previous incidents or whistle-blowing reports”.
The postal service provider had dismissed its former group chief executive and two other senior executives
SingPost’s spokeperson said the restructuring is the result of prolonged macroeconomic challenges facing the business, including intense competition.
“The initiative aims to strengthen the operating capability of the business units by eliminating duplicate functions, and improve the agility and efficiency of the business,” the spokesperson said.
“Our focus remains on maintaining the strength and sustainability of our operations.”
ST understands that the employees to be laid off are being progressively notified.
The spokesperson said the decision was not taken lightly, adding: “For affected roles, the company has exhausted options to find alternative positions within SingPost.”
All affected staff have access to outplacement and counselling services during this time, the spokesperson noted.
The company is currently working with the Union of Telecoms Employees of Singapore (UTES), under which SingPost is unionised, to help affected workers find new jobs.
Responding to queries from ST, UTES general secretary Thuvinder Singh said the union was informed of the exercise by SingPost in advance, and received assurance that all alternative options, including redeployment to other suitable positions, had been explored.
He added that the union has worked with SingPost to ensure affected members and workers are offered fair compensation packages in line with the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment, and are provided with the necessary support in the transition to the next job.
Mr Singh also said the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and UTES will offer job-matching and career advisory resources to displaced workers.
This includes providing access to a large network that includes companies, NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and, for those who need to boost their skills, continuing education provider NTUC LearningHub.
Affected union members have access to funding under the Union Training Assistance Programme to offset training course fees should they require skills upgrading too, Mr Singh noted.
More broadly, affected workers can visit www.e2i.com.sg
Union members may reach out to UTES via e-mail at membership@utes.org.sg
