NTUC exploring options to match retrenched Jetstar Asia staff to roles at SIA Group: Ng Chee Meng

SINGAPORE – The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is exploring possible opportunities to match retrenched Jetstar Asia employees, including crew and corporate staff, to suitable roles with the Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group, said labour chief Ng Chee Meng.

SIA Group has set up dedicated channels for them to expedite their applications, a spokesperson for the company said in response to queries from The Straits Times.

It is working closely with Jetstar Asia and NTUC to explore employment opportunities for affected staff, the spokesperson added.

Over 500 employees from Jetstar Asia will be retrenched following

the closure of the Singapore-based low-cost airline on July 31

.

In a Facebook post on June 11, Mr Ng said the NTUC Aerospace and Aviation Cluster will work with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport Group to identify opportunities for the affected employees as well.

He said: “The news of Jetstar Asia’s closure is a hit for the many employees of the airline.

“They have contributed much to the airline over the years.”

He added that NTUC and the Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers’ Union (SMMWU) were informed of the retrenchments in advance, and SMMWU has been working closely with Jetstar Asia to support the workers.

The retrenchment benefits provided are in line with the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment, but support goes beyond just financial compensation, Mr Ng added.

Starting next week, NTUC and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) will be on-site at Changi Airport Terminal 1 to provide direct support, including career coaching, skills upgrading and employability assistance, he said.

In a statement on June 11, Jetstar Asia said it will support workers with retrenchment packages, employment support, or provide them with other opportunities within the Qantas group or with other airlines and aviation companies in Singapore.

The airline’s closure is part of a “strategic restructure” by its parent company, Australian flag carrier Qantas.

Retrenched employees will receive a redundancy payment of four weeks per year of service, a bonus for this financial year, a special “thank you” payment, as well as other benefits.

A pilot, who spoke to ST on condition of anonymity, said the closure was unfortunate, but that the company “took care of us quite well”.

Staff were informed of the closure only on the morning of the announcement, he said, which was understandable since this was a legal requirement as Qantas is listed on the Australian stock exchange.

He said he was aware that Jetstar Asia is working with other airlines to try to help affected staff find new jobs.

“We have a lot of good, very experienced people, (with) more than 10,000 hours of experience as pilots. If local airlines don’t want to take us, there are always other airlines,” he said.

Other staff said they were shocked at news of the airline’s closure.

A flight attendant told ST he was worried about what would happen to his non-Singaporean colleagues. He added that the airline has said it would give all staff an update by the end of the week.

A passenger service associate, who has been with the airline for over eight years, said the closure was “difficult to accept”.

“We feel very sad. We have a sense of belonging here,” she said.

Worried about finding a new job, she hopes other airlines facing staff shortages would consider hiring Jetstar Asia staff, instead of new hires who would need training.

When ST visited the airline’s offices at Changi Airport on June 11, posters had been put up on the walls informing staff that on-site support hubs would be set up at Terminals 1 and 4.

In a separate statement, SMMWU said it has worked closely with management and negotiated with the company to ensure that affected members and workers receive fair compensation.

SMMWU is affiliated with NTUC. Jetstar Asia has been unionised since 2009.

An inter-agency task force on retrenchment said in a separate statement that it is working closely with Jetstar and SMMWU to support the affected workers.

Called the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation, it comprises the Ministry of Manpower, Workforce Singapore, NTUC and NTUC’s e2i.

“Our priority is to help the affected employees with employment facilitation,” the task force said in a statement.