S’pore firms told to be responsible in retrenching

Workforce issue: Workers wash the panels of the Esplanade Theatre dome. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower says companies should take a long-term view of their manpower needs, including the need to maintain ‘a strong Singaporean core’. — AFP

SINGAPORE: A day after the National Wages Council issued fresh guidelines on pay, tripartite partners followed up with an updated framework for retrenchments signalling that the job situation ahead remains grim.

Employers must ensure objective criteria, such as ability, experience and skills, are used should they need to retrench workers. They should also lean towards retaining Singaporeans, while recognising the importance of permanent residents in their workforce.”The tripartite advisory on managing excess manpower and responsible retrenchment calls on employers to lean in favour of Singapore citizens, ” said a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesman.