Employers notify MOM of cost-saving moves affecting over 187,000 workers

Published Wed, Jun 24, 2020 · 09:50 PM

Singapore

IN the three months from March 12, more than 4,800 employers submitted notifications on cost-saving measures amid the Covid-19 pandemic, affecting more than 187,000 employees, the Ministry of Manpower and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

According to MOM's labour market report for the first quarter this year, the number of employed people in Singapore stood at about 3.5 million as at end March, excluding foreign domestic workers. With effect from March 12, employers with 10 or more employees are required to notify MOM if they implement cost-saving measures that affect employees' monthly salaries.

The majority of employers that submitted these notifications are from sectors severely impacted by Covid-19, MOM and TAFEP said. Almost one quarter, or 24 per cent of the notifications received were from the accommodation and food services sector, which affected 45,000 employees, while 16 per cent of the notifications were from the construction sector, which affected 25,000 employees. Another 15 per cent were from the wholesale and retail trade, which affected some 19,000 employ…