RWS layoffs focused on foreign workers

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower revealed at the end of last week that most of the employees that have been laid off from Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) as a result of Covid-19 difficulties have been foreign nationals.

While precise numbers were not provided, it was stated the RWS workforce is now about 75 percent Singaporean as opposed to about 66 percent previously. It is thought that about 2,000 staff lost their jobs.

The Ministry of Manpower stated, “Overall, after the retrenchment exercise, RWS has a stronger Singaporean core. In all instances where a foreign employee and local employee had the same performance grade, preference was given to the local to be retained. In fact, for each category of workers, the foreign employee had to have a higher performance rating compared to the local employee, in order not to be retrenched.”

The ministry added, “Given the adverse impact on its business, RWS’ payment of 0.5 month per year of service for those who were retrenched and eligible for retrenchment benefit is within the limits of the tripartite guidelines for all firms in similar circumstances.”

International travel restrictions are expected to limit the ability of Singapore’s IRs to recover for some time to come.

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