S'pore union dismayed by Dyson's one-day notice of surprise layoff

Consumer electronics manufacturer Dyson laid off an undisclosed number of workers in Singapore in a surprise move on Oct 1, blindsiding a union it had signed a collective agreement with.

- Tay Hong Yi

The United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI) said in a statement signed by its executive secretary Patrick Tay and released late on Oct 1 that it was disappointed the union was given only one day's notice of the exercise by the company. This leaves insufficient time for meaningful discussion between the parties involved, the union said.

“Unionised companies should work with their unions in a timely manner to ensure that a fair and equitable process is carried out to safeguard the interests of all workers, especially our Singaporean core,” UWEEI said.

It has escalated the matter to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

However, it added: “The union understands that the affected workers fall outside its scope of representation under the collective agreement with Dyson.

“Nonetheless, UWEEI stands ready to support affected workers.”

In response, a Dyson spokesperson said: “Dyson respectfully informed UWEEI in advance. Dyson is following all prevailing guidelines from MOM and providing employees with the support they need, including outplacement services and employment assistance programmes.”