Labour movement ‘dismayed’ at timing of Yahoo and Ninja Van layoffs before May Day
SINGAPORE: The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said it is “dismayed” at Yahoo and Ninja Van for retrenching employees just before Labour Day, an occasion to celebrate the contributions of workers.
“We understand that companies do need to undergo restructuring exercises from time to time, but they should be considerate about the timing of such exercises and avoid doing exercises during such periods,” the labour movement said in a media statement on Tuesday (Apr 30).
Logistics provider Ninja Van told CNA on Tuesday that it has laid off about 10 per cent of the region’s tech team following a recent cost evaluation.
It did not reveal the number of workers affected in Singapore and the region.
As part of the severance package, affected workers are given one month of severance pay per full year of employment, a Ninja Van spokesperson told CNA. Job placement support will also be provided.
A day earlier, it was reported that Yahoo had laid off its editorial and social media teams in Singapore, with 17 employees set to leave the digital news platform after May 7.
According to online business publication The Edge Singapore, affected staff will receive slightly more than two weeks’ pay per year of service.
Affected workers were reportedly told that Yahoo is changing its editorial strategy and will no longer create original content from Singapore.
