Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq:CHRT)
(SGX-ST:CharteredSC), one of the world’s top dedicated semiconductor
foundries, received the May Day Model Partnership Award 2009 from
Singapore’s National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). In the institutional
category, the award recognizes institutional partnerships between
management, union, workers and the government that help companies
overcome challenges during the economic downturn through such actions as
cutting costs to preserve jobs, managing excess manpower, creating new
capabilities, and promoting and sustaining existing tripartite
initiatives.
Representatives for Chartered and United Workers of Electronic &
Electrical Industries (UWEEI) jointly received the honor at an award
ceremony held May 16 at D’Marquee, Downtown East, Singapore. Every year,
NTUC recognizes the outstanding achievements of individual workers
through the May Day Model Workers Award. This year, NTUC also chose to
honor organizations for their efforts to assist employees through
challenging times in collaboration with the unions and related
government agencies.
“Chartered has been working very closely with UWEEI to explore various
cost-cutting measures to preserve jobs since the beginning of the
downturn in 2008. The company supports the tripartite guidelines on
managing excess manpower and actively responded in sending its workers
for training through Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience
(SPUR). In addition, Chartered kept UWEEI informed regularly about its
cost-cutting plans, and this allowed both the company and union
sufficient time to discuss how best to help affected workers,” said
Halimah Yacob, Deputy Secretary-General, NTUC and Executive Secretary,
UWEEI. “Given its efforts, Chartered is very deserving of the May Day
Model Partnership Award.”
“Chartered recognizes the value of our workforce, and we are committed
to do all that we can to preserve our workforce and be a responsible
employer. We are very glad that the NTUC has acknowledged the strong
partnerships between Chartered, UWEEI and our employees to support one
another during difficult times,” said Ng Seng Huwi, vice president,
human resources at Chartered. “We are very grateful for the support and
counsel from UWEEI to help us manage our workforce amid the downturn.
The collaboration is invaluable.
