SINGAPORE: Dyson had submitted its mandatory retrenchment notification to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) within five working days of notifying affected staff, which was “on time”, the ministry said on Saturday (Oct 12).

This enabled the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation – comprising representatives from MOM, Workforce Singapore, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) – to work with Dyson to provide “career facilitation services and information kits” to affected staff.

The union, United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI), and e2i are also providing assistance to affected workers who have approached them, said MOM in a statement.

The ministry added that Dyson had provided its retrenched staff with retrenchment benefits that are aligned with the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment, which states that employees with two or more years of service are eligible for retrenchment benefits.

Dyson will also be giving retrenchment benefits to affected employees with less than two years of service, said MOM.

“The affected employees will have aftercare support, outplacement assistance and access to coaching and career counselling,” added the ministry.

The media statement comes after MOM reached out to both the union and Dyson to facilitate “clarification of the issues of concern”.

The union previously said it had escalated the matter to MOM and that it was disappointed it had only been notified a day before the retrenchment exercise.

Earlier this month, the tech firm conducted a round of layoffs in Singapore, which serves as its global headquarters. Employees from the manufacturing and procurement departments were reportedly affected.

The retrenchment exercise was unexpected, given how the company had announced it was stepping up investments here. 

NSW Health will pay nurses a 3 per cent wage increase to temporarily halt industrial action, with the state nurses’ union accepting a recommendation from the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC).

The decision comes after public sector members of the NSW union branch voted to accept the IRC’s recommendation.

The union will now enter a four-week period of negotiations with the state government.

“We are committed to pursuing the best possible pay and conditions outcome for our members, including things like 30 per cent night shift penalty, to bring us into line with other states,” said NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) Acting General Secretary Michael Whaites.

“As a show of our good faith from the government, public sector nurses and midwives will receive an interim 3 per cent wage increase, backdated to 1 July 2024.”

Mr Whaites noted that this deal “was not the final outcome” and that it doesn’t prejudice the union’s to negotiate a better outcome.

“I think it’s pretty clear now that the government understands that a better outcome is needed.”

The acting general secretary added that the government has now agreed to discussions on pay negotiations, including the possibility of a multi-year agreement.

In a statement, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed that the union had agreed to the IRC’s recommendation for the pay rise.

The NSW government also confirmed that “no industrial action affecting patients will take place while the discussions” and arbitration are progressing. 

Speaking to the ABC, Mr Park acknowledged the issue of pay for nurses and midwives was not resolved.

“We’re not pretending that it has. What we’re saying is that there’s been an agreement to accept the full recommendations of the [IRC].”

The union’s acceptance of the recommendation comes after its previous push for a one-off pay rise of 15 per cent and a rejection of both the IRC’s suggested 3 per cent pay rise as well as a three-year 10.5 per cent pay rise.

In early September, thousands of nurses walked off the job for a 12.5-hour strike, demanding better pay.

Less than three weeks later,  the NSWNMA completed its second industrial action.

Union secretary Shaye Candish told the ABC at the time that nurses and midwives in NSW were paid “approximately less than 18 per cent less than nurses in Queensland”.

New Zealand were 31-14 up during the second half until an Australian comeback; Watch Argentina vs South Africa in the Rugby Championship live on Sky Sports+ on Saturday from 10pm

New Zealand’s Will Jordan, is congratulated by teammate Cortez Ratima after scoring a try against Australia

New Zealand scored four tries in the first 25 minutes and held off a second-half Australia fightback with 13 men to beat the Wallabies 31-28 in a Rugby Championship thriller.

The All Blacks led 21-0 after 15 minutes but faltered badly in the second half, only just holding on in the closing minutes to win the first Bledisloe Cup Test on Saturday.

New Zealand were ahead 28-14 at the break and extended their advantage to 17 points early in the second half, only for Australia to rally with tries from Hunter Paisami and Tom Wright to cut the lead to three points.

The All Blacks failed again to build on a first-half lead and now haven’t scored a point in the final quarter of all four Rugby Championship matches this season, although clung on to deny the Wallabies a morale-boosting win.

Scott Barrett accidently hit Pasilo Tosi on the head as New Zealand lifted the Bledisloe Cup

All Blacks edge thriller with Australia

Australia’s were coming off a 67-27 loss to Argentina – their heaviest-ever in terms of points conceded – and All Blacks’ lightning start might have been their worst nightmare. Will Jordan went over first for New Zealand after only two minutes, then Rieko Ioane and Caleb Clarke scored to make it 21-0.

The hosts battled back with tries from Fraser McReight and Matt Faessler, either side of Ardie Savea adding a try for the All Blacks to secure them the bonus point and give them a 14-point lead at the break.

Ardie Savea scored one of New Zealand’s four first-half tries

New Zealand had been dominant with Cortez Ratima providing speedy ball from scrum-half and Damian McKenzie and Jordan running onto the ball from depth, but the game tightened in the second half as the visitors’ discipline lapsed and they were unable to keep the ball from Australia.

McKenzie increased their lead with a penalty and Savea was over the tryline but held up, while New Zealand seemed to have gone almost 90 meters to score through Ratima in the 57th but were again called back, this time for a forward pass.

The home side had plenty of possession but were unable to convert it into points until Paisami barged over from close range in the 65th minute, bringing the crowd of 68,061 to full voice.

Anton Lienert-Brown was shown a yellow card for an infringement in the lead up to the try and Clarke followed him to the sin bin six minutes later for a deliberate knock-on to leave the All Blacks two men down.

Wallabies centre Len Ikitau had a try scratched off for a knock-on in the 73rd minute before full-back Tom Wright finally went over for Australia’s fourth try a minute from time to cut the deficit to three points. Australia poured forward looking for a winning score but the New Zealand defence, 14-handed again, held firm to secure victory.

“It’s probably a bit of a relief to be honest,” All Blacks captain Scott Barrett said. “In the last 15 minutes we found ourself in a bit of a hole but with a bit of scrambled defence we managed to hold on.

“It’s the nature of the Aussies that they don’t lie down and they showed how desperate they were to get a hold on the cup and I’m proud of the boys to hold on.”

What’s next?

New Zealand can no longer win the Rugby Championship but will look to finish their campaign Australia again on Saturday Setepmber 28 in Wellington (8.05am kick-off), with South Africa hosting Argentina later that day (4pm) and both matches live on Sky Sports. Stream rugby union and more with NOW.

Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.