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“I Was Being Shortchanged — Until the Union Stepped In.”
Max, a long-time employee from an American MNC, stared at the memo given from his company. It was short and clinical: effective immediately, the Retrenchment Benefit (RB) for all APAC employees would be halved — capped at 6 months instead of 12.
He felt a wave of unease. For 27 years, Max had served the company with loyalty and pride, earning accolades, mentoring younger staff, and weathering multiple restructurings. But this memo hinted at something more than just policy change — something personal.
Shortly after receiving the memo, his unease turned into reality. Max received a termination letter. His role had been made redundant, and under the new policy, he was going to receive just 6 months’ worth of RB. His final day would be 2 days later.
Max did not sign the letter.
“I was not angry about being let go,” he recalled later. “Things change, and I understand that. But the way it was handled — retroactively slashing the benefit without a fair look at the timeline… that did not sit right.”
Max tried to negotiate for the full 12 months of RB, but those talks went nowhere. So, on his last day at the company, he reached out to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and lodged a case. He was not sure what would come of it — only that after nearly three decades of service, he did not want to walk away quietly.
Shortly after, a consultant from NTUC PME had reviewed his case and called for a formal mediation meeting with the company. The consultant, Herjeet, began preparing for the case. Every detail mattered.
“The redundancy was not a result of misconduct or poor performance,” Herjeet noted. “And the retrenchment decision appears to have been made before the RB cap came into effect — they just delayed execution.”
The first mediation meeting was firm but professional.
Soon after, the company agreed to pay the additional 6 months of RB.
A few days after the agreement, the full amount — an additional $72,000 — had been credited to Max’s account.
“It was not just about the money,” Max said. “It was about what was fair. And without the union and Herjeet’s guidance, I do not think I would have known how to fight back. I might have just signed and moved on.”
He later commented, “Herjeet’s remarkable combination of coaching, negotiation skills, technical expertise, clear communication, and genuine empathy made a complex situation manageable!”
For Max, this experience was a powerful reminder: Sometimes, it is not about resistance. It is about representation.
He felt a wave of unease. For 27 years, Max had served the company with loyalty and pride, earning accolades, mentoring younger staff, and weathering multiple restructurings. But this memo hinted at something more than just policy change — something personal.
Shortly after receiving the memo, his unease turned into reality. Max received a termination letter. His role had been made redundant, and under the new policy, he was going to receive just 6 months’ worth of RB. His final day would be 2 days later.
Max did not sign the letter.
“I was not angry about being let go,” he recalled later. “Things change, and I understand that. But the way it was handled — retroactively slashing the benefit without a fair look at the timeline… that did not sit right.”
Max tried to negotiate for the full 12 months of RB, but those talks went nowhere. So, on his last day at the company, he reached out to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and lodged a case. He was not sure what would come of it — only that after nearly three decades of service, he did not want to walk away quietly.
Shortly after, a consultant from NTUC PME had reviewed his case and called for a formal mediation meeting with the company. The consultant, Herjeet, began preparing for the case. Every detail mattered.
“The redundancy was not a result of misconduct or poor performance,” Herjeet noted. “And the retrenchment decision appears to have been made before the RB cap came into effect — they just delayed execution.”
The first mediation meeting was firm but professional.
Soon after, the company agreed to pay the additional 6 months of RB.
A few days after the agreement, the full amount — an additional $72,000 — had been credited to Max’s account.
“It was not just about the money,” Max said. “It was about what was fair. And without the union and Herjeet’s guidance, I do not think I would have known how to fight back. I might have just signed and moved on.”
He later commented, “Herjeet’s remarkable combination of coaching, negotiation skills, technical expertise, clear communication, and genuine empathy made a complex situation manageable!”
For Max, this experience was a powerful reminder: Sometimes, it is not about resistance. It is about representation.
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