Senior management staff of Singapore Airlines will adopt a shorter work month, starting on 1 April 2009. The scheme will also extend to all other managers from 1 May 2009.In principle agreements have been signed with two of the three in-house unions; the Singapore Airlines Staff Union (representing ground staff and cabin crew) and the Airline Executive Staff Union (representing staff in the administrative officer grades), to extend the scheme to all ground staff and cabin crew from 1 May 2009. However, the implementation date is predicated on the scheme applying to all employees across the Company.
Discussions are ongoing with the Airline Pilots Association.
Under the scheme, each member of ground staff will be required to clear one day of leave each month. The day may be cleared as annual leave or no pay leave. For pilots and cabin crew, compulsory no pay leave will be required in line with their excess staffing levels.
These are among the range of measures the Airline is taking to address excess staffing capacity and reduced levels of activity arising from the previously-announced capacity reduction of 11% during the coming financial year.
In addition, a wage freeze will be implemented for all employees in the management grades for the coming financial year.
The Airline cannot rule out further measures to contain costs if the downturn worsens.
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