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Written Answer by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister for Manpower, to Parliamentary Question on grounds for dismissal of SMRT employees for 22 March fatal train incident

Employment practices

Notice paper no. 398 of 2016 for the sitting on 10 October 2016

Question no. 697 for oral answer

MP: Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap

To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has asked SMRT for the full grounds for dismissal of the two employees who have been sacked over the fatal accident on 22 March 2016 near Pasir Ris MRT station; and (b) if so, what were these grounds.

Answer
  1. On 22 March 2016, two SMRT trainees were hit and killed by an oncoming train near Pasir Ris MRT station. On 13 September, SMRT dismissed two employees who were involved in the accident – one of the employees was the train driver, and the other was an Assistant Engineer. 
  2. The National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) filed an appeal to SMRT on 19 September. In response, the company convened a panel to review the appeal. On 27 September, NTWU also filed an appeal to MOM under the Industrial Relations Act (IRA), on behalf of the two union members. 
  3. MOM has called for information on the grounds of dismissal from SMRT. We will try to help the parties involved to come to an amicable settlement through conciliation. If it fails, an inquiry will be conducted to determine if the company has just cause to dismiss the workers. In the meantime, the union is engaging the two workers and is helping to secure employment for them.