1/01/2006

retrenched at 51 when hotel doing well

the chicken rice chef of mandarin was retrenched at 51, and at a time when the hotel business was picking up. or hotel business picking up but chatterbox chicken rice not doing well? if i were the chef and with a winning and famous recipe like chatterbox chicken rice, would the management dare to retrench me? they would probably beg me to stay and pay me 12 months bonus. why was he happy with a $20k retrenchment benefit? assuming it is one month for each year of service as is market practice, and he had 31 years under his belt, he will get at least $93k, assuming his salary is $3k. and he is not appealing to his union? i had a chicken rice at neptune a couple of months back. the same famous chicken rice and the same famous price. i must say, a $3 chicken rice in a good hawker stall would taste better. it's only good point is more pieces of chicken.

3 comments:

Speedwing said...

To be retrenched at 51 after serving for the hotel for 31 years is a kick in the teeth to say the least. However, the reason for the retrenchment was not given, so we cannot speculate.

A farewell handshake of $21K is a little on the small side. Maybe he was not a member of any union. Maybe there were other reason.

I wish him well and when he starts his chicken rice business, I will be one of his first customers. If he is any good, then he will have a regular customer in me.

Good Luck.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i think i am not too far wrong on his salary as a chef. unless he is not exactly a chef. the normal retrenchment pay is one month for each year of service. and the sfbwu is a very strong union and it would definitely negotiate for its members. and normally it will also apply to non members to be fair.

the reasons is unknown, that's true. heard he was fired by an angmoh. if he is a good chef, firing will be the last thing as 51 is still very young.

and for the union not to say anything, it means many things were left better unsaid.

with his skill in our favourite dish, he will have no problem making a decent if not even good income. good luck to him.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

on the surface it seems that he was short changed, and he is happy.