This report came about after 14,000 workers were laid off in various manufacturing sectors in Singapore in 1974. The University of Singapore Student Union thus decided to form a team to investigate the situation, with the objective of providing the public – the workers in particular – with a better understanding of the concept of retrenchment as a whole and how it played out in the current economic climate. It also sought to provide workers with some basic knowledge on workers’ rights and labour laws so they would be able to use them to their advantage when the need arose. What resulted was this report by the investigating team, which offers a glimpse into the economic situation workers in Singapore were facing at that time, as well as their relationship with the students.
