By Goh Chin Lian

A long-drawn dispute over a major construction firm's refusal to enter into talks and conclude a collective agreement with its union has come to an end.

Indian-owned Sembawang Engineers and Constructors signed the agreement with the Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees' Union on Nov 13.

The agreement with management outlined the bargaining rights of its 232 local permanent rank-and-file workers.

It covers such issues as annual leave, retrenchment and healthcare benefits.

The agreement is backdated to take effect from Oct 16, and will run fo two years.

Sembawang had broken off more than two years of talks and refused to conclude the agreement on the grounds that it would lose its competitiveness, among other reasons.

The impasse prompted Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong to make the rare move, in August, of stepping in and referring the dispute to the Industrial Arbitration Court.

The minister's powers to do so were last exercised in 2004.

The court ordered Sembawang to return to the negotiating table and conclude an agreement by Nov 13.

The union's executive secretary, Mr Heng Chee How, who is an NTUC deputy secretary-general, told The Sunday Times that the negotiations were conducted professionally and in a 'cordial, mutually respectful manner'.

He pointed out that the union valued 'constructive and mutually respectful win-win collaboration' with all partner companies.

'We certainly want Sembawang to succeed in its business so that its workers can have better job prospects,' he said.

He also expressed his hope that by working together on the agreement, it would lay a good foundation for closer cooperation, going forward.

A spokesman for Sembawang said the company strives to be an international employer of choice.

She added that the agreement mirrors its long-standing human resource policies that aim to take care of its employees' welfare in a fair and competitive manner.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.