SINGAPORE: Grab has rejected claims that Uber staff in Singapore were given two hours to pack up and leave following the announcement of its acquisition of Uber’s Southeast Asia business.

Instead, Grab will absorb all of Uber’s 500-plus employees across Southeast Asia, although they have been placed on paid leave for now, the Singapore-based company told Channel NewsAsia on Monday (Mar 26).



"We are committed to find a permanent home for them," Grab's head of people Ong Chin Yin said.



A video purportedly of Uber staff in Singapore packing up their belongings and leaving their office in Anson Road was posted on Twitter.

The Twitter user who posted the video told Channel NewsAsia that he, along with other Uber employees, were given two hours’ notice to pack up and leave. They were told that they were “free to find other employment” and no compensation package was offered.

No one from Grab had been in touch with the staff, he said. He declined to be named.



Grab’s Ms Ong said the company had not reached out to Uber employees because it does not “have the email addresses of Uber employees" yet.

"We wanted to reach out to them today, but were not able to do so today unfortunately," she said.

To prevent further confusion, Grab has organised a townhall meeting on Tuesday at 4.30pm for all affected Uber employees, she added.



When asked if there was a breakdown in communication between Grab and Uber, Ms Ong replied that she did not want to speculate.

"It's not an easy time ... we can understand. It's a time of transition for us and Uber. We are trying our best to use channels to reach out (to those affected) as soon as possible and be supportive."

Ms Ong added that Grab will organise Uber employees into teams similar to while they were in Uber, and that they will be offered terms that are "substantially similar packaged". For those who do not take up the offer, Grab will work out a compensation package with them, she said.

Channel NewsAsia has reached out to Uber for comments.