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Swindle, cheat and manipulate, example no. 2
A worker came to us to show us two In-Principle Approval (IPA) letters. These are letters issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) that say that a Work Permit has been approved and will be available to the named person coming into Singapore for employment. It took only
Swindle, cheat and manipulate, example no. 1
A hotel advertised itself in India to jobseekers. Someone sent us the name of the hotel. We tried to book a room.
Recruitment cost up to 22 months’ salary for shipyard workers
When a worker has paid a huge amount to get a job, he cannot afford to lose that job and will thus be vulnerable to unreasonable, exploitative demands by the employer. How huge is huge?
Noodles, bean curd and the slippery space between countries
Is there a way for governments to regulate trans-national fee-charging? Is it too convenient to plead jurisdictional limitations, and do nothing?
Two overstayers served their sentences, but how are they to survive?
After release from prison, how are overstayers going to survive? Of course they'll look for underground work again.
Work 6 months, wait 18 months
Mazumder's saga began 24 months ago. In it, two employers appear to have gotten off scot-free for not paying his salary.
Push, pull and the runs of choice
Beneath the veneer of workers saying they come to Singapore to get better pay and a chance of a better life, are there other factors that influence the decision to migrate for work? How much volition is there?
Just as baby arrives, an eye is lost
Rafiqul's doctor says surgery is needed or the eye would be lost. Employer says no and refuses to pay. Rafiqul feels he needs a lawyer. But says lawyer is doing nothing to resolve the problem. Here's another worker immobilised by system and culture.
Akanda eaten by the cancer of circular migration
Just because he felt ill on day at work Akanda was summarily fired. Is he optimistic about finding another job?
New work injury law leaves old gap unaddressed
Long delays by MOM in deciding whether an injury was work-related was a feature of the way the old WICA worked. Will the new WICA be any better? Or worse?