MOM needs to be more proactive than reactive over salary complaints by foreign workers
Statement to the media by Transient Workers Count Too 8 February 2012 For immediate release The recently reported strike by about 200 foreign workers at a worksite in Tampines over unpaid salaries once again highlights the inadequacy of existing systems for preventing such exploitation of labour by employers. (Straits Times, 7 Feb 2012, Wage dispute...
HDB construction workers to rise from 18,000 to 45,000, so will worker problems
Media Release 13 January 2012 For immediate release Minister for National Development Mr Khaw Boon Wan told Parliament, in response to a question from a member of parliament on 9 December 2012, that with the Housing and Development Board (HDB) accelerating its building programme, the number of construction workers involved in HDB projects is expected...
In commemoration of International Migrants Day, 18 December 2011
Message to mark International Migrants’ Day, 2011 by Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) Migrants on temporary work permits have long been the backbone of Singapore’s economy. Today, there are 870,000 migrant workers in Singapore comprising two in seven workers in the Singapore workforce. These workers keep our houses clean, take care of our families, sweep...
SIP should include empowering domestic workers with knowledge of their rights
December 15, 2011 For immediate release TWC2 welcomes a new policy announced by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on 4 December 2011 to replace the compulsory English written test for newly arrived migrant domestic workers with a mandatory three-day settling in programme (SIP). However, we call for MOM to ensure that the dignity and rights...
Jailing bosses who ill-treat foreign workers is good, but do more to help the victims
December 1, 2011 For immediate release Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) welcomes the sentencing guidelines laid out by Justice V K Rajah in his written decision issued last week in Lee Chiang Theng vs Public Prosecutor. Justice Rajah said that “employers who persistently fail to discharge their legal responsibilities towards foreign workers will ordinarily have...
TWC2 welcomes Tan Chuan-jin’s focus on worker housing
November 14, 2011 For immediate release Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) applauds Minister of State for Manpower Tan Chuan-jin’s personal involvement in raids conducted against substandard accommodation for foreign workers (Straits Times, 11 November 2011: Minister leads checks on workers’ dorms, by Kezia Toh), as a welcome sign of greater governmental attention to the issue...
Vincent Wijeysingha leaves TWC2
For immediate release, 29 October 2011 Dr Vincent Wijeysingha has resigned of his own accord from his position as Executive Director of TWC2 with effect from 30 October 2011. The Executive Committee understands that he wishes to pursue other paths and areas of interest, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours....
Support the Domestic Workers’ Convention
Statement issued by representatives of 37 organisations meeting in Singapore (including TWC2) calls for regional support for a Domestic Workers’ Convention when it comes to a decision at the International Labour Conference in June: Click here to download the statement For more details: http://www.mfasia.org/
Support the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers
TWC2 calls for Singapore to support the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families 7th December 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Singapore, December 8th, 2010: There are now 214 million international migrants, according to the latest annual report of the International Organisation for Migration, and...
Workers should be transported in enclosed vehicles
For immediate release 28 June 2010 Three Chinese workers died when a lorry in which they were being carried skidded and crashed onto its side on the morning of June 22nd. Some among the 14 survivors needed hospital treatment. The lorry crashed off the Pan-Island Expressway. TWC2 has argued strongly against transporting workers on the...
