Announcements and upcoming events:
TWC2 holds a volunteering opportunities talk (“Heartbeat”) once every two months. We had one on 15 August 2023 and the next one will likely be in October. Heartbeat sessions are in-person meetings, typically held on a weekday evening, starting at 7:30pm, and will take approximately 60 – 90 minutes. At Heartbeat, we will describe the different volunteering opportunities available and if you find a fit with your time and interests, you can then sign up as a volunteer (no obligation to do so) at the end of the session. If you wish to help out at TWC2, please send an email to [email protected] with the header “Interested in Heartbeat, October 2023”. We will reply with more specific details once we have fixed them.
Transient Workers Count Too has been made aware of job advertisements for a purported social enterprise named “Transient workers provident fund (TWPF)”. We have no connection with nor knowledge of any such venture.
Featured Articles
After a worker is hurt, all goes smoothly until…
A worker is injured. Unlike many other workers who come to TWC2 for help, BIllal's case seemed to be going smoothly. His employer was doing its part.
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Why do Bangladeshis choose to work in Singapore?
Our volunteer tries to understand the experiences of young Bangladeshi men that motivate them to seek work abroad.
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Work injury paralegal taken to court over insurance monies
A case before the courts may at last shine a light on the shady practices of freelance paralegals out to make money from workers' misfortunes.
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“One room sleeping 26 man”
Are cramped dormitories a thing of the past? We ask four workers at random. Meanwhile rents are increasing as foreign worker numbers rise.
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Getting sick can cost more than just five dollars
Since April 2022, migrant workers in dorms should have had access to primary care doctors with co-payment of just five dollars. Our study looks at uptake and workers' perceptions of the scheme.
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After a worker is hurt, the mirage of a supportive employer
Two workers describe how employer-employee relationships went rapidly downhill once they got injured or asserted their rights. Is this work culture, Singapore-style?
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Payslips law widely flouted, hardly any enforcement
Salary issues rank among the top problems workers come to TWC2 for help with. But shoddy or absent payslips make salary issues hard to solve. This is despite the fact that legal requirements are clear.
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Food as power tools
This study explores the dimension of food and mealtimes in the relationship between employers and domestic workers. It unveils the adjustments domestic workers must accept to avoid friction.
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MC money not paid. Again.
Over two and half months, our intern observed how common complaints were by injured workers about not receiving their medical leave wages. She reflects on what she heard from the men.
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Struggles and sacrifices as cost of living rises
What changed for migrant workers between 2019 (pre-Covid) and 2023 - in terms of salary, food costs, remittances, etc? A report from a survey of nearly 500 workers and focus group discussions.
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TWC2’s digital service desk
As her two months with us came to an end, we asked an intern to reflect critically on the primary tool she was using to provide information and assistance to workers – the Trengo platform.
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The weight of off-topic comments
The things that migrant workers spontaneously mention to TWC2 gives us insight into their concerns. They begin with a cockroach.
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How do workers know about TWC2?
Unlike TWC2's WhatsApp number which is regularly advertised, we almost never tell workers the address of the Cuff Road Project, where workers can also come for assistance. So how do they know about it?
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Despite law, some workers still paid in cash
It's been the rule for years now, but we keep seeing workers who were paid in cash rather than through bank accounts. Is there any enforcement?
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From dirty to forgotten: inadequate provision for laundry in dorms
Laundry is a regular routine for nearly everyone. What have migrant workers living in dormitories to say about this? Our intern finds out.
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