Of over 500 Indian and Bangladeshi workers surveyed recently by Transient Workers Count Too, one in three reported that they were not getting itemised payslips from their employers. This represents quite a high degree of non-compliance with the Ministry of Manpower’s new rule that took effect 1 April 2016.
The survey reached a total of 584 work permit holders from India and Bangladesh. 29 of them (5%) said they had not received their salary for the previous month. One other worker did not answer this question clearly. Of the 554 men who had received their salary, 184 of them (33.2%) did not get an itemised payslip that they could keep. Their employers would be in violation of the new rule, and liable to a fine of up to $10,000 — Section 25(2) of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
Three volunteers speak with two workers during the survey. The volunteer at right is capturing data using her mobile device.
The research also found other shortcomings even when workers reported that they received an itemised payslip. Some of them said that the details were not accurate, especially in relation of overtime or Sunday hours, and the rates of pay for those extra hours.
The survey was conducted on the third Sunday of May (asking workers about their salaries for April 2016) and the third Sunday of June (asking workers about the salaries for May 2016).
The 18-page report (PDF format) can be downloaded by clicking the link at right.
Below are some photos taken during the May event:
[doptg id=”8″]