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Who eats with The Cuff Road Project and why?
The Cuff Road Project (TCRP) has provided more than 360,000 meals to migrant workers since it began in March 2008. The eligibility criterion for admission into the meal programme is that a worker must be out of a job due to injury, dispute with his employer or similar reason. They
House rules designed to ensure maids know their place
“We’re not supposed to swim,” says Ana, a domestic worker. “I'm not sure why. I think it’s maybe because they think we’re dirty.” In the block where Ana lives, domestic workers can’t book a barbecue on their own, they can’t form groups and they can’t sit and eat beside the
Loads of concern from employer, but no money
By Chow Zhi Ying “Every time I ask for MC money, company say later, later, later...” Shah Newaz recounts. 'MC money' is the monthly wage that companies should pay workers who are on medical leave, as mandated by the Work Injury Compensation Act, which also provides a set formula. His
Worker on strike single-handedly opens a can of worms
By late May 2012, Jakir Hossain (above), Dilip and their workmates had not been paid for three months. When Dilip heard that his father in India had fallen ill, he pleaded with his boss for his backpay. He needed to send money to the family back home, he told his
Still stuck here 2 years after injury, he needs another operation
By Benjamin Wong Dipangkar sits awkwardly, his back upright, not leaning against the back of the chair. As I interview him, senior volunteer Alex Au picks up on a subtle difference in Dipangkar's English. "What did you study?" Alex asks. "I have a Bachelor of Social Science in Bangladesh," Dipangkar
Kicked, hit and forced to do military squats for punishment
By Lee Kah Ghim “I see helmet throw at worker, supervisor kick worker. Every fault supervisor also hit.” Sanjit Debuath tells me. “One time supervisor ask worker go outside, supervisor hit him. Worker call police then next day worker sent back to Bangladesh.” During the fourteen months he worked at
1,062 employers fined or warned in 2012 over poor housing
Channel NewsAsia (reported) on 28 January 2013 that seven employers were convicted for failure to give foreign workers acceptable housing in 2012. In total, 1,062 employers were warned or fined in 2012 for providing foreign workers with poor accommodation, the news report said. Since only seven were "convicted", it appears
Homeless in the rainy season
Shah Alam hopes to go home soon. It's better than staying on in Singapore, sleeping on the streets. "Now raining season, got big problem for me," he says. "Even at night not raining, floor also wet." To wash himself each day, he depends on the kindness of a restaurant
Another wave of unhappy workers from Lian Shing
By Benjamin Wong Ilias Mir Anisur (above left) and Badal Barai (right) are part of the third group of workers from the same company, Lian Shing Construction Co Pte Ltd, to approach TWC2 for help. Despite so many workers lodging complaints with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) over a 12-month
Falling from tall ladder, all he gets is a massage
By Nigel Lin He gives us a big smile now, but in the evening of 12 May 2012, he lay writhing in pain after a nasty fall off the top rungs of his ladder -- a scene like this and you would expect this poor soul to be receiving medical