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Experienced plumber lost, who cares about productivity?
FOREWORD: For years, Transient Workers Count Too has been speaking out against the revolving door practices behind Singapore's foreign labour. At the slightest unhappiness, employers are quick to send workers home and recruit fresh new faces. Why do they do this? Because they can. Singapore law gives employers total discretion
MOM wrong to accuse us of ‘inaccurate’ and ‘untrue’ account
On 5 December 2017, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) put up a note on their Facebook page accusing TWC2 of publishing an "inaccurate" account. This was in relation to the story we had posted on 12 October 2017 titled "Fraud committed using ministry letterhead". We stand by our story. We
At TWC2, we ask injured workers about their salary. Why?
By Liang Lei, based on an interview in October 2017 Running into unexpected trouble overseas is often inconvenient and frustrating – even seasoned travellers among us would readily testify to this. Language barriers, differences in culture and unfamiliarity with foreign administration often confuse us and increase the chances of making
Despite injury, despite longing for home, a need to stay and work abroad
By Jiang Zhi Feng, based on an interview in October 2017 For ten years as a Bangladeshi migrant worker in Singapore, Hossain Awlad has only been back home three times. He misses home. He misses his wife, his mother, and his relatives. The last time he saw them was in
Greedy, unlicenced job brokers: one down, many more to go
TWC2 volunteer discussing the news story with Bangladeshi workers at the Cuff Road Project In a promising development, the Ministry of Manpower has successfully prosecuted a Bangladeshi worker who acted as a job broker and who had pocketed some $30,900 in illicit profit. Roy Tapon Kumar pleaded guilty
Injury compensation case goes well, then all fouled up by lawyer and lover
By Janson Chang, based on an interview in September 2017 Remo (not his real name) is one man among many as he sidles forward in the queue to have his meal card stamped. He doesn’t say much, and is about to head off after receiving the stamp – till a
Only 400 survived the fight for new jobs. Out of 100,000?
"As of Oct 2017," said Lim Swee Say, Minister for Manpower, in a written answer to a parliamentary question, "400 [Work Permit holders have] changed employers after completing their work permit terms." He gave this reply on 6 November 2017. To assess the significance of this number, it is necessary
After ten years, Asean reaches ‘consensus’ on migrant labour rights
Asean heads of government put signatures to an 'Asean Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers' on 14 November 2017, at their recently concluded summit meeting in Manila. This document was ten years in the making, after Asean members first signalled their intention to arrive
MOM gives Ashiqur and Anisur two weeks to find new jobs
By Daryl Loh, based on an interview in October 2017 Ashiqur and Anisur are desperate. Time is running out. The Ministry of Manpower has told them their Special Passes will not be renewed after another two weeks if they cannot find new jobs. But how are they to find new jobs?
Bridging the academic-NGO divide: Making research relevant to migrant workers and their front line supporters.
Nick Harrigan (extreme right) moderating a panel discussion at another event This is a speech given by Nicholas Harrigan, a member of TWC2's research subcommittee, at the 'Health of Migrants and Refugees Workshop' in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 10 November 2017. This workshop was hosted by United Nations University - International