All Articles
Over 80% of male foreign workers want to be paid through bank giro
Introduction In March 2016, Minister of State for Manpower Sam Tan told Parliament that the government was not prepared to make bank payment of foreign worker salaries mandatory. He gave a few reasons which the section 'Discussion' below will address. TWC2 felt it would be worthwhile to do a simple survey
Chicken pox: how TWC2 stopped it spreading
By Eugene Teo On the evening of 19 October 2015, Huq Md Mynul showed up at our free meals programme. He was running a fever and had all the signs of chicken pox over his face and body. But he was also homeless. Transient Workers Count Too immediately put him
$16,400 – The price of the Singapore dream
By Keani Vonge "Nine lakh fifty thousand," is what Hassan Raqibul says when we at TWC2 ask him how much he paid for the job in Singapore. That converts to S$16,400. About half of Hassan's total fee went to a training centre -- construction workers must acquire a skills certificate
Ahmmad’s life turned upside down after accident
By Lee Zi Xin “I have nothing to do every day”, says Ahmmad, as he speaks to me about the long wait for closure of his injury compensation claim. It's been four months since the accident, and he has been out of work since. His relationship with his boss has deteriorated
Kamal climbs out of window, 12 floors up, to get help
Kamal gingerly opened a window, hoping it wouldn't make a noise. Heart pounding, he stepped out, trying not to look down. He was twelve floors up Block 601 Jurong West. With certain death should he miss a step, he made his way to the ground, never before so careful in
TWC2 social work team invited by employer to give a talk to staff
Bright Vision Hospital requested Transient Workers Count Too to give a talk to the work permit holders on their payroll. As any model employer would, Bright Vision wanted their employees informed of their rights and responsibilities. TWCS'2 social work associate Jason Lee (black shirt, centre right) delivered the talk on
Two years after accident, Lutfor Rahman still waiting for case conclusion
By Kan Ren Jie I ask Lutfor Rahman how he is, and I am struck by his frank answer: ‘I now very bad. Now no job, makan got problem.’ While Rahman initially appears cheerful when I sit down and talk with him at TWC2's free meals programme, laughing at some
Four years after the accident, Abdus still waiting for injury compensation
By Shona Mac It is a busy Monday evening at Transient Workers Count Too's Cuff Road Project and there is a throng of men queuing to receive a meal and milling around chatting to the team of volunteers. Abdus Salam is patiently waiting to speak to his TWC2 case worker
Hand nearly severed, no ambulance, no paramedics called
By Jiang Haolie There was so much blood that even the bath towel wrapped around Mahbubul’s half-severed wrist was soaked. His ulnar vein was crudely ripped by a metal sheet as Mahbubul lost his footing and fell. “I cannot even talk”, Mahbubul says, recounting the immense pain he experienced, and gesturing
Bureaucrats close eyes, fold arms as worker’s salary slashed
Prabhu was unhappy about his boss' tactics that reduced his earnings, and came to us in March 2016 seeking advice. For over a year, the construction company that employed him didn't have enough work to keep all its employees occupied. Management (sort of) rostered the workers, such that in each