On 13 May 2016, a report in the Straits Times said that "Companies found lacking in workplace safety and health standards will now face stiffer penalties, including a longer minimum period in which they have to stop work." "Stop-work orders will now last at least three weeks, up from two previously. Companies slapped with a
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 to check what male work
Below are two screenshots of Facebook postings (7 April 2016) by Jolovan Wham, executive director of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME). What they clearly show is that the practice of forcibly repatriating migrant workers, sometimes without even paying them their salary, continues to this day. His reference to "walking time bomb" is related to
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 Thursday 28 April. We had
In response to member of parliament Denise Phua's call on the government to fence off residents' areas from foreign workers and do more to disperse them from Little India (see News Flash), TWC2 executive committee member Debbie Fordyce wrote to the Straits Times. Her letter was published 11 April 2016: --- Provide more public spaces
In February 2016, the Ministry of Manpower invited public feedback on the proposed Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT). The call for feedback can be seen at this link on the Reach website. Key points in the proposal include: ECT to be a tribunal under the State Courts, similar to Small Claims Court; ECT to handle all
Denise Phua, member of parliament (People's Action Party, Jalan Besar) became alarmist when speaking in the chamber during the Committee of Supply debate, 6 April 2016. As reported in the Straits Times (7 April edition): This generated much adverse comment on social media. There was quick commentary in The Mothership (Denise Phua had a foot-in-mouth
In a letter published in the Straits Times 31 March 2016, lawyer Dipa Swminathan (pic at right) put her finger on a process weakness that denies many injured workers of fair outcomes. The case she mentions is not an isolated case. TWC2 quite frequently sees cases that resemble what she describes in her letter. ---
Sep 2012 arrived Singapore Aug 2013 injured at work, 3 months MC Feb 2014 caught working illegally Apr 2015 received injury compensation of $4,000+ Feb 2016 issued $300 fine for dropping a cigarette butt A sad chronology of events for Hasibul: He had worked for less than one year when he suffered a workplace injury.
Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam told Parliament on March 2016 that foreign workers commit fewer crimes per capita than the resident Singapore population. Crime incidents within the foreign worker population are lower than that among the general Singapore population, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam told Parliament on Monday (14 March). “They are here
