Articles

3 09, 2014

Genius Engineering, part 1: the first group comes to TWC2

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:33:03+08:00September 3rd, 2014|Articles, Stories|

A large group of workers from Genius Engineering approached TWC2 for help over salary non-payment. Volunteer Meera Rajah meets two of them. By Meera Rajah “Next week… next week… wait”, Rafiqul and Hossain are now – unfortunately – accustomed to this unvarying refrain. It has been three months and four days since they last received

31 08, 2014

After an eight-month slog through the Labour Court, Durai wins back his overtime pay

alex2019-08-30T16:33:04+08:00August 31st, 2014|Articles, Stories|

Veluchamy Duraisamy is a happy worker. On or around 4 August 2014, he (more or less) won his case at the Labour Court. He is extremely grateful to TWC2. It might have turned out very differently without us. Durai had to go to the Labour Court eight times to get his overtime pay, leaving the

29 08, 2014

The challenge of labour trafficking

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:04+08:00August 29th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Media Coverage, News, Our Stand|

On 27 August 2014, The Straits Times published an opinion article by John Gee, immediate past president of TWC2, which the paper titled 'Ensuring better protection for migrant workers'. Here, John has revised the article slightly, elaborating on some points at the same time. By John Gee At the end of this year, Singapore seems

27 08, 2014

Zahir mistakenly happy to have received his ‘MC money’

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:33:04+08:00August 27th, 2014|Articles, Stories|

By Lucas Ho Just as Zahir is getting to the part about MC money halfway through the interview, TWC2 vice-president Alex Au walks by. He overhears Zahir mention a few numbers -- numbers which don't quite make sense to me, but whose significance Alex grasps straight away. In case we have been mistaken, Alex asks

24 08, 2014

Shahadat’s safety sacrificed at the altar of profit

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:33:05+08:00August 24th, 2014|Articles, Stories|

Shahadatsmiles broadly when he's in good company with TWC2 By Meera Rajah Shahadat Hosain, like many other migrant workers from Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Thailand and the Philippines, took a job with a subcontractor of Keppel Shipyard in hope of creating a better life. He was prepared to put in the strenuous manual labour

20 08, 2014

Cost implications of government policies crucial to question of foreign worker accommodation

alex2019-08-30T16:33:05+08:00August 20th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Media Coverage, News, News Flash, Our Stand|

The Straits Times recently carried a story about foreign worker accommodation. Unfortunately, it didn't get to the heart of the matter: the way government policies affect cost and affordability considerations. The newspaper's 19 August 2014 story spoke about the rising number of vacancies at purpose-built dormitories. There are about 5,000 vacancies, said the story, though

17 08, 2014

In three months: Three scams and one hantam

alex2019-08-30T16:33:05+08:00August 17th, 2014|Articles, Stories|

With additional reporting by Mohd Ridhwan Saju kept reminding his boss for the rest of his May 2014 salary. He had received only $300 compared to something over $1,000 he considered was rightly due. He had put in a lot of overtime work in May. "Ah Soon, he say later, later," reports Saju of his

13 08, 2014

They’re going on holiday together

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:33:05+08:00August 13th, 2014|Articles, Stories|

By Keith Wong I asked four friends when we were having a Friday night out whether they'd prefer to use a moving company that employed Bangladeshi workers or one that employed ex-convicts. There was no contest. All made it exceedingly clear they would choose the company that had Bangladeshi workers. "They're very hardworking," one said. "And

8 08, 2014

Roof and rail for injured workers

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:05+08:00August 8th, 2014|Articles, Happenings|

Tuesday, 29 July 2014, a delegation from the Indian Women's Association presented TWC2 with a donation of $4,000. Above, IWA president Pui Lahiri (second from right) presents the cheque to TWC2 president Russell Heng. Other leaders of the IWA who came to our office were Seema Chatterjee (left), Viji Ramakrishna (second from left) and Devika

5 08, 2014

Saudi versus Singapore: Different spaces, different lives

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:33:28+08:00August 5th, 2014|Articles, Stories|

By Danielle Hong Mohammed Gafur is here at the TWC2 office with a friend to deal with his injury compensation. He has kept all his bills and time cards, a practice of storing evidence learnt in the eleven years he has been living in Singapore. Though calm and rational, he is anxious, having witnessed too many