No clear answer could be obtained whether a worker was eligible to work in Singapore again. MOM said Yes, but ICA quietly marked him as a No. What then happened?
Two men had to look for new jobs. One was in Bangladesh and the other was in Singapore. Different outcomes.
On 24 June 2022, MOM retired the Exit Pass system and workers could go out freely. And still workers were calling TWC2 saying they were confined. What does this say about policy effectiveness?
Months into 2022, Special Pass holders remained stuck in dorms even as more and more Work Permit holders were allowed to go out. What about getting the press to highlight this injustice?
We ask two workers to describe what exactly were the barriers they faced when they needed to leave their dorms. A third worker shares a screenshot of a WhatsApp exchange.
Through her two months with us, our intern spoke with many workers complaining about being confined in their dorms. She shares her reflections here.
What are the legal provisions that enable MOM or employers to confine workers in dorms? Is MOM even complying with its own rules?
Over 300,000 migrant workers were locked down in their dormitories in April 2020. They would not be allowed to go out for leisure until 17 months later, when a tiny trickle were allowed out.
Singapore's construction labour force is characterised by a noticeable stratification by nationality. A study by a former TWC2 volunteer throws light on one reason why.
The permanent night shift made Zhong literally ill, but the employer would not allow a shift change. So he resigned, but going home was one problem after another.
