Articles

20 03, 2019

How two bosses reacted to their workers filing salary claims

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:44+08:00March 20th, 2019|Articles, Stories|

The same evening that volunteer Liang Lei was doing interviews for his story Why do injured workers flee company housing and do they feel safe enough to return?, two other workers came to TWC2 with housing-related woes. But their stories also shine a light on the way employers try to bully workers into submission. Borhan

11 03, 2019

The Cuff Road Project 2018

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:44+08:00March 11th, 2019|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

TWC2's Cuff Road Project (TCRP) serves the immediate needs of South Asian male migrant workers. Specifically, these are workers who are awaiting resolution of claims, complaints or investigations they've lodged with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and have no access to paid work from their employers due to injury or salary problems or

5 03, 2019

Why we didn’t help one worker

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:44+08:00March 5th, 2019|Articles, Stories|

While we try to help every foreign worker who comes to TWC2 with a problem, our volunteers are realistic enough to know that some workers are not blameless. In such a situation, we modulate the help that we extend. About a month ago, a guy -- let's call him Sham (not his real name)

5 03, 2019

Why do injured workers flee company housing and do they feel safe enough to return?

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:44+08:00March 5th, 2019|Articles, Stories|

By Liang Lei, based on interviews conducted in Feb 2019 Home – a personal space. A fleeting sliver of timeless refuge after a long day of work. A safe haven. Does this hold true for foreign workers who have suffered work-related injuries? According to Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM), employers are obliged to guarantee proper

1 03, 2019

“Money finish,” and “everything selling” while waiting for a new job opportunity

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:30:44+08:00March 1st, 2019|Articles, Stories|

Most foreign workers in the construction industry are in their twenties. Volunteer Jeremy Xiao met a older man in January 2019, who spoke to him about the weight of his family responsibility and the struggle to land a job. Yet, some experiences are all the same whether for younger workers or older ones --

27 02, 2019

Average ECT order on employers to pay salaries in 2017 estimated to be around $3,500

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:44+08:00February 27th, 2019|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

At a Parliamentary sitting on 12 February 2019, Nominated member of Parliament Anthea Ong asked the Minister for Manpower this question: What was the value of unpaid salaries in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively, according to the orders made by the Employment Claims Tribunal on employers to pay owed salaries. Mrs Josephine Teo, Manpower

26 02, 2019

Work permit renewal: mysteriously elusive documentation

GuestContributor2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00February 26th, 2019|Articles, Stories|

By intern Ada Cheong The past few weeks have frustrated me in my search for an elusive piece of paper in Singapore. Nobody seems to have a physical copy of it. And much like a mythical creature, it evades photography. Does it even exist? If seeing is believing, I must admit: I have not

22 02, 2019

TWC2 comments on proposed amendments to WICA

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00February 22nd, 2019|Facts, research, analysis, Our Stand|

In January 2019, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) sought public feedback on some proposed amendments to the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA). As TWC2 sees over a thousand cases a year of work injury among foreign workers, this matter is germane to our work. MOM's proposals centre chiefly around these themes: 1. Medical leave

20 02, 2019

Rahman and employer agree to settle salary claim… then nothing happens

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00February 20th, 2019|Articles, Stories|

By Grace Chua, based on an interview in August 2018 It has been three months since Rahman Mostafizur filed a salary claim with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Having started work in March 2017, he was dismayed to note that his salary was unilaterally reduced throughout the fourteen months of employment. Before joining Kah Development

16 02, 2019

Are foreign workers abusing WIC claims?

webmaster2019-08-30T16:30:45+08:00February 16th, 2019|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

By Debbie Fordyce The first graph (below) suggests that a disproportionate number of Indian and Bangladeshi migrant workers lodge injury claims within the first six months of starting a job. Moreover, TWC2's observation is that many of these injuries are minor and result in little compensation or will heal completely, thus meriting no disability compensation