Articles

15 07, 2017

TWC2 helps 21 workers ‘escape’ Singapore island

GuestContributor2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00July 15th, 2017|Articles, Happenings|

By Jacinta Leow "When they saw the bungalow," recalled Irene Ong, the co-leader of TWC2's Discover Singapore team, "they were delighted, saying 'Wow, it's just like home.'" 'Home' was Discover Singapore's overnight field trip to St John’s Island. It was logistically a lot of work, Irene added, "but seeing how happy they were made it all

12 07, 2017

Sukranjan’s case drags beyond 12 months. How is he to survive?

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00July 12th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Troy Lee, based on an interview in May 2017 On the Ministry of Manpower’s website, it is stated that most work injury claims take “3 to 6 months for most cases. Some injuries may need more time to stabilise before a doctor can assess for permanent incapacity.” However, many of the cases that come to

8 07, 2017

Two men thinking of home

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00July 8th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Sun Hanchen Every day, tens of thousands of foreign workers begin their day in the wee hours of the morning. They are employed to do blue-collar work shunned by Singaporeans – construction, maintenance and transport amongst others – and are often treated as faceless economic factors. But they have families, and it is in

4 07, 2017

Job prematurely ended, Mollah Sharif facing debt collectors in three days

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00July 4th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Bill Poorman All he needs is some more time. Not forever. “One week, two week, three week,” Mollah Sharif Hossain says. Instead, he got only three days. Three days to save his life. It’s a Monday evening at TWC2's free meals programme. Just yesterday, Mollah Sharif and his co-worker, Rafique (who goes by one name),

1 07, 2017

Kamroul waiting months for MRI, not allowed to work, no income

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00July 1st, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Sun Hanchen Hasan Kamroul was a marine trades worker, working at Benoi Shipyard. 7 December 2016 was supposed to be just another normal work night for him, but all changed several hours into his shift. Having been tasked to move some 26-inch pipes with two of his fellow workers, Kamroul set about doing his

30 06, 2017

Straits Times reports on ‘gaps in Labour Court system’ and the plight of 5 Zach Engineering employees

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00June 30th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Media Coverage, News, Our Stand|

Following the launch of TWC2's research report yesterday (see Labour protection for the vulnerable: challenges and recommendations), the Straits Times carried two stories Friday (30 June 2017) almost filling up all of page B4. Click to enlarge The newspaper noted that our research study found "significant obstacles and uneven enforcement" that prevent

29 06, 2017

Labour protection for the vulnerable: challenges and recommendations

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00June 29th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Press Releases|

A new study released by Transient Workers Count Too on 29 June 2017 reveals challenges faced by low-wage migrant workers with unpaid salaries and workplace injuries in obtaining compensation and recourse. The study, conducted by researchers at the Singapore Management University (“SMU”) and Transient Workers Count Too (“TWC2”), reveals that significant numbers of workers face

25 06, 2017

The Everglory scam: productivity incentive shot to pieces

alex2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00June 25th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

Bikas (left) and Mazibar (right) were two highly experienced workers from the group of five This is a story of how one branch of the government undermines what another branch is trying to do. Low productivity in the construction industry has been a concern for years. Among the measures being tried is a push

22 06, 2017

The rough seas of debt

GuestContributor2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00June 22nd, 2017|Articles, Stories|

In an earlier story[1], Liang Lei has sketched the origins of Sikder Sumon's salary case and the long time it took at the Ministry of Manpower. Here, Edgar Chan adds a bit more detail about the MOM process and discusses the wider context By Edgar Chan On the evening of 25 May 2017, at Isthana

18 06, 2017

Sumon’s salary case stretched for five months, exhausting his ability to fight for his full amount

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00June 18th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Liang Lei “I tired already”, was Sumon’s reply to why he chose not to continue pursuing his case, despite a settlement that will only entitle him to S$11,000. That’s half of the amount he believes is owed to him by his employer. Sumon has not seen his family for six years since his move to