Articles

18 08, 2017

After ten days in hospital, company tries to rush Mazharul onto a plane

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

By Janson Chang, based on an interview in June 2017 Throughout most of our conversation Islam Mazharul does not sit easy. The two friends who accompany him do more than half the telling, during which Mazahrul does not seem to be tuning in to it himself. It seems like he is miles away. His nervous

15 08, 2017

Contract substitution made easier by ministry?

alex2019-08-30T16:31:31+08:00August 15th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

Over the years, Transient Workers Count Too has seen many cases where, after arriving in Singapore to start on their jobs, migrant workers are told by their bosses that the salary stated on the In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter will not be honoured. Instead they are given the choice of accepting a lower salary, or be sent

11 08, 2017

Noor worked nine months; never paid his proper salary

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00August 11th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Marcus Chee, based on an interview in June 2017 Through nine months, Noor Mohammod was only given a meagre amount of $130 monthly by his employer, and the entirety of that money had to be allocated to pay a catering company so that he could get his daily meals. $130. That's all? I sit

6 08, 2017

“Short pants, T-shirt, like this airport how to go?”

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00August 6th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

On the boarding pass is handwritten "Handcarry 6 kg". That's all he was allowed with him as he was taken to the airport. By Sun Hanchen; based on an interview in May 2017 The TWC2 volunteer was only following TWC2's registration protocol, as he requested Shahjahan Mahamud to pose for a simple photo

2 08, 2017

Worker had to pay $80 to get his own payslips

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00August 2nd, 2017|Articles, Stories|

We shall call the worker Towhid. He was paid less than promised through several months of work. After lodging a complaint at the Ministry of Manpower, his case went before the Labour Court, which strictly speaking is an administrative tribunal within the ministry, not a judicial court. Nonetheless, one would expect the tribunal to have

30 07, 2017

Injury compensation law vanishes on the way to the toilet

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

Google Earth view of Bedok Industrial Park C. Bedok North MRT station is under construction at lower part of image. By Wahid Al Mamun, based on an interview in May 2017 What constitutes a workplace injury? This seems like an easy question to answer as I sit with Rana Md Sohel at TWC2’s

25 07, 2017

Employers owe hospitals money; workers’ treatment at risk

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00July 25th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Liang Lei, based on an interview in May 2017 Undoubtedly, Singapore can boast of a world-leading healthcare system that offers high quality medical treatment for a wide range of injuries, diseases and emergencies. Unfortunately, timely and trouble-free access to such services is frequently lacking for our foreign labor, when injuries occur at work. I speak to

21 07, 2017

Blackmail attempt at airport

GuestContributor2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00July 21st, 2017|Articles, Stories|

Here's an account of an incident at Changi airport as a TWC2 volunteer accompanied Nagelli Mahendar Reddy to see him off. By Silvester Goh Last night, 29 June 2017, I accompanied injured worker Nagelli Mahender Reddy to Terminal 2 to catch his flight home to India. Flight TZ502 to Chennai was scheduled to depart at 10:45pm. Check-in

18 07, 2017

Employer demands worker return to work. Worker says he’s not well enough. Who’s right?

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:32+08:00July 18th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Wahid Al Mamun, based on an interview in May 2017 Dipangka (not his real name) is of slight frame and voice. He shifts around gingerly on the plastic seat at TWC2's free meals programme. As I endeavour to coax the story of his injury out of him, I come to learn of a mutual misunderstanding

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