Stories about workers’ experiences, the many ways our volunteers help, insights and facts that TWC2 have unearthed

5 02, 2017

Average recruitment cost hit $15,000 in 2015 for first-time Bangladeshi construction workers

2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00February 5th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

After hearing anecdotal reports of 'agent fees' in the region of $17,000 or $18,000, Transient Workers Count Two carried out a pilot survey to determine if these were rare cases, or if recruitment costs have risen dramatically. An earlier research report published in 2012, Worse off for working? found that Bangladeshi workers needed to work

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1 02, 2017

“Please change the system, and I will come again to work”

2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00February 1st, 2017|Articles, Stories|

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6f1FP_EgZU By Gek Han “Please Singapore government, please change the system, and I will come here again to work.” When Hossain returns to Bangladesh, he will try to find work in South Korea, rather than Singapore. Before coming to Singapore in 2013, Hossain tried to find employment in South Korea, because the South Korean

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25 01, 2017

Was there no prosecution in 2016 for non-payment of salaries?

2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00January 25th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

As 2016 came to a close, TWC2 trawled through the website of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to see what prosecutions have been listed there through the year. MOM issues press releases whenever an employer has been sentenced in court. TWC2 found twelve mentions in MOM's website through 2016. The list is shown further down. What

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23 01, 2017

Worker unable to collect injury compensation; MOM says he must be “realistic”

2019-08-30T16:31:35+08:00January 23rd, 2017|Articles, Media Coverage, News, Our Stand, Stories|

Just like Islam Rafiqul's case which was told in the Straits Times last week, Sujan Ahmed too is unable to collect the Labour Court award he has been given. Sujan's employer is simply refusing to pay up and the Ministry of Manpower suggested that he should apply to the State Courts for a Writ of Seizure

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19 01, 2017

Straits Times: Labour Court can’t make employer pay

2019-08-30T16:31:35+08:00January 19th, 2017|Articles, News, News Flash, Stories|

Islam Rafiqul's case was highlighted in a full-page story in the Straits Times 19 January 2017. Headlined "Labour Court can't make employer pay", it described this Bangladeshi worker's plight, having been owed over $7,363 in unpaid wages. His case went through the usual channels at the Ministry of Manpower, resulting in him winning a Labour

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15 01, 2017

TWC2 survey: starting salaries for migrant workers flatlined for the last 10 years

2019-08-30T16:31:35+08:00January 15th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

Starting basic salaries for first-time workers from India and Bangladesh have remained more or less static since 2006, averaging slightly under Singapore dollars 600 per month. However, when adjusted for inflation, a downward trend is seen, and thus, in terms of Singapore purchasing power, average basic salaries have declined about 20% since 2006. The above

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