Articles

31 03, 2017

Construction worker says he was asked to repair taxi gearbox

alex2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00March 31st, 2017|Articles, Stories|

Singapore is so short of labour that a well-known taxi company has been relying on construction workers to run its vehicle workshops. They are asked to clean the taxis, but also "do gearbox repair," says Uddin Jashim, 31, a former worker there. Your writer asks him, with some concern, "Do you know how to repair

27 03, 2017

“My medicine all throw away,” says Miah Zilu

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00March 27th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Andy Lee It was just another ordinary day in January 2017 for Miah Zilu, working in a shipyard, when he fell down the ladder with a 16kg load. He was immediately sent to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. At the hospital, the doctor curiously asked why he still had not booked an MRI scan. The

22 03, 2017

Donation campaign a huge success, distribution of 3G phones begins

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00March 22nd, 2017|Articles, Happenings|

42 delighted men received 3G phones from Transient Workers Count Too 21 March 2017. It was the first of a series of phone distribution events that has been planned in advance of the cessation of 2G signals throughout Singapore on 1 April 2017. The remaining batches of eligible migrant workers will be getting their 3G phones over

18 03, 2017

MOM makes about-turn after saying it can’t much help HBB workers

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00March 18th, 2017|Articles, Media Coverage, News, Stories|

The Straits Times reporter met with the men on Thursday 2 March 2017. We thought the story would be out around the weekend, but the newspaper didn't have enough space. Parliament was sitting and debating the budget; space in the Home section was at a premium. The story was the kind that we at Transient

15 03, 2017

“Money coming”, but no one told Hossain

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00March 15th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

https://youtu.be/sJgiTBRV_tM Text by Jean Law, video by Jonathan Ang Hossain Monir believes that compensation for his permanent injury was paid out three months ago, but not to him. He is mistaken, but he is not totally wrong either. Indeed, a compensation sum had been offered to him, but he wasn't informed. His case shows how

12 03, 2017

Give.asia and the Straits Times snatch two men from the jaws of penury

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00March 12th, 2017|Articles, Happenings, Media Coverage, News, Stories|

Islam Rafiqul and Sujan Ahmed were downcast when they first approached TWC2 for help. But by the time they went back to Bangladesh, their faith in Singaporeans was fully restored, thanks to the Straits Times and Give.asia -- a crowdfunding platform for people in need. In Rafiqul's case, he had won a Labour Court case,

6 03, 2017

Foreign workforce numbers 2012 – 2016

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00March 6th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis|

For easy reference in future, we carry below the statistics relating to employed expatriates/workers for the years 2012 to 2016, extracted from the Ministry of Manpower website on 24 Feb 2017. Equivalent data for the years 2007 to 2012 can be seen at this page. Percentage-wise, these are the figures: The next table shows quite

4 03, 2017

There goes the number one worker

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00March 4th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Janson Chang “I was the number one good worker,” says Sheikh Milon, betraying a hint of emotion for the first time in our conversation, beneath his otherwise rugged, unflappable exterior. “I worked six years, no MC. Company grow from 40 to 400 people. But after injury…” His voice trails off for awhile, before fading

26 02, 2017

Harri boss finally sent to jail for salary and housing abuses

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00February 26th, 2017|Articles, News, News Flash, Our Stand, Stories|

In an encouraging development, the prosecutor in a recent case made the argument that using the threat of dismissal and repatriation to compel foreign workers to accept lower wages would constitute an offence. According to a news story in Today newspaper, Nallusamy Narayanan, the boss of a number of companies under the Harri name, had

24 02, 2017

One quarter of Labour Court salary orders unpaid

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:34+08:00February 24th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, News Flash|

At the parliamentary sitting of 9 January 2017, Nominated Member of Parliament Kok Heng Leun posed a question to the Minister for Manpower Lim Swee Say (pictured above). As published in the Hansard, Labour Court Orders on Employee Salary Non-payment Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many complaints about salary non-payment