Articles

22 12, 2015

Sardar knocked down and fainted, yet not sent to doctor

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00December 22nd, 2015|Articles, Stories|

By Zhan Nanxin When Alex touches Sardar Md Shamin’s shoulder, he flinches. The accident is several months ago, but should his injury be permanent, he will be unable to take up any heavy-duty job again, in Singapore or in any other country. He will be unable to support both his sisters back home in Bangladesh who

18 12, 2015

Lunch with Heart raises record amount for TWC2

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00December 18th, 2015|Articles, Happenings|

Transient Workers Count Too held our annual benefit lunch (Lunch with Heart) Sunday 13 December 2015. We sold a record 335 tickets, raising over $33,000 -- also a new record. Most well-wishers donated back their tickets so that we could invite workers on their behalf to have a good meal. A total of 100 domestic

12 12, 2015

Clinic-shopping while Alam bleeds away

alex2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00December 12th, 2015|Articles, Stories|

"Boss say I must not talking (tell others) how I accident," Alam recounts of the first hours after his forearm was torn open. "He say I must explain like this: (that) I go canteen to makan (eat), and I fall down there." "He tell other workers, nobody must talking." But when Alam Mahbubul finally got

7 12, 2015

Razibul goes from lots of work but no money, to no work no money

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00December 7th, 2015|Articles, Stories|

By Zhan Nanxin In his third month on the job, it was ‘Tomorrow…. Tomorrow’. Then it became ‘Next week’ and gradually escalated to ‘Next month’. It's November now, and Islam Razibul has not received his pay since June 2015. He waited patiently for three months, but eventually lodged a complaint at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)

2 12, 2015

Injured worker told he must show up at work, but “just standing only”

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00December 2nd, 2015|Articles, Stories|

By Saw Suhui When I first spot Rahabul, he is standing at a corner of a coffee shop, using a flimsy piece of tissue paper to cover the wound on his hand as his friend helps to translate his account of his unfortunate incident to a fellow volunteer. “Pain,” he says of his wound. Rahabul,

28 11, 2015

“My friend [will] never walk again,” worker tells volunteer

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00November 28th, 2015|Articles, News, Our Stand, Stories|

"He crushed and crumpled the leaflet in his fist and threw it away," said the young volunteer, visibly distressed by the rejection she had just encountered. "He said, 'All this no use. My friend [will] never walk again.'" Most of the time, when our volunteers fan out on our monthly outreach event, they are received

27 11, 2015

MOM takes fewer than 10% of salary-non-payment employers to court

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00November 27th, 2015|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, News Flash|

For the record, we place here the relevant part of the Parliamentary minutes from the sitting of Monday, 11 May 2015. Sanctions against employers who withhold wages for foreign employees Mr Hri Kumar Nair asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider stronger sanctions against employers who fail to pay, or wrongfully withhold,

24 11, 2015

A Sri Lankan’s story – the blurry line between exploitation and trafficking

alex2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00November 24th, 2015|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Stories|

Transient Workers Count Too sees a relatively small number of Sri Lankans in the course of our work. There are far fewer of them in Singapore compared to Indians and Bangladeshis. Sri Lankans are an approved source for domestic work, construction and marine sectors, but except for women in the former, TWC2 can't recall seeing

20 11, 2015

Land reclamation worker’s salary just $227 a month

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00November 20th, 2015|Articles, Stories|

By Jiang Haolie It is unthinkable to survive in Singapore earning just $227 a month, or $1.19 for every hour of backbreaking work. Bidut (not his real name), a reclamation worker is doing just that. For comparison, an indoor job at McDonalds would pay five to six dollars an hour; it would earn you Bidut's daily

16 11, 2015

In a soft voice, a tale of $10,000

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:22+08:00November 16th, 2015|Articles, Stories|

By Jas Talukder Joynal approaches me hesitantly, yet he does not strike me as a man of low self-esteem. Clad in a brightly coloured checkered shirt, with a good trendy fit, he definitely cares about his appearance. His face is one that has not yet been marked with the hardships of life and I am a little