Interesting updates related to migrant worker issues
In the second half fo 2020, Singapore could have lost 10,000 - 20,000 construction workers who would actually have wanted to stay on and work.
In September 2020, we had 801 Covid-19 cases from the dorms. From October, there has been a dramatic improvement.
Among the issues touched on are indications of forced labor, restrictions of workers' movement during Covid-19, arrests of foreign workers on terrorism grounds.
This represents good improvement, but to be meaningful, more needs to be disclosed as to how this figure was arrived at and what monitoring system is in place.
The European Union is moving towards legislation requiring companies to report on labour abuses in their supply chain, including subcoontractors.
From 1 January 2021, employers must purchase insurance (at least $10,000) against the risk of the worker developing Covid-19 within 14 days of arrival.
Hasibur is suing his employer and dormitory operator for false imprisonment, following an incident in April 2020 wherein he and his roommates were locked in a room.
For wrongfully confining 3 migrant workers, a general manager was fined $9,000. The penalty under the law could have included imprisonment.
The long-term effects of Covd-19 can be nasty. Two healthy foreign workers who didn't even know they had Covid-19 are reduced to invalids overnight.
Qatar's minimum wage, Wage Protection System, dispute resolution and its Workers' Support and Insurance Fund. Not perfect, but far ahead of Singapore.
