Our Stand

12 04, 2016

Bureaucrats close eyes, fold arms as worker’s salary slashed

alex2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 12th, 2016|Articles, News, Our Stand, Stories|

Prabhu was unhappy about his boss' tactics that reduced his earnings, and came to us in March 2016 seeking advice. For over a year, the construction company that employed him didn't have enough work to keep all its employees occupied. Management (sort of) rostered the workers, such that in each month, there would be several

11 04, 2016

Provide more public spaces for foreign workers within Little India – Debbie Fordyce

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 11th, 2016|Media Coverage, News, Our Stand|

In response to member of parliament Denise Phua's call on the government to fence off residents' areas from foreign workers and do more to disperse them from Little India (see News Flash), TWC2 executive committee member Debbie Fordyce wrote to the Straits Times. Her letter was published 11 April 2016: --- Provide more public spaces

10 04, 2016

TWC2 makes submission regarding proposed Employment Claims Tribunal

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 10th, 2016|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Our Stand|

In February 2016, the Ministry of Manpower invited public feedback on the proposed Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT). The call for feedback can be seen at this link on the Reach website. Key points in the proposal include: ECT to be a tribunal under the State Courts, similar to Small Claims Court; ECT to handle all

8 04, 2016

Phantom job sucks Ali’s savings dry

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 8th, 2016|Articles, News, Our Stand, Stories|

By Gek Han On paper, Ali Noman, 40, was employed for about five months. His work permit was issued by construction company Sun Demolition Pte Ltd last July. In reality, Ali was given neither work not wages. “Friend say no work. Company say no work,” Ali says not with anger, but helplessness. He had been

20 03, 2016

$300 fine or prison for dropping a cigarette butt

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00March 20th, 2016|Articles, Our Stand, Stories|

Sep 2012 arrived Singapore Aug 2013 injured at work, 3 months MC Feb 2014 caught working illegally Apr 2015 received injury compensation of $4,000+ Feb 2016 issued $300 fine for dropping a cigarette butt A sad chronology of events for Hasibul: He had worked for less than one year when he suffered a workplace injury.

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

10 11, 2015

A Singapore company at the heart of fisherman trafficking — New York Times

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:23+08:00November 10th, 2015|Media Coverage, News, Our Stand|

The New York Times has an exposé on Step Up Marine, a manning agency operating out of Singapore's Chinatown, and its network of recruiters in neighbouring countries. Young men are deceived and entrapped into horrendously abusive jobs on fishing trawlers, including Eril Andrade who died at sea. Court papers in the Philippines point the finger clearly

2 11, 2015

Qatar makes banked salaries mandatory, pulls ahead of Singapore

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:23+08:00November 2nd, 2015|News, News Flash, Our Stand|

Qatar's new regulations requiring employers to pay migrant workers via bank accounts will take effect in November 2015. This puts the country ahead of Singapore, where our Ministry of Manpower is not addressing a widespread weakness. Here, employers can choose to pay employees in cash, and it is fairly common for employees to report that whilst

2 10, 2015

Singapore accedes to the UN Anti-Trafficking Protocol

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:24+08:00October 2nd, 2015|News, News Flash, Our Stand|

Statement by Transient Workers Count Too On 28 September 2015, Singapore acceded to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (UN TIP Protocol), often known as the Palermo Protocol. This is the key international legal instrument for combatting trafficking. Though just over 15 years old, it has

28 09, 2015

TWC2 urges stop work orders when haze PSI crosses 200

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:24+08:00September 28th, 2015|News, Our Stand, Press Releases|

Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) is gravely concerned that current bad haze conditions will affect the health of workers in many trades, e.g. construction, marine, sanitation, landscaping. TWC2 strongly urges the government to impose a mandatory Stop Work Order when 3-hour average PSI readings, issued hourly, exceed 200, or when PM2.5 readings exceed 50 micrograms