Our Stand

12 11, 2014

Exercise using foreign workers as ‘rioters’ exact opposite of sensitivity training

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:58+08:00November 12th, 2014|News, News Flash, Our Stand|

The Facebook post by Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan 11 November 2014 (click thumbnail at right) titled 'Joint exercise with Police, SCDF & foreign worker ambassadors' accompanied by eight photographs does a great disservice to migrant workers who have played such an important role in building Singapore, especially those of South Asian origin

5 11, 2014

Bhuiyan and friends defeated, part 4

alex2019-08-30T16:32:59+08:00November 5th, 2014|Articles, News, Our Stand, Stories|

Continued from part 3. TWC2 stayed in contact off and on with the four men from JS Metal Pte Ltd through the months following the lodging of their claims at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). For a while they had some work, all at temporary jobs "make furniture" with Delco Art Interior Decoration, located at Kallang

1 11, 2014

Construction workers will be able to switch to new jobs at end of work permit period

alex2019-08-30T16:32:59+08:00November 1st, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, News Flash, Our Stand|

Buried within an announcement about a new minimum percentage of higher-skilled workers in construction firms, the Ministry of Manpower also announced that work permit construction workers will be able to move to new jobs at the end of their work permit periods without first having to go home. This new policy will take effect from

25 10, 2014

How the migrant worker system is regulated counts for a lot

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:00+08:00October 25th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Happenings, News, Our Stand|

This is the talk TWC2 vice-president Alex Au gave at the National University of Singapore to a large class (about 300 - 400) of students from various faculties on 15 October 2014. The text here is a somewhat fuller version of the talk itself, which wasn't entirely read from script, and which was constrained by

15 09, 2014

Overhauling Singapore’s migrant labour system – an alternative plan

alex2019-08-30T16:33:02+08:00September 15th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Our Stand|

By Alex Au Many stories on the website of Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) tell of the abuses inflicted on migrant workers in Singapore. TWC2 holds the view that the regulatory system governing the recruitment and control of foreign labour lies at the root of these abuses. Fortunately, many employers refrain from taking full advantage

11 09, 2014

MOM’s ‘rebuttal’ actually lends support to many points we made

alex2019-08-30T16:33:02+08:00September 11th, 2014|News, Our Stand|

By TWC2 vice-president Alex Au On Friday 29 August 2014, the Ministry of Manpower said that my letter published in the Straits Times forum 25 August 2014 (Salary non-payment a big issue for migrant workers) "paints an inaccurate picture". MOM's reply was published in the newspaper on Friday 29 August. The headline of MOM's letter

10 09, 2014

About 70,000 workers live on construction sites

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:03+08:00September 10th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, News Flash, Our Stand|

Manpower minister Tan Chuan-jin told parliament through a written reply that about 70,000 workers (presumably male construction workers) live in temporary housing located at construction sites. Most foreign workers live in purpose-built dormitories but around 20 per cent - or 70,000 - live on construction sites. The figures were released on Tuesday in a written

29 08, 2014

The challenge of labour trafficking

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:04+08:00August 29th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Media Coverage, News, Our Stand|

On 27 August 2014, The Straits Times published an opinion article by John Gee, immediate past president of TWC2, which the paper titled 'Ensuring better protection for migrant workers'. Here, John has revised the article slightly, elaborating on some points at the same time. By John Gee At the end of this year, Singapore seems

25 08, 2014

Straits Times forum: Salary non-payment a big issue for migrant workers

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:05+08:00August 25th, 2014|Media Coverage, News, Our Stand, Press Releases|

Further to the feature on poor accommodation for foreign workers in the Straits Times 19 August 2014 mentioned earlier in Cost implications of government policies crucial to question fo foreign worker accommodation, TWC2 vice-president Alex Au's letter to the Forum editor was published on Monday 25 August 2014: Salary non-payment a big issue for migrant

20 08, 2014

Cost implications of government policies crucial to question of foreign worker accommodation

alex2019-08-30T16:33:05+08:00August 20th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Media Coverage, News, News Flash, Our Stand|

The Straits Times recently carried a story about foreign worker accommodation. Unfortunately, it didn't get to the heart of the matter: the way government policies affect cost and affordability considerations. The newspaper's 19 August 2014 story spoke about the rising number of vacancies at purpose-built dormitories. There are about 5,000 vacancies, said the story, though