Four months after employees of Genius Engineering and related companies lodged salary complaints with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Mouazzam Hossin (pictured above) is still in Singapore, struggling to get something out of what he is owed. Mouazzam is among the last of the workers still here. Nearly all the rest -- there were altogether
This is the opinion piece by John Gee of Transient Workers Count Too, published in the Straits Times, 3 December 2014. ---- A win-win way to help injured foreign workers The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is considering outsourcing the inspection of workplaces to counter the illegal employment of foreign workers, a task that currently involves
Once in a while an anonymous Singaporean posts something nice about migrant workers. Here, a little tale that first appeared on Singapore Stomp: This is the link to the original.
Four people died in a relatively small fire that broke out in a shophouse used as a dormitory for workers from China, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia. The fire was reported at about 1:40am on Saturday, 6 December 2014, and put out within 30 minutes. The Straits Times and The New Paper carried the news in
Here's is an op-ed by TWC2's John Gee that was published in the Straits Times on Wednesday 3 December 2014: A win-win way to help injured foreign workers By John Gee. Straits Times, 3 December 2014 The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is considering outsourcing the inspection of workplaces to counter the illegal employment of foreign
At a symposium organised by the Asia Research Institute, TWC2 head of research John Gee said that whilst globally, there had never been better protection in law for migrants' rights, yet in many respects, their actual position was going backwards. Even in Singapore, he felt there has been progress, but placement costs represent one area in which
A mere two days after the Straits Times featured with some praise two workers' dormitories converted from industrial premises (see Dorms converted from industrial premises said to be 'adequate'), the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) banned new conversions within twelve areas. In a circular dated 14 November, the URA said no new workers'dormitories will be allowed
In a lecture delivered at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore, on 12 November 2014, Ho Kwon Ping, executive chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings and IPS-Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore, made a few proposals with respect to migrant workers in Singapore. The relevant part is here: First, we can perhaps
The Straits Times reported 12 Nov 2014 that the Ministry of Manpower found "adequate conditions" in two workers' dormitories they recently inspected. These two were converted from industrial premises located in the Joo Koon area. Inspectors found "clean bedrooms and bathrooms, and facilities such as a gym and TV sets" in these premises. One of
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
