TWC2 activity: proposals and recommendations
26
12, 2020
Policy incoherence: vaccination and repatriation
Covid-immune and vaccinated workers should be retained, not sent home. An explainer why MOM policies are counter-productve.
15
12, 2020
47% of dormitory residents had Covid-19
Nearly half of dorm-based migrant workers had Covid-19, going by newly released figures. It's nearly herd immunity, yet they're still going to remain locked up.
27
07, 2020
Recruitment reform — what needs to be done
A short explainer about how corrupted the recruitment system has become for migrant workers and the two key measures needed to reform the eco-system.
30
06, 2020
No migrant worker expects an iron rice bowl, but much more can be done for their financial security
It's too simplistic to speak in terms of iron-clad job security, but a lot more can be done to help migrant workers with career longevity and financial security. Start with recruitment costs.
29
06, 2020
Post-Covid law makes migrant workers prisoners of employers
The new law says "The employer must not allow, or cause to be allowed, the foreign employee ... to leave the dormitory ... and may grant or refuse consent..."
20
06, 2020
More than dormitory space: A chance for reform
Improvement in housing should be only one element in a broader reforms, if we are to arrive at a more ethical relationship with migrant labour. Job restrictions, low salaries, etc, must also be addressed.
16
05, 2020
Better dormitories, part 2
Actions and demands by the government strongly impact the economics of dormitories. Improving minimum standards from 4.5 to 7.5 sq metres per head does not have to mean substantial cost increases.
16
05, 2020
Better dormitories, part 1
The current minimum of 4.5 sq metres per person is too low a standard. It should be 7.5 sq metres. There shouldn't be barracks-style dorms anymore, but apartment-type accommodation with a max of 8 persons per apartment.
1
05, 2020
The dorms are not the problem
An essay based on a talk given by Alex Au at a Labour Day webinar organised by Maruah in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic that badly affected migrant workers in Singapore.
28
04, 2020
A self-cultivated Achilles heel
As Covid-19 infections among migrant workers hit new highs, John Gee takes stock of the bigger picture: What is it about Singapore's migrant labour policy that makes this crisis a self-inflicted one, and where do we go from here?