TWC2 activity: proposals and recommendations
There are many possible measures for reducing recruitment fees, say this research report. Contains deep analyses of rationale and feasibility.
Covid-immune and vaccinated workers should be retained, not sent home. An explainer why MOM policies are counter-productve.
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.
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.
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.
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..."
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.
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.
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.
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.
