We were glad that MOM re-affirmed ministers' statements that workers with valid salary claims will get permission to transfer to new jobs, but how does it work in practice?
Singapore allows employers to act in bad faith while pretending to have rules that allow retention of skills and experience.
MOM announced a temporary retention scheme to keep laid-off construction workers in Singapore. Six workers kept us informed of their experience while waiting for new jobs.
MOM gave this figure in a parliamentary reply. It's only a topline number. Look beneath it and it's a scene of buzzing flies.
In a historic move, Qatar abolished its kafala system in August 2020. Workers can now change jobs without having to get permission from current employers.
Covid-19 stats from India and Bangladesh don't look good. Expect ti to remain difficult to bring workers from there. That means those who are already here should be allowed to stay.
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.
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.
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.
In this research study, TWC2 found that about 80% of South Asian workers were "repeat workers", a huge change from a few years ago. We also found that about half of them used a Singapore-based job broker to find a job. Typically, these are foreign workers themselves, not licensed employment agents. It's illicit but profitable.
