By Kimberley Ng In recent years, Singapore’s slowing economy has meant fewer construction and marine sector jobs for migrant workers. What few might realise is that recruitment costs have risen prohibitively through the same period. The two are not unrelated: it is a matter of demand for work outstripping supply of jobs. Unfortunately neither the
Most interns who spend 6 - 9 weeks with TWC2 are asked to wrap up their internship with an essay on a specific topic. Nikie spent May to July 2016 with us assisting with casework and the Labour Court Research Project. In the process, she came across many foreign workers who had difficulty getting the medical
By Audrey Tan He took on a new job with high hopes, but now finds himself at the lowest point of his life. Ragunathan Kaliyarasan, 28, is jobless and struggling to recover after a workplace injury in March 2016. His predicament tells the story of a dismissive employer. “I want(ed) to land one job perfectly,”
Most interns who spend 6 - 9 weeks with TWC2 are asked to wrap up their internship with an essay on a specific topic. Moe spent April and May 2016 with us assisting with casework and the Cuff Road Project. In the process, he came across many foreign workers who had lost their jobs either
By Teo Yi Ning It was only his third month working at a concrete casting company when Sheikh Mohammad Imran hurt his back. The concrete slab that he was carrying landed on his back when he lost his footing on a slippery floor at his worksite, leaving him with intolerable pain. He estimates that the
For a few years now, Transient Workers Count Too has been asked to give a talk to journalists gathered at the annual Asia Journalism Fellowship. The following videos are adapted from the talk that Alex Au gave on 8 September 2016. There were about 20 journalists in TWC2's Dayspace, from various Asian countries, Pakistan to
By Saw Suhui Though armed with a set of court papers that ruled in their favour, Debnath Prantush and Islam Mohammed Shafiqul still could not see the light at the end of the tunnel, and had to approach TWC2 for help. They were colleagues a few months ago but together they left the company because they
Of over 500 Indian and Bangladeshi workers surveyed recently by Transient Workers Count Too, one in three reported that they were not getting itemised payslips from their employers. This represents quite a high degree of non-compliance with the Ministry of Manpower's new rule that took effect 1 April 2016. The survey reached a total of
By Nadia Irwanto Ask Singaporeans what they love and food is bound to come up. Singapore is known for its diversity of not just race and heritage, but also cuisine, and Singaporeans will brave any kind of weather to travel and queue for their food. From hawker fare to high-end restaurant dishes, food in Singapore
By Gek Han It doesn't occur to me to ask Hussain Monir if his bed came with a mattress until a senior volunteer does (beds and mattresses go together, right?). Nothing, Monir says. Not quite believing my ears, I tap the table to ask if his bed was as hard, and he says yes. To
