“One room sleeping 26 man”
Are cramped dormitories a thing of the past? We ask four workers at random. Meanwhile rents are increasing as foreign worker numbers rise.
27
08, 2023
15
07, 2023
Despite law, some workers still paid in cash
It's been the rule for years now, but we keep seeing workers who were paid in cash rather than through bank accounts. Is there any enforcement?
16
06, 2023
Twenty years from now, where will our cheap labour come from?
Singapore is facing a migrant labour cruch that is many times worse than what we experienced during Covid, albeit that it may be 20 years away. But we're not mentally ready to prepare and adapt.
14
06, 2023
How ‘lip service’ sends business to illegal recruiters
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?
3
06, 2023
Is Singapore being scolded by the ILO?
We came across an interesting comment on the website of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). It sounded stern even if shrouded in diplomatic language.
30
05, 2023
Food left outside dorms while serious thinking left outside minds, part 2
Why is bad food for migrant workers such an intractable issue? Because it is a complex one that requires policy overhaul from the top, but policy overhaul requires an admission that current policy is failing.
30
05, 2023
Food left outside dorms while serious thinking left outside minds, part 1
In April 2023, the Straits Times reported on the leaving of food packets beside roadways and in open fields – food meant for migrant workers; we say the catering system will never work.
16
05, 2023
The mess over rest day pay starts from the top
To a Parliamentary question, the Manpower Minister revealed how little his ministry did over rest day pay violations. He also revealed the stunningly employer-forgiving attitude his ministry adopts even when violations are found.
12
03, 2023
Lost in the Garden City – Singapore’s migrant worker system and the Sustainable Development Goals
Singapore says it is committed to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Our report examines what the reality of our migrant labour scene says about implementation and progress.
8
02, 2023
Stern warning – punishment without due process
Although a stern warning is not supposed to affect "legal rights, interests, or liabilities" we found that it's not quite true when issued to migrant workers. The effects therefore constitute punishment without due process.