At the parliamentary sitting of 9 January 2017, Nominated Member of Parliament Kok Heng Leun posed a question to the Minister for Manpower Lim Swee Say (pictured above). As published in the Hansard, Labour Court Orders on Employee Salary Non-payment Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many complaints about salary non-payment
Following news that accelerated pay increases for cleaner will be implemented, but only for local employees, Transient Workers Count Too wrote to the Straits Times. On 16 December 2016, our letter was published. Consider raising pay of foreign cleaners, too Foreign visitors often comment on how clean Singapore is, perhaps not appreciating that there is
By Kan Ren Jie On 23 June 2016, Ataus Samad Rifat, 28, was suddenly fired from his job. "Go back home. Your work permit has been cancelled. We have already bought ticket." The ‘madam’ (the female administrative staff) at his office then proceeded to take his work permit from him. That was how Ataus described
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
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
Our press release made it into the Straits Times 7 September 2016 (imaged above) --- Statement for the media: Transient Workers Count Too urges the Ministry of Health to rethink the exclusion of subsidised testing for foreign workers who may be infected with the Zika virus. The Ministry announced yesterday that Singaporeans and Permanent Residents
Introduction In March 2016, Minister of State for Manpower Sam Tan told Parliament that the government was not prepared to make bank payment of foreign worker salaries mandatory. He gave a few reasons which the section 'Discussion' below will address. TWC2 felt it would be worthwhile to do a simple survey to check what male work
In response to member of parliament Denise Phua's call on the government to fence off residents' areas from foreign workers and do more to disperse them from Little India (see News Flash), TWC2 executive committee member Debbie Fordyce wrote to the Straits Times. Her letter was published 11 April 2016: --- Provide more public spaces
Denise Phua, member of parliament (People's Action Party, Jalan Besar) became alarmist when speaking in the chamber during the Committee of Supply debate, 6 April 2016. As reported in the Straits Times (7 April edition): This generated much adverse comment on social media. There was quick commentary in The Mothership (Denise Phua had a foot-in-mouth
