By Lucas Sim All through my hour with Masud (not his real name), I was expecting him to say something like 'my boss don't want me to see doctor', or 'my boss don't want to pay for my treatment'. These are common complaints that volunteers like me hear from workers coming to Transient Workers Count
Most of the men who appeal to TWC2 for assistance have lost their jobs and left the company dormitory after suffering a workplace injury and lodging a claim for injury compensation. The majority of them come to TWC2 through the meal program known as The Cuff Road Project (TCRP). In 2015 alone, more than 1,129
"Boss say I must not talking (tell others) how I accident," Alam recounts of the first hours after his forearm was torn open. "He say I must explain like this: (that) I go canteen to makan (eat), and I fall down there." "He tell other workers, nobody must talking." But when Alam Mahbubul finally got
By William Chin You might think that a broken arm with 2 pins inserted would warrant a medical certificate (MC). Not so if you are treated by a certain Dr Tan -- TWC2 has her full name. Monir Shafi suffered a bad fall on 28 July 2015, which required treatment for his arm and back.
By Samantha Ege “This leg, very big already,” Ali tells me, gesturing towards his noticeably swollen foot. On 23 February 2015, Ali was working as he would normally do, at a shipyard. He was dressed in the necessary protective gear, complete with brand new safety footwear. However, this was not enough to save his foot
Ramasamy Ayyasamy's left hand is now virtually useless for work. Three fingers are stiff and there is still a metal splinter inside his ring finger. It's not clear how he is going to continue earning an adequate income to feed his family. Yet, he is at risk of not receiving any compensation for the disability. His
With the 2014 statistics now out on the Ministry of Manpower's website, a steady rise in workplace injuries can be seen through the five-year period 2010 to 2014. Here are the key numbers: These figures are shown in the bar chart below: It is not clear how "major injuries" are determined and differentiated from "minor
By Ranjana Raghunathan “Oh you share your name with the wonderful Tamil music director,” I try to break the ice as he nods, unimpressed at my remark. Elayaraja is from Killaipichavaram, a village near Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu, India. He was earning about 10,000 Rupees per month (around $200) in India, from fishing. I ask
By Lim Shaomin "See the doctor yourself, after that money give you" is the phrase most dreaded by foreign workers. The statement is duplicitous in its simplicity; settling injury claims are never as straightforward as they seem. Getting reimbursement can take months. In Moyjjin's case (as in the case of many others), it continues to be a frustration.
A noticeable number of workers who have been injured at work lose over two years of their lives waiting for resolution of their cases. Typically, their medical treatment is largely over within months, but the compensation process (for permanent disability they may have suffered) can drag on for another year or longer. In the meantime,
