AsiaOne ran this story on 16 July 2009:
Four prosecuted in kickback employment scam
Three employers and one agent have been prosecuted for kickback offences.
This is the first prosecution since new regulations were introduced by the Ministry of Manpower in July 2008.
The employers - Ong Gim Chua, manager of Meeting Point Pub & Lounge, Ke Koon Seng, director of Seng System Engineering Pte Ltd, and Wong Seng Kiong of Guo Tai Mei Trading - were charged for recovering employment-related costs from their foreign workers.
Meanwhile, the agent, Sun Bao Hua of Starseas Consulting Services Pte Ltd, was charged for abetting representatives of four bus companies to receive benefits by paying them to hire foreign workers through her agency.. The for cases involved 22 workers.
Under the new regulations, Work Permit and S Pass conditions prohibit employers from receiving payment as consideration for employing foreign workers, and recovering employment-related costs from foreign workers.
Similarly, the Employment Agency Licence Condition also prohibits employment agencies from offering payment (whether monetary or in kind) to employers, in exchange for hiring foreign workers through them.
Aw Kum Cheong, Divisional Director, Foreign Manpower Management Division, MOM, said, "Kickbacks undermine the integrity of the employment agency industry, and distorts the market for foreign labour. Our foreign worker policies are intended to help companies to meet their legitimate need for foreign workers. Foreign workers should not be brought into Singapore in order to collect fees from them. Such exploitative behaviour will not be tolerated."
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, employers who breach Work Permit conditions can be fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to six months. They will also be barred from employing foreign workers in the future. Employment agencies that breach the Employment Agency licence conditions will have their licenses revoked and security deposit of $20,000 forfeited.
Showing posts with label labour watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label labour watch. Show all posts
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Video: Plight of Migrant Workers
TWC2 has produced two videos on the case involving the unfavourable housing and employment conditions of migrant workers in the dormitory at Tagore Lane. This is one of them titled "Plight of Migrant Workers".
Video: Migrant Workers Left In The Lurch
Another video produced by TWC2 titled "Migrant Workers Left in the Lurch".
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Firm Fined $100k Over IR Worksite Death
The Straits Times ran this story on 27 June 2009:
Firm fined $100k over IR worksite death
By Elena Chong
A CONSTRUCTION company was fined $100,000 yesterday over a fatal accident on the worksite of the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, where a brick wall collapsed on a foreign worker.
A representative of Lian Beng Construction, the occupier of the worksite, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure a safe workplace on Jan 16 last year.
In the same court, Indian national Pitchai Alagarsamy, 40, the former foreman of Soon Li Heng Civil Engineering, was fined $800 - $200 shy of the maximum fine - for failing to work with Lian Beng to stop the wall from being backfilled.
This safety breach resulted in the death of Mr Xie Xu Han, 39, who died of multiple fractures.
Lian Beng was contracted by Marina Bay Sands to build the sub-structure for the three hotel towers on the site; Lian Beng sub-contracted Soon Li Heng to carry out the earthworks on the site, Ministry of Manpower prosecutor Danny Han told the court.
The accident happened while a basement was being built. As one part was progressing ahead of the other, a gravity wall was to be erected to demarcate and separate the work areas.
Investigations showed that a brick wall was erected to act as a formwork for the gravity wall.
Not supported with any other structure, the backfilled brick wall collapsed onto the Chinese national.
The court heard that a few hours before the accident, Alagarsamy had seen the brick formwork being backfilled with earth. He did nothing to stop it although he had been told backfilling should not be done.
Lian Beng's lawyer Raymond Chan said that, following the accident, steps have been taken to improve workplace safety. Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, the company could have been fined up to $500,000.
Firm fined $100k over IR worksite death
By Elena Chong
A CONSTRUCTION company was fined $100,000 yesterday over a fatal accident on the worksite of the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, where a brick wall collapsed on a foreign worker.
A representative of Lian Beng Construction, the occupier of the worksite, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure a safe workplace on Jan 16 last year.
In the same court, Indian national Pitchai Alagarsamy, 40, the former foreman of Soon Li Heng Civil Engineering, was fined $800 - $200 shy of the maximum fine - for failing to work with Lian Beng to stop the wall from being backfilled.
This safety breach resulted in the death of Mr Xie Xu Han, 39, who died of multiple fractures.
Lian Beng was contracted by Marina Bay Sands to build the sub-structure for the three hotel towers on the site; Lian Beng sub-contracted Soon Li Heng to carry out the earthworks on the site, Ministry of Manpower prosecutor Danny Han told the court.
The accident happened while a basement was being built. As one part was progressing ahead of the other, a gravity wall was to be erected to demarcate and separate the work areas.
Investigations showed that a brick wall was erected to act as a formwork for the gravity wall.
Not supported with any other structure, the backfilled brick wall collapsed onto the Chinese national.
The court heard that a few hours before the accident, Alagarsamy had seen the brick formwork being backfilled with earth. He did nothing to stop it although he had been told backfilling should not be done.
Lian Beng's lawyer Raymond Chan said that, following the accident, steps have been taken to improve workplace safety. Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, the company could have been fined up to $500,000.
Monday, June 8, 2009
MOM Helped Recover $800,000 in Salary Claims This Year
AsiaOne ran this article on 8 June 2009:
MOM helped recover $800,000 in salary claims this year
In the first quarter of this year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) helped 750 local workers recover about $800,000 in claims.
Since its inception in 1968, MOM's Labour Court has served an important function in enabling workers with valid claims to seek a quick resolution without incurring high costs.
The Labour Court heard around 490 cases, for which Orders were issued for payments to be made to workers. For the remaining cases, employers reached out-of-court settlements with their workers.
Salary in lieu of termination notice
One such case involved in Dec last year involved a company which terminated the services of four employees, without paying their salaries in lieu of termination notice.
The company also owed salaries to three of them, ranging from $1,700 to $6,000.
Upon inquiry by the ministry, the employees were eventually paid the full amount they were owed in May this year.
Employers are reminded that notice periods in employment contracts provide time to the affected party to prepare for the cessation of the employment relations. If employers intend to vary the terms of the employment contract, this should be communicated clearly and put in writing.
Paid sick leave and unauthorised salary deduction
Another case involved a worker in a childcare centre who took eight days of hospitalisation leave in Dec last year, and also further hospitalisation leave in Feb and Mar this year. The employer failed to pay her salaries in Feb and Mar, and also deducted the eight days of hospitalisation leave in 2008 from her salary in Jan 2009.
Under the Employment Act, an employee is entitled to pay sick leave if he has served the employer for at least 3 months.
Annual leave, sick leave and termination notice
In another case, a worker was terminated while he was on hospitalisation leave, and offered $2,800 as settlement, with no explanation given as to how sum was arrived at.
The Labour Court informed the employer that his full obligation to the worker upon terminating his services should have been around $5,300. The full termination payment was eventually paid to the employee.
MOM advisory
Workers are advised to refer to their obligations and rights in their employment contracts and the Employment Act.
If they feel that the law has not been complied with, they may approach the Ministry for advice and assistance. They can also make an e-appointment through the MOM website at www.mom.gov.sg or contact MOM at 6438 5122.
MOM helped recover $800,000 in salary claims this year
In the first quarter of this year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) helped 750 local workers recover about $800,000 in claims.
Since its inception in 1968, MOM's Labour Court has served an important function in enabling workers with valid claims to seek a quick resolution without incurring high costs.
The Labour Court heard around 490 cases, for which Orders were issued for payments to be made to workers. For the remaining cases, employers reached out-of-court settlements with their workers.
Salary in lieu of termination notice
One such case involved in Dec last year involved a company which terminated the services of four employees, without paying their salaries in lieu of termination notice.
The company also owed salaries to three of them, ranging from $1,700 to $6,000.
Upon inquiry by the ministry, the employees were eventually paid the full amount they were owed in May this year.
Employers are reminded that notice periods in employment contracts provide time to the affected party to prepare for the cessation of the employment relations. If employers intend to vary the terms of the employment contract, this should be communicated clearly and put in writing.
Paid sick leave and unauthorised salary deduction
Another case involved a worker in a childcare centre who took eight days of hospitalisation leave in Dec last year, and also further hospitalisation leave in Feb and Mar this year. The employer failed to pay her salaries in Feb and Mar, and also deducted the eight days of hospitalisation leave in 2008 from her salary in Jan 2009.
Under the Employment Act, an employee is entitled to pay sick leave if he has served the employer for at least 3 months.
Annual leave, sick leave and termination notice
In another case, a worker was terminated while he was on hospitalisation leave, and offered $2,800 as settlement, with no explanation given as to how sum was arrived at.
The Labour Court informed the employer that his full obligation to the worker upon terminating his services should have been around $5,300. The full termination payment was eventually paid to the employee.
MOM advisory
Workers are advised to refer to their obligations and rights in their employment contracts and the Employment Act.
If they feel that the law has not been complied with, they may approach the Ministry for advice and assistance. They can also make an e-appointment through the MOM website at www.mom.gov.sg or contact MOM at 6438 5122.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Lorry Load of Trouble
The New Paper ran this article on 26 May 2009:
Lorry load of trouble
By Ho Lian-Yi
It's common to hear Singaporeans gripe about having to be packed like sardines on trains and buses during peak hours.
But take a look at these pictures - and see how foreign workers are being transported daily.
They put up with bumpy rides and battle the elements. Worse, it is dangerous.
Four workers were killed last Monday after the lorry that was carrying them crashed into a trailer at Tuas.
We spoke to a few foreign workers to find out what it's like to travel on the back of a lorry.
Mr Arman, 29, a Bangladeshi, told The New Paper that he gets to sit in the front of the lorry these days - one of the perks of being a supervisor.
But he still remembers vividly the "scary" rides at the back.
The ride from his workers' quarters in Yishun to his worksite in Haig Road takes 25 minutes.
When the drive brakes suddenly, "those behind also come to the front", he said.
He has also seen workers getting hit by low-lying branches - causing injury in some cases.
What is really dangerous, Mr Arman said, is when companies carry equipment and men on the same lorry. When it's overloaded, workers have to sit on the machinery.
He said his workers bought a 5m-long canvas sheet to protect themselves from the rain. When it pours, they huddle under the sheet, holding hands.
Despite the recent accident, nothing has changed, Mr Arman said.
Another Bangladeshi workers, 38, who declined to be named, said that recently, one of his colleagues injured his leg falling off a lorry when it surged forward before he had properly climbed onboard.
Although he has worked in Singapore for 19 years, he said he had to take lorries only in the last two years. Previously, he lived onsite.
The lorry rides are very bumpy, he said. And that hurts his spine.
"One year, two years, so much damage to my back," he said.
Sometimes, when the lorry ends up behind a rubbish truck, the stench is unbearable, he said.
He added that when the workers get caught in the rain and fall sick, some foremen are unsympathetic.
Other workers though, had better experiences.
Indian national Muthu Senthil, 28, who has worked in Singapore for five years, takes the lorry from Tuas to Marina Bay at 7am every day. It's a 45-minute ride.
While there are no seat belts, he said everyone holds on to the handlebars at the side tightly. And people do not fall off as the driver moves off only after the workers have told him that everyone is secure.
No mixing
They also do not mix equipment with workers.
"If they need to get equipment, they'll make a second trip," Mr Senthil said.
Singapore roads are straight, he added, and not dangerous.
Mr Bala Supramaniam, 27, said his driver, a Singaporean, was "very good" and cleans his lorry every day.
"He follows the speed limit, even on the highway," he said.
His lorry has plywood planks securely bolted to the sides for the workers to sit, and handles to grasp.
Mr Bala deals with the dust and smoke of the roads with a handkerchief over his mouth.
What he is unhappy about is the way many workers get on or off a lorry while it's still moving.
All the foreign workers we spoke to said they preferred to be transported by bus. But most were not optimistic that there will be changes any time soon.
Said Mr Arman, "If I tell my boss, buy a bus for us, he'll say, 'waste money for what?'"
Lorry load of trouble
By Ho Lian-Yi
It's common to hear Singaporeans gripe about having to be packed like sardines on trains and buses during peak hours.
But take a look at these pictures - and see how foreign workers are being transported daily.
They put up with bumpy rides and battle the elements. Worse, it is dangerous.
Four workers were killed last Monday after the lorry that was carrying them crashed into a trailer at Tuas.
We spoke to a few foreign workers to find out what it's like to travel on the back of a lorry.
Mr Arman, 29, a Bangladeshi, told The New Paper that he gets to sit in the front of the lorry these days - one of the perks of being a supervisor.
But he still remembers vividly the "scary" rides at the back.
The ride from his workers' quarters in Yishun to his worksite in Haig Road takes 25 minutes.
When the drive brakes suddenly, "those behind also come to the front", he said.
He has also seen workers getting hit by low-lying branches - causing injury in some cases.
What is really dangerous, Mr Arman said, is when companies carry equipment and men on the same lorry. When it's overloaded, workers have to sit on the machinery.
He said his workers bought a 5m-long canvas sheet to protect themselves from the rain. When it pours, they huddle under the sheet, holding hands.
Despite the recent accident, nothing has changed, Mr Arman said.
Another Bangladeshi workers, 38, who declined to be named, said that recently, one of his colleagues injured his leg falling off a lorry when it surged forward before he had properly climbed onboard.
Although he has worked in Singapore for 19 years, he said he had to take lorries only in the last two years. Previously, he lived onsite.
The lorry rides are very bumpy, he said. And that hurts his spine.
"One year, two years, so much damage to my back," he said.
Sometimes, when the lorry ends up behind a rubbish truck, the stench is unbearable, he said.
He added that when the workers get caught in the rain and fall sick, some foremen are unsympathetic.
Other workers though, had better experiences.
Indian national Muthu Senthil, 28, who has worked in Singapore for five years, takes the lorry from Tuas to Marina Bay at 7am every day. It's a 45-minute ride.
While there are no seat belts, he said everyone holds on to the handlebars at the side tightly. And people do not fall off as the driver moves off only after the workers have told him that everyone is secure.
No mixing
They also do not mix equipment with workers.
"If they need to get equipment, they'll make a second trip," Mr Senthil said.
Singapore roads are straight, he added, and not dangerous.
Mr Bala Supramaniam, 27, said his driver, a Singaporean, was "very good" and cleans his lorry every day.
"He follows the speed limit, even on the highway," he said.
His lorry has plywood planks securely bolted to the sides for the workers to sit, and handles to grasp.
Mr Bala deals with the dust and smoke of the roads with a handkerchief over his mouth.
What he is unhappy about is the way many workers get on or off a lorry while it's still moving.
All the foreign workers we spoke to said they preferred to be transported by bus. But most were not optimistic that there will be changes any time soon.
Said Mr Arman, "If I tell my boss, buy a bus for us, he'll say, 'waste money for what?'"
Call for a Review of Foreign Worker Policy
Today ran this article on 26 May 2009:
Call for a review of foreign worker policy
By Neo Chai Chin
Should Singapore tighten its “liberal” foreign worker policies? Some Members of Parliament think so and have called for a Government review.
Jurong MP Halimah Yacob urged for a review of foreign worker quotas to reflect today’s situation of higher unemployment and weaker job creation. She warned of a “hollowing out of skills” among locals, should large numbers of foreigners occupy jobs in a particular sector.
“There are now so many foreign workers even in the services sector that Singaporeans are beginning to feel squeezed out,” she said. For their part, Singaporeans must be prepared to work in new sectors or work further away from home.
Ang Mo Kio MP Inderjit Singh believes Singapore needs more pro-active measures such as a minimum-wage system to make some jobs more attractive to locals — a call the Opposition has made in the past — as well as reserving certain jobs for Singaporeans.
Middle- and lower-income groups here will be worse off over time with the current liberal policies due to “artificially depressed” wages — a result of “competition for low value-added jobs from foreigners”, he said.
Call for a review of foreign worker policy
By Neo Chai Chin
Should Singapore tighten its “liberal” foreign worker policies? Some Members of Parliament think so and have called for a Government review.
Jurong MP Halimah Yacob urged for a review of foreign worker quotas to reflect today’s situation of higher unemployment and weaker job creation. She warned of a “hollowing out of skills” among locals, should large numbers of foreigners occupy jobs in a particular sector.
“There are now so many foreign workers even in the services sector that Singaporeans are beginning to feel squeezed out,” she said. For their part, Singaporeans must be prepared to work in new sectors or work further away from home.
Ang Mo Kio MP Inderjit Singh believes Singapore needs more pro-active measures such as a minimum-wage system to make some jobs more attractive to locals — a call the Opposition has made in the past — as well as reserving certain jobs for Singaporeans.
Middle- and lower-income groups here will be worse off over time with the current liberal policies due to “artificially depressed” wages — a result of “competition for low value-added jobs from foreigners”, he said.
Chinese Worker Jailed for 10 Weeks
The Straits Times ran this story on 25 May 2009:
Jailed for 10 weeks
A CHINESE national who threatened to jump from the top of the Ministry of Manpower building last month had no intention of doing so, a district court heard on Monday.
Zhao Er Hui's purpose of calling the police on April 1 was to intimidate MOM officers to intervene into his work-related issues with his employer.
The 32-year-old was jailed for 10 weeks after he admitted to criminal trespass at the seven-storey MOM building at Havelock Road that day.
Jailed for 10 weeks
A CHINESE national who threatened to jump from the top of the Ministry of Manpower building last month had no intention of doing so, a district court heard on Monday.
Zhao Er Hui's purpose of calling the police on April 1 was to intimidate MOM officers to intervene into his work-related issues with his employer.
The 32-year-old was jailed for 10 weeks after he admitted to criminal trespass at the seven-storey MOM building at Havelock Road that day.
Profitable, So Deducted Staff Pay Given Back
This article was published in The Business Times on 25 May 2009:
Profitable, so deducted staff pay given back
LIKE many other companies, Knight Frank has cut staff pay as one way of riding out the downturn. But unlike most, it's ready to pay back the amount taken away - when it does well.
Staff whose pay was cut by 10-20 per cent for the months of February to April have been paid back the deducted amount.
Knight Frank chairman Tan Tiong Cheng told BT that this was done after the company managed to 'scrape through' and make a profit for the year ended April 30, 2009.
And while the pay cut remains for the current financial year, Knight Frank will return the deducted amount again should it do well.
The group has a total headcount of about 560 people in Singapore. That's excluding its network of about 700 associates or agents who don't earn a salary but are paid commissions on sales instead.
Executive directors and directors took the biggest pay cut of 20 per cent from Feb 1, with other staff seeing their salaries trimmed between 10 and 15 per cent, again with more senior staff members taking the bigger hit. Those earning less than $2,000 a month were spared.
Mr Tan declined to say just how much profit the company made for the financial year just ended. However, he disclosed that turnover fell 25-30 per cent - investment sales and residential agency businesses were hit by the property slump, but valuation did 'extremely well' and retail agency also chalked up good numbers.
On a group basis, including the results of subsidiaries such as Knight Frank Shopping Centre Management, Knight Frank Estate Management (which does property and facilities management) and Knight Frank Property Network (the associates arm), revenue took a small dent.
Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority records show that the company made an after-tax profit of $5.4 million and had revenue of $37.2 million for the year ended April 30, 2007. Figures for the year ended April 30, 2008 were not listed.
Profitable, so deducted staff pay given back
LIKE many other companies, Knight Frank has cut staff pay as one way of riding out the downturn. But unlike most, it's ready to pay back the amount taken away - when it does well.
Staff whose pay was cut by 10-20 per cent for the months of February to April have been paid back the deducted amount.
Knight Frank chairman Tan Tiong Cheng told BT that this was done after the company managed to 'scrape through' and make a profit for the year ended April 30, 2009.
And while the pay cut remains for the current financial year, Knight Frank will return the deducted amount again should it do well.
The group has a total headcount of about 560 people in Singapore. That's excluding its network of about 700 associates or agents who don't earn a salary but are paid commissions on sales instead.
Executive directors and directors took the biggest pay cut of 20 per cent from Feb 1, with other staff seeing their salaries trimmed between 10 and 15 per cent, again with more senior staff members taking the bigger hit. Those earning less than $2,000 a month were spared.
Mr Tan declined to say just how much profit the company made for the financial year just ended. However, he disclosed that turnover fell 25-30 per cent - investment sales and residential agency businesses were hit by the property slump, but valuation did 'extremely well' and retail agency also chalked up good numbers.
On a group basis, including the results of subsidiaries such as Knight Frank Shopping Centre Management, Knight Frank Estate Management (which does property and facilities management) and Knight Frank Property Network (the associates arm), revenue took a small dent.
Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority records show that the company made an after-tax profit of $5.4 million and had revenue of $37.2 million for the year ended April 30, 2007. Figures for the year ended April 30, 2008 were not listed.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Three NGOs Form Coalition Called Solidarity for Migrant Workers
Channel NewsAsia ran this article on 24 May 2009:
Three NGOs form coalition called Solidarity for Migrant Workers
By Lynda Hong
SINGAPORE : Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have said they are seeing a huge impact on foreign workers due to the economic recession.
Thus, despite more steps being taken to improve the working conditions of foreign workers, NGOs want to further strengthen activism for them.
Three NGOs - Migrant Voices, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) - have come together to form a coalition called the Solidarity for Migrant Workers, which taps on the expertise of the three foreign worker NGOs.
Up to 160 foreign workers attended the launch of the new coalition on Sunday afternoon.
Three NGOs form coalition called Solidarity for Migrant Workers
By Lynda Hong
SINGAPORE : Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have said they are seeing a huge impact on foreign workers due to the economic recession.
Thus, despite more steps being taken to improve the working conditions of foreign workers, NGOs want to further strengthen activism for them.
Three NGOs - Migrant Voices, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) - have come together to form a coalition called the Solidarity for Migrant Workers, which taps on the expertise of the three foreign worker NGOs.
Up to 160 foreign workers attended the launch of the new coalition on Sunday afternoon.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Arrests in Chinese Slavery Case
BBC ran this article on 22 May 2009:
Arrests in Chinese slavery case
Police in eastern China have arrested 10 people suspected of beating mentally disabled people forced to work as slaves in brick factories.
State media said the brick kiln owner had bought 32 such people and forced them to work without pay.
The victims, aged between 25 and 45, were freed in a police raid in April.
The case echoes a scandal in 2007, when more than 1,000 labourers - including children were found working in brutal conditions in central Shanxi province.
Following that scandal, China announced a nationwide crackdown on enslavement and child labour.
Terrible conditions
Under terrible conditions, 32 mentally disabled people were forced to work in brick kilns in Jieshou city, in Anhui province, according to the Xinhua news agency.
The 10 are "suspected of beating and treating the mentally handicapped people like slaves," a local police official was quoted as saying.
The victims had been sold to a factory owner for less than $50 (£30) each, after being recruited off the street by a taxi driver promising work food and lodging, the report said.
Unpaid, and working more than 10 hours a day, they were fed little more than steamed dough.
Twelve of those freed have now returned home, while the remainder, many of whom are unable to say where they live, are being kept in local shelters.
Arrests in Chinese slavery case
Police in eastern China have arrested 10 people suspected of beating mentally disabled people forced to work as slaves in brick factories.
State media said the brick kiln owner had bought 32 such people and forced them to work without pay.
The victims, aged between 25 and 45, were freed in a police raid in April.
The case echoes a scandal in 2007, when more than 1,000 labourers - including children were found working in brutal conditions in central Shanxi province.
Following that scandal, China announced a nationwide crackdown on enslavement and child labour.
Terrible conditions
Under terrible conditions, 32 mentally disabled people were forced to work in brick kilns in Jieshou city, in Anhui province, according to the Xinhua news agency.
The 10 are "suspected of beating and treating the mentally handicapped people like slaves," a local police official was quoted as saying.
The victims had been sold to a factory owner for less than $50 (£30) each, after being recruited off the street by a taxi driver promising work food and lodging, the report said.
Unpaid, and working more than 10 hours a day, they were fed little more than steamed dough.
Twelve of those freed have now returned home, while the remainder, many of whom are unable to say where they live, are being kept in local shelters.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
MOM Focuses Attention On Developing Globally Competitive Workforce
ChannelNewsAsia ran this article on 19 May 2009:
MOM focuses attention on developing globally competitive workforce
By S.Ramesh
SINGAPORE: Singapore said measures like the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) are efforts not just for the downturn but to also ensure the Republic remains competitive in the long-run.
The Manpower Ministry highlighted its plans in conjunction with the President's address to Parliament.
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said a key priority in the next two years is addressing the downturn.
Up to April this year, 94,000 workers and 1,400 companies have committed to training programmes under SPUR.
Me Gan said: "SPUR will encourage companies to save jobs but it is not intended to stop companies totally from retrenchment. Some restructuring is necessary for companies to better position themselves so that they are able to cope with the downturn and emerge from the recession stronger and more competitive."
While SPUR is for a two year period, the Manpower Ministry hopes that Singaporeans will continue to cultivate the attitude of lifelong learning and develop a learning culture even after the economy recovers and the recession is over.
To achieve this, the ministry said it will continue to strengthen the system of Continuing Education and Training (CET). This will be done by expanding the CET infrastructure and recognising the qualifications by employers and workers.
There are now more than 40 CET centres in Singapore. Mr Gan also urged all to be prepared for a second wave of retrenchments, one reason for the release of new tripartite guidelines to manage excess manpower in companies.
He said: "Once we are prepared, whether it comes in the second, third or fourth quarter, it doesn't really matter because we are already prepared. The companies are ready, tighten, strengthen, our workers are already ready. That is the most important task ahead of us."
Moving ahead, the ministry said low wage workers will continue to be helped through Workfare, to ensure they too benefit from the country's progress.
MOM focuses attention on developing globally competitive workforce
By S.Ramesh
SINGAPORE: Singapore said measures like the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) are efforts not just for the downturn but to also ensure the Republic remains competitive in the long-run.
The Manpower Ministry highlighted its plans in conjunction with the President's address to Parliament.
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said a key priority in the next two years is addressing the downturn.
Up to April this year, 94,000 workers and 1,400 companies have committed to training programmes under SPUR.
Me Gan said: "SPUR will encourage companies to save jobs but it is not intended to stop companies totally from retrenchment. Some restructuring is necessary for companies to better position themselves so that they are able to cope with the downturn and emerge from the recession stronger and more competitive."
While SPUR is for a two year period, the Manpower Ministry hopes that Singaporeans will continue to cultivate the attitude of lifelong learning and develop a learning culture even after the economy recovers and the recession is over.
To achieve this, the ministry said it will continue to strengthen the system of Continuing Education and Training (CET). This will be done by expanding the CET infrastructure and recognising the qualifications by employers and workers.
There are now more than 40 CET centres in Singapore. Mr Gan also urged all to be prepared for a second wave of retrenchments, one reason for the release of new tripartite guidelines to manage excess manpower in companies.
He said: "Once we are prepared, whether it comes in the second, third or fourth quarter, it doesn't really matter because we are already prepared. The companies are ready, tighten, strengthen, our workers are already ready. That is the most important task ahead of us."
Moving ahead, the ministry said low wage workers will continue to be helped through Workfare, to ensure they too benefit from the country's progress.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Most Accept MOM's Settlement Offer
The New Paper ran this story on 6 May 2009:
Most accept MOM's settlement offer
FOR these unhappy workers, their six-hour wait last week seems to have paid off - to some extent.
Yesterday, the workers claimed that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has paid more than $1,000 and provided a ticket back to China to each of them.
The New Paper reported last Tuesday that about 200 Chinese workers had gathered outside the MOM building at Havelock Road on Monday.
The workers, who were mainly from three companies, Hokh Contract Services, Raffles Contractors and Neo-Built, had gathered there to demand their outstanding wages.
They were also unhappy that their work permits were terminated without prior notice on 13 Apr.
MOM had revoked the permits of the workers from the three companies as the companies had failed to pay the foreign worker levy, failed to produce documents and physically produce their workers.
As a result of the termination, many workers had to forfeit part of the money they had paid their companies for 'expenses'.
About 400 workers who turned up at a meeting held at the MOM office at Kim Seng Road yesterday left the place with mixed feelings.
Eighty per cent of them accepted the offer of settlement, the MOM told The New Paper without going into details.
A former worker from Hokh Contract Services, who only wanted to be known as Mr Xu, said he was satisfied with the outcome.
The 30-year-old said: 'I cannot ask for more. They have done what they could. I know that some of my friends are not happy but it is not easy to satisfy all of us.'
Mr Zhou Degui, 50, felt that the sum offered was too small.
Mr Zhou, formerly from Neo-Built, said that the sum offered was small compared to what he was owed by the company.
A former Hokh Contract Services worker, Mr Fan Cheng Gui, 42, said that even though he was not satisfied, there is nothing he can do.
He said: 'And I've only been here for one month. You can just say that we are unlucky.'
According to a former Raffles Contractors employee, Mr Wang Yu, 37, each worker has to pay the companies amounts varying between $5,000 and $6,000 every year.
This sum would cover the total monthly expenses, such as insurance.
At the gathering last Monday, MOM officers had scheduled a meeting with the workers at the MOM office at Kim Seng Road yesterday so the matter could be discussed further.
The meeting, which started at 9am, lasted for about three hours.
The New Paper also understands that each worker was handled individually by the MOM officers.
More workers
Meanwhile, the New Paper saw another batch of workers from two other companies gathered outside the MOM premises yesterday.
Claiming to be from construction and engineering companies, they claimed they also faced the same problem of non-payment of wages.
Mr Wang Yu Shan, 42, a worker who was there with the new group, showed The New Paper four namecards from four companies which had the same addresses and telephone numbers.
Another worker from this group told The New Paper that the MOM had asked them to to come back tomorrow .
It is understood that the MOM will be releasing the details of the settlement of the cases in due course.
Most accept MOM's settlement offer
FOR these unhappy workers, their six-hour wait last week seems to have paid off - to some extent.
Yesterday, the workers claimed that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has paid more than $1,000 and provided a ticket back to China to each of them.
The New Paper reported last Tuesday that about 200 Chinese workers had gathered outside the MOM building at Havelock Road on Monday.
The workers, who were mainly from three companies, Hokh Contract Services, Raffles Contractors and Neo-Built, had gathered there to demand their outstanding wages.
They were also unhappy that their work permits were terminated without prior notice on 13 Apr.
MOM had revoked the permits of the workers from the three companies as the companies had failed to pay the foreign worker levy, failed to produce documents and physically produce their workers.
As a result of the termination, many workers had to forfeit part of the money they had paid their companies for 'expenses'.
About 400 workers who turned up at a meeting held at the MOM office at Kim Seng Road yesterday left the place with mixed feelings.
Eighty per cent of them accepted the offer of settlement, the MOM told The New Paper without going into details.
A former worker from Hokh Contract Services, who only wanted to be known as Mr Xu, said he was satisfied with the outcome.
The 30-year-old said: 'I cannot ask for more. They have done what they could. I know that some of my friends are not happy but it is not easy to satisfy all of us.'
Mr Zhou Degui, 50, felt that the sum offered was too small.
Mr Zhou, formerly from Neo-Built, said that the sum offered was small compared to what he was owed by the company.
A former Hokh Contract Services worker, Mr Fan Cheng Gui, 42, said that even though he was not satisfied, there is nothing he can do.
He said: 'And I've only been here for one month. You can just say that we are unlucky.'
According to a former Raffles Contractors employee, Mr Wang Yu, 37, each worker has to pay the companies amounts varying between $5,000 and $6,000 every year.
This sum would cover the total monthly expenses, such as insurance.
At the gathering last Monday, MOM officers had scheduled a meeting with the workers at the MOM office at Kim Seng Road yesterday so the matter could be discussed further.
The meeting, which started at 9am, lasted for about three hours.
The New Paper also understands that each worker was handled individually by the MOM officers.
More workers
Meanwhile, the New Paper saw another batch of workers from two other companies gathered outside the MOM premises yesterday.
Claiming to be from construction and engineering companies, they claimed they also faced the same problem of non-payment of wages.
Mr Wang Yu Shan, 42, a worker who was there with the new group, showed The New Paper four namecards from four companies which had the same addresses and telephone numbers.
Another worker from this group told The New Paper that the MOM had asked them to to come back tomorrow .
It is understood that the MOM will be releasing the details of the settlement of the cases in due course.
Teen Arrested for Violence at MP's Office
The New Paper ran this story on 6 May 2009:
TEEN ARRESTED FOR VIOLENCE AT MP'S OFFICE
I'M SORRY
By Ng Tze Yong
A YOUTH with low IQ has been arrested by police after flying into a rage at a Meet-the-People Session (MPS), upset at what he felt was his MP's cold-shoulder treatment of his mother's financial plight.
The 17-year-old boy hoisted an aluminium foldable chair over his head and slammed it against a glass door seconds after walking out of MP Cynthia Phua's Serangoon North office with his mother.
The boy, who has been released on bail, has been told to report back to the police on 12 May, where he may be charged with committing a rash act.
The offence carries a jail term of up to six months and a fine of up to $2,500.
The youth cannot be named because of impending court proceedings.
This is the third incident in recent months involving MPs and their constituents.
The boy and his mother, 53, are familiar faces to the grassroots volunteers at the MPS.
The unwed mother with Primary 6 education gets by on a $400 monthly salary as a part-time cleaner.
He attended a special school and suffers from thalassemia, a blood disorder that renders him weak and sickly.
The mother said that things went from bad to worse in November 2004 when the boy's father disappeared and stopped paying the $300 monthly maintenance due to her.
As a result, she visited the MPS about once a month for the past few years to request for various kinds of financial aid.
January this year saw a crisis unfold in their lives, when the mother broke her wrist after falling off a chair while cleaning a fan. She hasn't worked since.
She said the HDB was then in the middle of repossessing her flat and giving her a rental unit, but she was unable to pay the $138 in rental deposit and stamp duty.
So last Monday, she went to the office at Block 125, Serangoon North Ave 1, where MP Lim Hwee Hua holds her MPS, hoping to have her sign an appeal letter for HDB.
But that day, Mrs Lim, who is also a minister in the Prime Minister's Office, was abroad. Fellow Aljunied GRC MP Cynthia Phua stood in for her.
The mother's request was granted - Madam Phua signed the letter - but mother and son left fuming, claiming that Madam Phua had put them down.
She claimed that shortly after they had entered the office, Madam Phua asked her son a series of questions:
'She asked him, 'Who are you? What are you doing? Why aren't you working?' she claimed.
The mother said she wanted to explain her son's condition, but wasn't given a chance.
'I felt like we were being scolded,' she said.
The meeting ended after two or three minutes, she said.
As they were walking out, the son snapped.
His outburst with the chair - two blows against the glass door, which didn't break - was 'strong enough to get someone killed', said the Serangoon PAP branch secretary, Mr Poon Mun Wai.
As grassroots volunteers scrambled to calm down the teenager, his mother begged a neighbour to whisk him home immediately.
Later that night, the police arrived at their flat and arrested him. He was released on bail at about 1am.
When contacted, Madam Phua contradicted the mother's version of events, saying she felt that their conversation 'went well'.
She said: 'Like any normal case at MPS, I have to try to understand the case first of all...
'I had to ask some pointed questions about his employment status to understand the root cause of the problem, so that I can be more effective in helping them.'
During the one week after the incident, the mother pondered what to do.
She got her son to shave off his shoulder-length orange-dyed hair to get rid of bad luck.
For days, she said, he couldn't find the courage to face himself in the mirror. He also decided to put on hold a long-time dream to audition for Singapore Idol.
Two days ago, she returned to the MPS again alone and clutching a handwritten letter of apology from her son.
'Please fodgive me for what I dad I am sinelely truely I'm sorry (sic),' the teenager had written in big, neat handwriting.
The apology, however, was not acceptable to Mrs Lim, who was back chairing the MPS after returning from abroad.
'I made it very clear to (the mother) that this is unacceptable behaviour. It is not justifiable in any circumstance. There's no excuse to be violent,' Mrs Lim told The New Paper.
She also explained that she was not in a position to excuse or forgive the boy.
'I was not present and the police are investigating into the matter. I believe the police will take into consideration the mitigating factors,' said Mrs Lim.
'From what I understand, Madam Phua was being very motherly and very helpful inside the room with them.'
Mrs Lim's response surprised the mother, who had spoken fondly of her throughout the interview with The New Paper just a day before.
She said: 'I know what my son did was wrong. But how can I not defend him? He is my son, he is not well and he has a problem with his temper.
'I don't want him to go to jail and have his future ruined.'
TEEN ARRESTED FOR VIOLENCE AT MP'S OFFICE
I'M SORRY
By Ng Tze Yong
A YOUTH with low IQ has been arrested by police after flying into a rage at a Meet-the-People Session (MPS), upset at what he felt was his MP's cold-shoulder treatment of his mother's financial plight.
The 17-year-old boy hoisted an aluminium foldable chair over his head and slammed it against a glass door seconds after walking out of MP Cynthia Phua's Serangoon North office with his mother.
The boy, who has been released on bail, has been told to report back to the police on 12 May, where he may be charged with committing a rash act.
The offence carries a jail term of up to six months and a fine of up to $2,500.
The youth cannot be named because of impending court proceedings.
This is the third incident in recent months involving MPs and their constituents.
The boy and his mother, 53, are familiar faces to the grassroots volunteers at the MPS.
The unwed mother with Primary 6 education gets by on a $400 monthly salary as a part-time cleaner.
He attended a special school and suffers from thalassemia, a blood disorder that renders him weak and sickly.
The mother said that things went from bad to worse in November 2004 when the boy's father disappeared and stopped paying the $300 monthly maintenance due to her.
As a result, she visited the MPS about once a month for the past few years to request for various kinds of financial aid.
January this year saw a crisis unfold in their lives, when the mother broke her wrist after falling off a chair while cleaning a fan. She hasn't worked since.
She said the HDB was then in the middle of repossessing her flat and giving her a rental unit, but she was unable to pay the $138 in rental deposit and stamp duty.
So last Monday, she went to the office at Block 125, Serangoon North Ave 1, where MP Lim Hwee Hua holds her MPS, hoping to have her sign an appeal letter for HDB.
But that day, Mrs Lim, who is also a minister in the Prime Minister's Office, was abroad. Fellow Aljunied GRC MP Cynthia Phua stood in for her.
The mother's request was granted - Madam Phua signed the letter - but mother and son left fuming, claiming that Madam Phua had put them down.
She claimed that shortly after they had entered the office, Madam Phua asked her son a series of questions:
'She asked him, 'Who are you? What are you doing? Why aren't you working?' she claimed.
The mother said she wanted to explain her son's condition, but wasn't given a chance.
'I felt like we were being scolded,' she said.
The meeting ended after two or three minutes, she said.
As they were walking out, the son snapped.
His outburst with the chair - two blows against the glass door, which didn't break - was 'strong enough to get someone killed', said the Serangoon PAP branch secretary, Mr Poon Mun Wai.
As grassroots volunteers scrambled to calm down the teenager, his mother begged a neighbour to whisk him home immediately.
Later that night, the police arrived at their flat and arrested him. He was released on bail at about 1am.
When contacted, Madam Phua contradicted the mother's version of events, saying she felt that their conversation 'went well'.
She said: 'Like any normal case at MPS, I have to try to understand the case first of all...
'I had to ask some pointed questions about his employment status to understand the root cause of the problem, so that I can be more effective in helping them.'
During the one week after the incident, the mother pondered what to do.
She got her son to shave off his shoulder-length orange-dyed hair to get rid of bad luck.
For days, she said, he couldn't find the courage to face himself in the mirror. He also decided to put on hold a long-time dream to audition for Singapore Idol.
Two days ago, she returned to the MPS again alone and clutching a handwritten letter of apology from her son.
'Please fodgive me for what I dad I am sinelely truely I'm sorry (sic),' the teenager had written in big, neat handwriting.
The apology, however, was not acceptable to Mrs Lim, who was back chairing the MPS after returning from abroad.
'I made it very clear to (the mother) that this is unacceptable behaviour. It is not justifiable in any circumstance. There's no excuse to be violent,' Mrs Lim told The New Paper.
She also explained that she was not in a position to excuse or forgive the boy.
'I was not present and the police are investigating into the matter. I believe the police will take into consideration the mitigating factors,' said Mrs Lim.
'From what I understand, Madam Phua was being very motherly and very helpful inside the room with them.'
Mrs Lim's response surprised the mother, who had spoken fondly of her throughout the interview with The New Paper just a day before.
She said: 'I know what my son did was wrong. But how can I not defend him? He is my son, he is not well and he has a problem with his temper.
'I don't want him to go to jail and have his future ruined.'
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Ho Ching Gets Top Award
The Straits Times ran this story on 2 May 2009:
Outgoing Temasek chief Ho Ching gets top award
By Kor Kian Beng
OUTGOING Temasek chief Ho Ching received this year's top labour award for her support of the work of unions and for safeguarding workers' interests here.
Ms Ho, 56, was one of two senior management figures who received the Medal of Commendation (Gold) Award at the May Day Dinner last night.
The other was Mr James Lee Kim Wah, 70, director and senior adviser of property and retail group Wing Tai Holdings.
Ms Ho and Mr Lee, both nominated by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), received their awards from labour chief Lim Swee Say at the Orchid Country Club.
A range of awards were also presented to 58 other individuals and companies for their contributions to the labour movement, improving relations and looking out for the interests of workers.
Among them was veteran unionist Michael Chang Song Chew, who received the Comrade of Labour (Star) Award.
The presentations were made before an audience of 1,400. They included Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who accompanied his wife Ms Ho; guest of honour Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong; other Cabinet ministers; labour MPs; unionists and employers.
In its citation, the NTUC described Ms Ho as an 'exemplary leader who supports the work of unions, engages the union leaders, and cares for the workers'.
And it cited specific instances to illustrate her positive contributions.
In 2007, when Temasek decided to sell its power generation companies, she anticipated the anxieties of leaders and members of the Union of Power and Gas Employees and engaged them early. In doing so, she addressed the concerns they had about the future of their jobs.
The NTUC said Ms Ho also meets leaders of the Singapore Port Workers' Union and Port Officers' Union periodically to exchange views. She was instrumental in resolving the issue of special payments for workers when port operator PSA Corporation suspended its listing plans in 2002. Temasek is a PSA shareholder.
Another example: During the 2003 Sars crisis, she encouraged taxi operators to start a Hardship Fund for quarantined taxi drivers and to also set up temperature checkpoints for cabbies islandwide.
'The leaders at the various unions and taxi associations involved are deeply impressed and touched by Madam Ho's concern and personal involvement in safeguarding the well-being of their workers,' the NTUC said in its citation.
Speaking at her Temasek office before the ceremony, Ms Ho, who is chief executive officer and executive director, said of the award: 'It's a recognition of the trust between Temasek as a team and some of the unions that we have worked with.'
She described the labour relations here as a unique strength for Singapore as management and unions understood each other's needs and shared common long-term interests for the country.
'We're not fighting for a bigger share of one small pie. But really it's about growing that pie and making sure the pie is sustainable. And that, in turn, is in the long term interest of everyone,' she said.
But these strong ties did not come easy. It required an effort on both sides 'to give and take, to understand the other perspective, and most important, not to break the trust between each other'.
'So when there are difficult issues, we don't dodge the issues. We bring them to the table and discuss them.'
Ms Ho, who hands over the reins on Oct 1 to Mr Charles Goodyear, said the mutual confidence among unions, management and government is an important element of labour relations here.
At last night's ceremony, Mr Gan said the swine influenza outbreak will add uncertainty to the economic outlook, and added that the labour market 'will remain weak for quite some time'.
But Singaporeans could remain confident of overcoming the challenges as the fundamentals here, including the tripartite relationship, were strong.
Singapore responded swiftly and decisively, he said citing the $20.5-billion Resilience Package, among others.
Also, there are at least 45,000 jobs expected over the next two years, while 20,000 jobs are currently available in various industries and at different levels.
Over 77,000 workers and 1,100 companies have also committed to the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or Spur, since its launch last December.
He also expressed confidence that by working together, Singaporeans can and will overcome the crisis as they had done in the past.
Outgoing Temasek chief Ho Ching gets top award
By Kor Kian Beng
OUTGOING Temasek chief Ho Ching received this year's top labour award for her support of the work of unions and for safeguarding workers' interests here.
Ms Ho, 56, was one of two senior management figures who received the Medal of Commendation (Gold) Award at the May Day Dinner last night.
The other was Mr James Lee Kim Wah, 70, director and senior adviser of property and retail group Wing Tai Holdings.
Ms Ho and Mr Lee, both nominated by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), received their awards from labour chief Lim Swee Say at the Orchid Country Club.
A range of awards were also presented to 58 other individuals and companies for their contributions to the labour movement, improving relations and looking out for the interests of workers.
Among them was veteran unionist Michael Chang Song Chew, who received the Comrade of Labour (Star) Award.
The presentations were made before an audience of 1,400. They included Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who accompanied his wife Ms Ho; guest of honour Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong; other Cabinet ministers; labour MPs; unionists and employers.
In its citation, the NTUC described Ms Ho as an 'exemplary leader who supports the work of unions, engages the union leaders, and cares for the workers'.
And it cited specific instances to illustrate her positive contributions.
In 2007, when Temasek decided to sell its power generation companies, she anticipated the anxieties of leaders and members of the Union of Power and Gas Employees and engaged them early. In doing so, she addressed the concerns they had about the future of their jobs.
The NTUC said Ms Ho also meets leaders of the Singapore Port Workers' Union and Port Officers' Union periodically to exchange views. She was instrumental in resolving the issue of special payments for workers when port operator PSA Corporation suspended its listing plans in 2002. Temasek is a PSA shareholder.
Another example: During the 2003 Sars crisis, she encouraged taxi operators to start a Hardship Fund for quarantined taxi drivers and to also set up temperature checkpoints for cabbies islandwide.
'The leaders at the various unions and taxi associations involved are deeply impressed and touched by Madam Ho's concern and personal involvement in safeguarding the well-being of their workers,' the NTUC said in its citation.
Speaking at her Temasek office before the ceremony, Ms Ho, who is chief executive officer and executive director, said of the award: 'It's a recognition of the trust between Temasek as a team and some of the unions that we have worked with.'
She described the labour relations here as a unique strength for Singapore as management and unions understood each other's needs and shared common long-term interests for the country.
'We're not fighting for a bigger share of one small pie. But really it's about growing that pie and making sure the pie is sustainable. And that, in turn, is in the long term interest of everyone,' she said.
But these strong ties did not come easy. It required an effort on both sides 'to give and take, to understand the other perspective, and most important, not to break the trust between each other'.
'So when there are difficult issues, we don't dodge the issues. We bring them to the table and discuss them.'
Ms Ho, who hands over the reins on Oct 1 to Mr Charles Goodyear, said the mutual confidence among unions, management and government is an important element of labour relations here.
At last night's ceremony, Mr Gan said the swine influenza outbreak will add uncertainty to the economic outlook, and added that the labour market 'will remain weak for quite some time'.
But Singaporeans could remain confident of overcoming the challenges as the fundamentals here, including the tripartite relationship, were strong.
Singapore responded swiftly and decisively, he said citing the $20.5-billion Resilience Package, among others.
Also, there are at least 45,000 jobs expected over the next two years, while 20,000 jobs are currently available in various industries and at different levels.
Over 77,000 workers and 1,100 companies have also committed to the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or Spur, since its launch last December.
He also expressed confidence that by working together, Singaporeans can and will overcome the crisis as they had done in the past.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
200 Foreign Workers Show Up at MOM
The Straits Times ran this story on 28 April 2009:
200 foreign workers show up at MOM
By Melissa Sim
When construction worker Feng Jinfu, 48, picked up his 'renewed' work permit on April 13, the China national had no idea that it was also the day the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) cancelled it.
Word has since got around among several construction industry workers like him. Thus for the third reported time in four months, MOM yesterday found its Havelock Road premises filled with a group of foreign workers wanting answers.
The 200 there yesterday also wanted their salaries and refunds on the deposits they claim to have paid their employers.
According to MOM, the reason the work permits were cancelled was because the employers had either failed to pay the foreign workers' levy, submit documents or physically produce the foreign workers.
MOM officers addressed the crowd yesterday, explaining that investigations were under way.
They also urged the workers to look for other jobs and report back next Tuesday. When about 130 of them refused to leave, the police were called in.
In a statement yesterday, MOM said the workers were 'uncooperative and behaved in a rowdy manner'. It added that it would refer the workers to the police if they were there again 'without prior appointments and without valid reasons'.
The workers, from Hokh Contract Services, Raffles Contractors and Neo-Built, were among the 800 who gathered at Kallang Pudding Road last week. About 40 from that group were taken to MOM to help with investigations. They said they were trying to get back the fees - at least $5,700 each - which they had paid on arrival here.
200 foreign workers show up at MOM
By Melissa Sim
When construction worker Feng Jinfu, 48, picked up his 'renewed' work permit on April 13, the China national had no idea that it was also the day the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) cancelled it.
Word has since got around among several construction industry workers like him. Thus for the third reported time in four months, MOM yesterday found its Havelock Road premises filled with a group of foreign workers wanting answers.
The 200 there yesterday also wanted their salaries and refunds on the deposits they claim to have paid their employers.
According to MOM, the reason the work permits were cancelled was because the employers had either failed to pay the foreign workers' levy, submit documents or physically produce the foreign workers.
MOM officers addressed the crowd yesterday, explaining that investigations were under way.
They also urged the workers to look for other jobs and report back next Tuesday. When about 130 of them refused to leave, the police were called in.
In a statement yesterday, MOM said the workers were 'uncooperative and behaved in a rowdy manner'. It added that it would refer the workers to the police if they were there again 'without prior appointments and without valid reasons'.
The workers, from Hokh Contract Services, Raffles Contractors and Neo-Built, were among the 800 who gathered at Kallang Pudding Road last week. About 40 from that group were taken to MOM to help with investigations. They said they were trying to get back the fees - at least $5,700 each - which they had paid on arrival here.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Unhappy Workers Who Turn Rowdy Cautioned
Today ran this story on 28 April 2009:
A stern warning for mob
By Lin Yanqin and Teo Xuanwei
CROWDS of unpaid, unhappy foreign workers seeking help have become a common sight at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Building in recent months.
But a mob of workers from China who turned rowdy yesterday elicited a stern warning from MOM: Break the law again, and not only will it delay your case, we’ll refer you to the police.
Some 200 workers from Raffles Contractors, Hokh Contract Services and Neo-Built Pte Ltd — the same group interviewed by MOM officers on Friday — had assembled at the Havelock Road premises in the morning seeking updates.
When asked to proceed to MOM’s Kim Seng Road office so their concerns could be investigated, about 40 did so, but 130 refused to leave.
“They were uncooperative and behaved in a rowdy manner, impeding the access of the public to MOM Building, and making a nuisance of themselves. These workers insisted on immediate resolution of their demands,” said MOM in a statement.
Despite numerous attempts at persuasion, the workers refused to leave, prompting MOM to call the police four hours later around 1.30pm.
When Today was there, officers in blue moved through the crowd, talking with workers who argued with them. Eventually, the workers were herded across the road where some still stood, refusing to budge.
“We have no money for food, and we can’t even pay for our rent anymore,” said Mr Xu, 40, from Zhejiang, who had worked for Hokh Contract Services for nine months before his contract was terminated. “They still owe me $3,000 in wages. I paid about 50,000 yuan ($11,000) to come here and work. What am I going to do?”
MOM repeated its assurance it was striving to “help workers sooner rather than later” on wage disputes, but such behaviour on their part was unproductive, only serving “to delay the resolution of their claims”.
“If these workers gather at MOM again without prior appointments and without valid reasons, MOM will immediately refer them to the police,” warned the ministry.
MOM added that it sought a “fair resolution” to all claims and thus, would need to establish the facts of the case before exploring a settlement between employers and workers.
A stern warning for mob
By Lin Yanqin and Teo Xuanwei
CROWDS of unpaid, unhappy foreign workers seeking help have become a common sight at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Building in recent months.
But a mob of workers from China who turned rowdy yesterday elicited a stern warning from MOM: Break the law again, and not only will it delay your case, we’ll refer you to the police.
Some 200 workers from Raffles Contractors, Hokh Contract Services and Neo-Built Pte Ltd — the same group interviewed by MOM officers on Friday — had assembled at the Havelock Road premises in the morning seeking updates.
When asked to proceed to MOM’s Kim Seng Road office so their concerns could be investigated, about 40 did so, but 130 refused to leave.
“They were uncooperative and behaved in a rowdy manner, impeding the access of the public to MOM Building, and making a nuisance of themselves. These workers insisted on immediate resolution of their demands,” said MOM in a statement.
Despite numerous attempts at persuasion, the workers refused to leave, prompting MOM to call the police four hours later around 1.30pm.
When Today was there, officers in blue moved through the crowd, talking with workers who argued with them. Eventually, the workers were herded across the road where some still stood, refusing to budge.
“We have no money for food, and we can’t even pay for our rent anymore,” said Mr Xu, 40, from Zhejiang, who had worked for Hokh Contract Services for nine months before his contract was terminated. “They still owe me $3,000 in wages. I paid about 50,000 yuan ($11,000) to come here and work. What am I going to do?”
MOM repeated its assurance it was striving to “help workers sooner rather than later” on wage disputes, but such behaviour on their part was unproductive, only serving “to delay the resolution of their claims”.
“If these workers gather at MOM again without prior appointments and without valid reasons, MOM will immediately refer them to the police,” warned the ministry.
MOM added that it sought a “fair resolution” to all claims and thus, would need to establish the facts of the case before exploring a settlement between employers and workers.
NTUC FairPrice Donates $3.18m to Fund
Today ran this story on 28 April 2009:
NTUC FairPrice donates $3.18m to fund
The NTUC FairPrice Foundation is donating another $3.18 million to the Labour Movement’s U Care fund.
The fund, launched in March, aims to help low-wage workers, including those retrenched, ride out the recession. In total, the foundation has given $5.25 million to the fund.
NTUC said its social enterprises had set a target of $10 million for the U Care fund this year and with the foundation’s contribution, this goal has been achieved.
NTUC FairPrice donates $3.18m to fund
The NTUC FairPrice Foundation is donating another $3.18 million to the Labour Movement’s U Care fund.
The fund, launched in March, aims to help low-wage workers, including those retrenched, ride out the recession. In total, the foundation has given $5.25 million to the fund.
NTUC said its social enterprises had set a target of $10 million for the U Care fund this year and with the foundation’s contribution, this goal has been achieved.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Workers Protest Against Unpaid Wages in Singapore
AFP ran this story on 27 April 2009:
Workers protest against unpaid wages in Singapore
SINGAPORE - More than 100 construction workers from China gathered outside Singapore's manpower ministry Monday to complain about unpaid wages and cancellation of their work permits, witnesses said.
The workers sat for about two hours at the steps of the ministry, at a busy intersection near the Chinatown district, and shouted at ministry officials and police officers to air their grievances.
There was no violence, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
At one point, police warned the workers to disperse within five minutes or face arrest. They left but regrouped across a road from the ministry, and voluntarily dispersed about an hour later.
Workers interviewed by AFP said they had not been paid their wages after their Chinese 'boss' absconded with the money. They also complained that their work permits had been cancelled without warning.
Comment from the manpower ministry on the workers' complaints was not immediately available.
Some of the workers told officials that they had not committed any crime and could not be arrested, but police told them they were illegally trespassing on government property.
'The government should punish the company, not punish us by cancelling our permits. We just want our compensation so we can go back to China,' construction worker Zhou Qing Ren, 40, told AFP.
'We have got no money to eat now and no proper place to stay,' another worker shouted.
Singapore is tightening its rules on outdoor protests as it prepares to host its largest international summit, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' forum, in November.
Analysts said the laws against outdoor protests can also be applied to deal with any outbreaks of public frustration amid the city-state's worst recession in more than 40 years.
An estimated one million foreigners live in Singapore, representing more than 20 percent of the total population, which is predominantly ethnic Chinese.
Workers protest against unpaid wages in Singapore
SINGAPORE - More than 100 construction workers from China gathered outside Singapore's manpower ministry Monday to complain about unpaid wages and cancellation of their work permits, witnesses said.
The workers sat for about two hours at the steps of the ministry, at a busy intersection near the Chinatown district, and shouted at ministry officials and police officers to air their grievances.
There was no violence, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
At one point, police warned the workers to disperse within five minutes or face arrest. They left but regrouped across a road from the ministry, and voluntarily dispersed about an hour later.
Workers interviewed by AFP said they had not been paid their wages after their Chinese 'boss' absconded with the money. They also complained that their work permits had been cancelled without warning.
Comment from the manpower ministry on the workers' complaints was not immediately available.
Some of the workers told officials that they had not committed any crime and could not be arrested, but police told them they were illegally trespassing on government property.
'The government should punish the company, not punish us by cancelling our permits. We just want our compensation so we can go back to China,' construction worker Zhou Qing Ren, 40, told AFP.
'We have got no money to eat now and no proper place to stay,' another worker shouted.
Singapore is tightening its rules on outdoor protests as it prepares to host its largest international summit, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' forum, in November.
Analysts said the laws against outdoor protests can also be applied to deal with any outbreaks of public frustration amid the city-state's worst recession in more than 40 years.
An estimated one million foreigners live in Singapore, representing more than 20 percent of the total population, which is predominantly ethnic Chinese.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Older Workers Most at Risk
Today ran this story on 25 April 2009:
Older workers most at risk
By Lin Yanqin with additional reporting by Teo Xuanwei
FOREIGNERS are being laid off at a much faster rate than locals, while those with tertiary education aged 40 and above are at the highest risk of being retrenched as the recession takes its toll on companies.
These trends were confirmed by the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) final report on labour for 2008, released on Friday.
Redundancies among foreign nationals rose 158 per cent last year, more than twice the 72 per cent rate for locals. However, locals still accounted for the majority of all redundancies, at 61 per cent.
And unlike in previous recessions when the less educated were most likely to be laid off, mature residents with tertiary qualifications were the most vulnerable group last year, “with above-average risk of retrenchment and below-average re-employment”, the report said.
The trends are likely to persist in the coming months, although much depends on how different sectors perform as the downturn pans out, economists said.
Employers will probably still lay off foreigners before locals — partly because the Government’s implementation of policies such as the Jobs Credit Scheme has “tilted the balance in favour of locals”, they said.
“The Government hasn’t sat around waiting for the numbers to show them the warning signs, so the various policies have helped partly in shielding local workers,” explained CIMB-GK economist Song Seng Wun.
But if the downturn persists and it likely will, it is only a matter of time before more locals get axed, they warned. Layoffs surged to a record quarterly high of 9,410 workers in the fourth quarter of last year, nearly triple the 3,180 layoffs in the preceding quarter. For the whole of 2008, redundancies hit 16,880 workers.
Retrenchments have not hit the highs of previous recessions in 1998 and 2001, but Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said the situation would likely worsen this year.
“The redundancy numbers (for Q1 2009) will be released shortly, but I think this first quarter is going to be worse than the last quarter of 2008,” he told reporters on Friday during a visit to Resorts World Sentosa.
“Given that the slowdown in the economy is going to last a while, I think the labour market will remain soft for a few quarters,” he said.
But there are still many jobs available, he stressed, citing the ramping up of recruitment by Resorts World as an example, noting that the resort operator had said it would make hiring locals its priority. And helping firms cut operating costs and encouraging locals to upgrade their skills will keep the scale of redundancies manageable, he said.
On a brighter note, seven in 10 locals retrenched in the third quarter of last year were re-employed by December, which possibly reflected the more realistic expectations of job seekers amid a weak labour market.
Not surprisingly, companies cited the recession as the top reason for laying off workers, affecting four in 10 (41 per cent) retrenched. This was followed closely by business restructuring (39 per cent), according to the MOM report.
As an Economist Intelligence Unit survey reported by Today last month showed, six in 10 companies said the slowdown offered an opportunity to streamline their businesses.
The MOM report also showed that after five years of gradually reducing their share of retrenchment, small and medium enterprises — those with 25 to 199 workers — stepped up the pace of layoffs as the recession continued to bite. They accounted for 78 per cent of the layoffs last year, up 4.1 percentage points.
After Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted the need to increase training capacity, Mr Gan said on Friday the MOM would tweak schemes like the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience to enhance their relevance and impact.
How job losses pan out this year will depend on employers’ “perception of the depth of the downturn”, Mr Song said. “Those who think a recovery is in sight ... will not retrench. But those who anticipate it will get worse will probably decide to restructure.”
Older workers most at risk
By Lin Yanqin with additional reporting by Teo Xuanwei
FOREIGNERS are being laid off at a much faster rate than locals, while those with tertiary education aged 40 and above are at the highest risk of being retrenched as the recession takes its toll on companies.
These trends were confirmed by the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) final report on labour for 2008, released on Friday.
Redundancies among foreign nationals rose 158 per cent last year, more than twice the 72 per cent rate for locals. However, locals still accounted for the majority of all redundancies, at 61 per cent.
And unlike in previous recessions when the less educated were most likely to be laid off, mature residents with tertiary qualifications were the most vulnerable group last year, “with above-average risk of retrenchment and below-average re-employment”, the report said.
The trends are likely to persist in the coming months, although much depends on how different sectors perform as the downturn pans out, economists said.
Employers will probably still lay off foreigners before locals — partly because the Government’s implementation of policies such as the Jobs Credit Scheme has “tilted the balance in favour of locals”, they said.
“The Government hasn’t sat around waiting for the numbers to show them the warning signs, so the various policies have helped partly in shielding local workers,” explained CIMB-GK economist Song Seng Wun.
But if the downturn persists and it likely will, it is only a matter of time before more locals get axed, they warned. Layoffs surged to a record quarterly high of 9,410 workers in the fourth quarter of last year, nearly triple the 3,180 layoffs in the preceding quarter. For the whole of 2008, redundancies hit 16,880 workers.
Retrenchments have not hit the highs of previous recessions in 1998 and 2001, but Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said the situation would likely worsen this year.
“The redundancy numbers (for Q1 2009) will be released shortly, but I think this first quarter is going to be worse than the last quarter of 2008,” he told reporters on Friday during a visit to Resorts World Sentosa.
“Given that the slowdown in the economy is going to last a while, I think the labour market will remain soft for a few quarters,” he said.
But there are still many jobs available, he stressed, citing the ramping up of recruitment by Resorts World as an example, noting that the resort operator had said it would make hiring locals its priority. And helping firms cut operating costs and encouraging locals to upgrade their skills will keep the scale of redundancies manageable, he said.
On a brighter note, seven in 10 locals retrenched in the third quarter of last year were re-employed by December, which possibly reflected the more realistic expectations of job seekers amid a weak labour market.
Not surprisingly, companies cited the recession as the top reason for laying off workers, affecting four in 10 (41 per cent) retrenched. This was followed closely by business restructuring (39 per cent), according to the MOM report.
As an Economist Intelligence Unit survey reported by Today last month showed, six in 10 companies said the slowdown offered an opportunity to streamline their businesses.
The MOM report also showed that after five years of gradually reducing their share of retrenchment, small and medium enterprises — those with 25 to 199 workers — stepped up the pace of layoffs as the recession continued to bite. They accounted for 78 per cent of the layoffs last year, up 4.1 percentage points.
After Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted the need to increase training capacity, Mr Gan said on Friday the MOM would tweak schemes like the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience to enhance their relevance and impact.
How job losses pan out this year will depend on employers’ “perception of the depth of the downturn”, Mr Song said. “Those who think a recovery is in sight ... will not retrench. But those who anticipate it will get worse will probably decide to restructure.”
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