Model ID: 38486550-1d08-4ae0-8bea-b05fa4084b8b
Sitecore Context Id: 38486550-1d08-4ae0-8bea-b05fa4084b8b;
In the last two years, the Migrant Workers Centre (MWC) has been assisting migrant workers to enforce Labour Court orders against their non-compliant employers, particularly because most migrant workers caught in such situations do not have the financial means to pursue enforcement on their own. It is important to note that while our system addresses the needs of most workers, there continue to remain cases such as that of worker Sujan Ahmed, that fall through the cracks.
Some two years ago, MWC issued a statement making a public call to workers caught in such situations to approach us for help. Since then, we have tapped on our humanitarian charity, the Migrant Workers’ Assistance Fund (MWAF), to assist workers who wish to enforce their labour court orders against their employers. MWC assists the workers in seeking legal representation to seize the companies’ assets to recover what was owed. Where the workers remained in Singapore to await the outcome of the enforcement action, we have also provided for the lodging, upkeep and maintenance of the workers for the duration of their extended stay as well as their home return flight tickets upon conclusion of their cases.
The large majority of employers comply with the Labour Court orders issued to them. There are also some, who due to forces beyond their control, are unable to comply due to lack of means - these employers harbour little or no wilful intention to shortchange or exploit their workers. Depending on the facts of each case and the degree of hardship on the worker, the MWC typically assist affected workers by offering them financial assistance, ranging in amounts of $1,000 to $3,000, from the MWAF. On the request of some of the workers we have helped, we have also often worked with the authorities to allow them to stay on in Singapore once their outstanding matters have been concluded, and facilitated their transfer to new employers so that they could remain in Singapore, return to work and make good on their debts.
Of greatest concern to us however, is the very small group of employers that possess the means to make good on the ordered sums but are wilfully non-compliant nonetheless. We call on the authorities to take stern action against them. At the same time, MWC works closely with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to see how current systems can also be improved to better protect our migrant workers. In particular, MWC has asked MOM to consider the following two suggestions:
a. To strengthen the deterrence against non-payment of salaries and compensation, we urge the authorities to widely publicize their successful prosecutions, so that a strong example is made of offenders and a firm message of non-tolerance of such behaviour is sent to all employers.
b. To improve the system of monitoring and enforcing mandatory Work Injury Compensation Insurance so that workers have greater assurance of compensation if they get injured.
Yeo Guat Kwang
Chairman
Migrant Workers' Centre
