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Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

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Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by rajagainstthemachine » Mon, 16 Mar 2015 3:37 pm

https://www.facebook.com/thepeopleofsin ... 73/?type=1

for the people without facebook I've copied out the whole article

Some time ago, as I was driving home in a terrible thunderstorm, I saw these two Indian workers crouched under a tree. They were trying to cover themselves from the heavy rain with a plastic sheet but they were soaked through. At first I just drove past thinking how sad they looked. But then I thought, hey wait - I can help.

So I stopped the car and reversed back to where they were and asked them to get in. They hesitated because they were wet and muddy and didn't want to mess up my car. I said never mind just get in.

I brought them back to my place which was not far away. I gave them coffee and some food and some dry shirts that belonged to my husband as they waited out the storm.

I was really angry that their employer would leave them out in the rain like that without even an umbrella or raincoat. I gave them my number and said "If you ever have any problems you can call me and I will try to help you." And then, with some hesitation, they shared more of their story.

"We actually haven't been paid our salary for some months. And the boss keeps deducting from our salary. If we do things even a little bit slowly, he will deduct $50."

Now these guys only earned $600 per month. So deducting $50 was a big deal for them. Plus they had taken out loans to come here. One guy, Murugan, had paid $8000 to an agent for this job and his family was being hassled by loan sharks to repay. It was very stressful for him to not send money home knowing all the people who depended on him.

After some discussion, they said they would talk with their employer and contact me again if nothing was resolved.

Some months later, I did get a call. It was Murugan. He was in tears. "I don't know what to do. I'm not being paid again." So I gave him a number to contact at TWC2 and explained how they help workers in this situation. He would be in good hands. I didn't expect I would hear from him again.

But a few weeks later, the police called.

"Murugan was arrested last night and the only number he had was yours. Somebody needs to come and post $2000 bail for him because he's under arrest for attempted suicide."

I went down to the police station and posted the bond. But by then, Murugan had been moved to IMH for observation which is their normal procedure for suicide risk.

So off I went to IMH and eventually found his ward. There were two young police officers stationed outside the door. They agreed to let me see him.

This was a common ward and there were lots of people around with various psychiatric conditions. It was a disturbing environment. I found Murugan slumped over on a table with his head down. He was in a bad state.

"Why did you do this?"

He repeated how he hadn't been paid, how his family was depending on him and how he was failing them. He felt powerless and didn't know what else to do. I tried to give him some encouragement but he was in no state to really listen.

I followed up with the police station. "This guy is not a criminal. He believed taking his own life was his only option. The real culprit here is the employer. You should be going after them."

And believe it or not, they did just that. I was impressed. It's true I had to email them a few times and they had to meet Murugan one last time. But they not only dropped the charges against him but they got the employer to pay his back wages.

Apparently the employer was quite surprised by the turn of events. He never imagined this worker could have contacts in Singapore who would help him. But suddenly this seemingly powerless guy had the support of the police, me and by this time HOME Singapore got involved too.

So the story has a happy ending and we've stayed in contact. Murugan still comes over from time to time and sometimes his wife calls me from India. Things are much better for him now.
To get there early is on time and showing up on time is late

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by ecureilx » Mon, 16 Mar 2015 4:21 pm

Same goes for Maids too with most of the levies being enforced by their own govt

Copy/past of something somebody wrote somewhere.. about Maid's processing fees !!

Try to find who is more at Fault, the host country or the source country .. in this case !

Philippines authentic contract has nothing to do with Employer. It is Philippines' demand on its citizens... to earn from its citizens working as Domestic Workers. In Spore, employers will honour and abide with the terms legislated by Ministry of Manpower. Employers DO NOT NEED TO PAY FOR FILIPINO MAID EMBASSY'S HOME LEAVE (which includes Philippines authentic contract/OWWA/OEC).

If FDW wants to take home leave, she is agreeing to feed her embassy her hard earned cash. If FDW didn't complete 2-year contract and requested for advance home leave, the embassy has tied with Spore maid agencies to earn more from Filipinos.... their own citizens. US$400 is equivalent to S$500 salary... go and ask the forex exchange and you'll know Employers didn't short-change you.

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by whiteflag » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 11:25 am

it's happening everywhere,not only in Singapore

of course many wouldn't imagine it happening in Singapore

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by zzm9980 » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 12:47 pm

whiteflag wrote:it's happening everywhere,not only in Singapore

of course many wouldn't imagine it happening in Singapore
Singapore is the only "first world country" where it is so actively tolerated.

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by martincymru » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 2:03 pm

As I have said on this Forum before......... "No win No fee" ..... that's the way forward to allow poor people to obtain justice.

It's all about the CONTRACT. Has a breach occurred? What's the remedy?

Threaten the culprits financially then go through the Small Claims Court seems best advice to me.

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by the lynx » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 2:16 pm

The sad thing is that these poor low income workers are often uneducated, so they do not know much about the means of legal system available to them (like MOM, TWC2, SCT etc), let alone understanding their own contracts.

To be able to "threaten the culprits financially then go through the Small Claims Court" requires one to know and line his steps first.

This calls for proactive role among educated outsiders who witness their plight.

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by joiedevivre22 » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 2:40 pm

This is just sad.

Last week, I went to a beauty parlour in Little India. As I was getting my facial done, the girl engaged in some small talk. She causally asked where I am from, what I do and if I am a PR. I was asking her similar questions ( by experience, most in such parlours are locals (SC or PR or DP) as it's hard for them to get EP/S Pass). She said she is an EP holder! I was shocked because I didn't know they were paid $3K plus but kept mum. As time went by, she told me how it works.

There are six girls working, all on EP. They are paid $1000 a month + given breakfast and dinner. They work 12 hours a day, stay in dormitory style rooms ( own cost) and are given 10 days paid leave to go back to India. If they go for more than 10 days, salary is cut on a daily basis. If sick, can take a MC ( own cost).

The parlour is owned by a SC ( indian origin). I was pleaded not to voice this to her boss or to MOM as she may lose her job if they close down. Further, she has paid 5K as an agent's fee to get this job.

Their EP's are given in another SME's name.

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by the lynx » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 2:56 pm

joiedevivre22 wrote:This is just sad.

Last week, I went to a beauty parlour in Little India. As I was getting my facial done, the girl engaged in some small talk. She causally asked where I am from, what I do and if I am a PR. I was asking her similar questions ( by experience, most in such parlours are locals (SC or PR or DP) as it's hard for them to get EP/S Pass). She said she is an EP holder! I was shocked because I didn't know they were paid $3K plus but kept mum. As time went by, she told me how it works.

There are six girls working, all on EP. They are paid $1000 a month + given breakfast and dinner. They work 12 hours a day, stay in dormitory style rooms ( own cost) and are given 10 days paid leave to go back to India. If they go for more than 10 days, salary is cut on a daily basis. If sick, can take a MC ( own cost).

The parlour is owned by a SC ( indian origin). I was pleaded not to voice this to her boss or to MOM as she may lose her job if they close down. Further, she has paid 5K as an agent's fee to get this job.

Their EP's are given in another SME's name.
...which means they are hired using kick-back method. The employer falsely declares their income as EP-level income and then deducts back. This is illegal.

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by joiedevivre22 » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 3:08 pm

Yes, I understood that. It's just sad. I don't know if anything can be done about it. MOM needs to look into several such issues. This is not the only one I have heard of in the Little India area.

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 4:05 pm

joiedevivre22 wrote:This is just sad.
The parlour is owned by a SC ( indian origin). I was pleaded not to voice this to her boss or to MOM as she may lose her job if they close down.
This is what is sad. People who find out about the ruse that is going on and don't do anything about it. Okay, so you feel sorry for her and she pleaded for you to not tell and they will lose their jobs. What is worse? 6 girls lose their jobs and the errant employers get whacked and lose their business license and the MOM then knows what to look for for the rest of the industry, and you have saved maybe hundreds of other from being exploited, or you watch and just let it continue?

If you are not part of the solution, you become part of the problem. ](*,)
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by joiedevivre22 » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 4:35 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:
joiedevivre22 wrote:This is just sad.
The parlour is owned by a SC ( indian origin). I was pleaded not to voice this to her boss or to MOM as she may lose her job if they close down.
This is what is sad. People who find out about the ruse that is going on and don't do anything about it. Okay, so you feel sorry for her and she pleaded for you to not tell and they will lose their jobs. What is worse? 6 girls lose their jobs and the errant employers get whacked and lose their business license and the MOM then knows what to look for for the rest of the industry, and you have saved maybe hundreds of other from being exploited, or you watch and just let it continue?

If you are not part of the solution, you become part of the problem. ](*,)
I agree. If I do have to complain, I need to know more about it. Just one girl's complaint is not proof enough and I will see if I can get more info on this.

For them, losing their JOBS is a huge deal. A couple of them I spoke to educate their siblings with this money, so it is a loss of household income and not just loss of a job.

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 5:01 pm

joiedevivre22 wrote:Just one girl's complaint is not proof enough and I will see if I can get more info on this.
You need to quite patronizing that shop for starters. Your continued usage of the shop is tacit approval of what the employer is doing. Remember, a single journey starts with the first step. Also, you cannot make an omelet without first breaking a few eggs.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by joiedevivre22 » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 5:14 pm

Nah, I am not. It was my second visit there and I was just passing by when I saw a good offer, so walked in. Anyway, all the indian parlours here are crappy. So, not worth patronizing at all. I agree. Let me see if I can go again and talk to those girls outside of work. Thanks!

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by ecureilx » Mon, 30 Mar 2015 8:14 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:
joiedevivre22 wrote:Just one girl's complaint is not proof enough and I will see if I can get more info on this.
You need to quite patronizing that shop for starters. Your continued usage of the shop is tacit approval of what the employer is doing. Remember, a single journey starts with the first step. Also, you cannot make an omelet without first breaking a few eggs.
plus MOM has been progressively updating the rules putting in more protective measures to safeguard the workers

Alas should there be a complaint employer gets shut down, business closes and the worker is jobless

As I said Singapore is a quarter of the problem attracting the desperate willing to come at any cost

The other three quarts being the source countries finding ways to make everybody going overseas is unable to go as direct hire .. or should they succeed in becoming a direct hire, on their home leave they get picked up and sucked dry ...Image Image with 100% approval of the source nations

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Re: Low income workers in Singapore - exploited?

Post by Barnsley » Tue, 31 Mar 2015 3:08 pm

ecureilx wrote:
Same goes for Maids too with most of the levies being enforced by their own govt

Copy/past of something somebody wrote somewhere.. about Maid's processing fees !!

Try to find who is more at Fault, the host country or the source country .. in this case !

Philippines authentic contract has nothing to do with Employer. It is Philippines' demand on its citizens... to earn from its citizens working as Domestic Workers. In Spore, employers will honour and abide with the terms legislated by Ministry of Manpower. Employers DO NOT NEED TO PAY FOR FILIPINO MAID EMBASSY'S HOME LEAVE (which includes Philippines authentic contract/OWWA/OEC).

If FDW wants to take home leave, she is agreeing to feed her embassy her hard earned cash. If FDW didn't complete 2-year contract and requested for advance home leave, the embassy has tied with Spore maid agencies to earn more from Filipinos.... their own citizens. US$400 is equivalent to S$500 salary... go and ask the forex exchange and you'll know Employers didn't short-change you.
You certainly are an interesting character , here you are speaking out against exploiting workers , yet on another thread you are advocating sending folk to jail "because its obvious they did it" .....

:o :o :o
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