2006 March

High Visibility for Migrant Workers at Festival

Migrant worker-linked issues were touched on in a photographic exhibition, drama, music and a forum at this year's M1 Singapore Fringe Festival. The second festival, like the first, was curated by The Necessary Stage. Its theme this year was Art and Healing.

InsideOut, the photography project involving migrant workers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, attracted a lot of interest. A selection of photographs was shown at Objectifs (Centre for Photography and Filmmaking) from 22nd February to 5th March. Although held on a weekday, some of the domestic workers involved managed to make it to the launch evening, and clearly enjoyed seeing their work on display and meeting friends. Two 'meet the photographers' sessions were held during the exhibition, and after the festival was formally over, a talk with some of the women workers took place as one of Objectif's Shooting Home series at the Singapore Arts Museum on March 12th.

'Something in the Way She Moves' (2nd March) consisted of four short dramatic presentations, three of which were concerned, at least in part, with migrant labour. 'Silence', by Haresh Sharma, looked at why individuals choose to migrate and what the consequences are. 'Flor', by Rody Vera, reflected on the life and death of Flor Contemplacion, the Filipina domestic worker who was hanged ten years ago in Singapore after being convicted of a double murder. 'Hidden Attraction', by Pradit Prasartthong, was about two people drawn towards each other, while separated from their spouses through migration for work reasons.

The Migrant Voices CD was launched with performances on three successive nights (3rd-5th March) at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre. For the final evening, singers from Darul Arqam (including our full timer, Amy), Indian musicians Ustad Sharafat Khan and Jegan, Tinig Pinoy (from the Philippines) and Singsaderd (from Thailand) appeared before an appreciative audience that overflowed from the available seating, so that many had to stand in the best space they could find. Some TWC2 members helped out with the stand where the Migrant Voices CD was sold.*

Some of those attending this event had earlier taken part in TWC2's forum,  'Remaking our World: Foreign Domestic Workers Speak' at the Singapore History Museum. John Gee introduced the session for TWC2 and then spoke with Anna Anggraeni,  one of the Indonesian domestic workers involved in the InsideOut Project, about her photographs, which were projected on a screen. Anna has worked in Singapore for ten years, since she was 21. Her first employers made her work from 6 am until midnight and gave her no days off or even time to pray. She now devotes most of her free time to Indonesian Family Network, helping other domestic workers who face problems and bad treatment, but says that she enjoyed the photography project, and wants to go on taking photographs. After a song by three women from HOME's refuge, the discussion turned to more general 'time off' issues: Anna spoke further and two other domestic workers, Alit from Indonesia and Nilmini, from Sri Lanka, joined in. Alit has been in Singapore for four years and has no regular day off, but when she has the chance, she goes to the Sultan Mosque and to Darul Arqam, to study; Nilmini has worked for an Indian family for 12 years and likes to use her weekly day off to go to the temple. She wants to take classes, particularly to improve her English.

This forum took place three years after The Working Committee 2's public launch at the National Library on March 9th, 2003, when the platform was also made up of a TWC2 speaker and three foreign domestic workers.

* Migrant Voices is a collection of songs written and performed by groups of migrant workers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and India. It is  interspersed with interviews with workers and activists. The proceeds of its sale will go to non-governmental organisations that work closely with migrant workers. These are: Asia Evangelistic Fellowship, Darul Arqam (Muslim Converts' Association), Friends of Thai Workers Association, HOME and TWC2. Price: $12.

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“No Mandatory Time Off”: Responses

The importance of the 'days off' issue has been emphasised by TWC2 from the start. We have raised it repeatedly, but this month, it has been brought to public attention by a statement in parliament affirming that the government would not legislate for domestic workers to have regular days off.

TWC2 quickly put out a press release in response to the statement. It was not directly quoted in the local media, but was the centrepiece of a report by the AFP press agency on 10th March.

The press coverage and the letters columns showed both that the issue rouses strong feelings and that there is a tide flowing in favour of a mandatory one day a week rest day among significant sectors of the public. 'The Sunday Times' editorial of 12th March ('No rest for maids') made similar points to our press release and even went further in some of its remarks:

 Shifting the onus to maid agencies to devise fair terms, including rest days, is workable if agencies have shown a healthy regard for maids' interests. The experience has been that maids need protecting from mean, money-grubbing agents almost as much as from employers who behave like they own slaves. The ministry (of Manpower-our note) should acknowledge mandated rest is what it takes to bring enlightenment to a mediaeval corner of the job scene.

Three years ago, when The Working Committee 2 was launched, a statement such as this would have provoked a storm of critical reactions, but not this time.

Neil Humphreys penned 'A sad tale, maid in Singapore' for 'Today''s 11-12th March issue. It was hard-hitting:

The Manpower Ministry (MOM) argued that such an extravagant luxury (giving domestic workers a mandatory day off: our note) would inconvenience families with "special needs".

It has a valid point - particularly in a country that doesn't advocate the principles of a welfare state, but is happy to collect, according to some estimates, about $500 million in maid levies each year.

However, please raise your hand if you know at least one family that doesn't have special needs (that is, elderly relatives or children that cannot be looked after by another family member) and still makes their maid work seven days a week.

Thank you. The entire nation can put its hands down now.

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Throughout the following week and up to the time of writing, there was a steady stream of reader responses in 'Today', mostly arguing in favour of a mandatory day off, and doing so quite convincingly. TWC2's vice president responded to a point about the bond that had been raised by one writer:


Instead of saying no to days off, bosses should tell maids of pregnancy fears 
 
Letter from John Gee
Vice-president, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2)
 
THERESA Ee wrote (March 17) that the greatest fear of most employers is "their maids getting pregnant, in which case they will have to repatriate them and forfeit the $5,000 bond".

This is one of the most common arguments advanced by employers as a reason for not giving their domestic workers days off so that the latter can go out.

It is  true that among the conditions for the employment of foreign workers, it is stipulated that a foreign female worker "shall not become pregnant or deliver any child in Singapore during the validity of her work permit/visit pass".

The bond that employers are obliged to lodge or cover by a guarantee includes a provision that states that a visit pass has been granted to the worker on the condition "(t)hat she shall not become pregnant during her stay in Singapore".

This seems to mean that employers will lose their security bond if their domestic workers become pregnant — but this is not what usually happens.

In some instances, as Ms Ee no doubt realises from her own account, workers who do find out that they are pregnant have abortions,  generally with the full knowledge and cooperation of their employers.

If a worker does not want to have an abortion, she may choose to be repatriated or she may simply be sent home by her employer once it is known that she is pregnant, without being given a choice.

These are not good options, but there are ways in which employers are known to use to avoid parting with their bond money. Though of course, both methods involve costs and inconvenience.

In each case, the letter of the terms of the work permit may have been breached, but in practice, employers who turn to such methods to avoid forfeiting their bond don't lose it.

There are better ways to approach this issue.

It should be recognised that foreign domestic workers want to keep on earning money so that they can send it home.

They know that if they become pregnant, they will face the alternatives of having abortions or losing their jobs — neither of which they want.

Employers who genuinely fear that their worker might have sexual relations with a man and become pregnant, should tell her how they feel and advise her on how to avoid pregnancy.

Obviously, this may be a very embarrassing process and the nature of the advice offered (abstinence or contraception) is bound to be influenced by the religious and ethical principles of the employer.

This means treating her like the adult human being that she is — she should not, among those employed in Singapore, be denied the right to a day off which is hers to use as she chooses, within the laws of the country.

On the following day, a letter appeared from one of the main providers of shelter and assistance to foreign workers in need:


Show some filial concern

Letter from Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People

We refer to the Government's decision not to mandate domestic workers' day off.

While we are heartened that our legislators do recognise the contribution of domestic workers in households with elderly or infirm members, it is regretful that the same legislators think maids do not deserve a rest day if the price is the convenience of the families they are serving.

As an eight-year-old Commission working with migrant workers, we note that maids who look after the infirm or elderly often have to toil very long hours, sometimes even sleeping in the same room, so that they can see to their needs while the rest of the family remains undisturbed. To be on call day in and day out and yet be constantly refused a day of rest is a painful experience.

Rest should be seen as a very basic human need and not a privilege that we give or deny someone under our employ.

We therefore appeal to the Government to reconsider the decision not to legislate a day off for maids. Families can be encouraged to show filial concern to their infirm or elderly relative by re-examining their schedule so their maid may have the rest she badly needs.

It is the duty of a gracious society to see to the welfare of its neediest members, even if they are in Singapore only temporarily.

It seems appropriate to end this review with comments by Armida Bogoforo, a domestic worker, in a letter to 'Today' (20th March):

As a maid I feel it is not fair to work everyday. We want to have privacy and feel the breeze outside. I cannot imagine why some employers are selfish to their helpers.

Giving us trust for a day off is not a big deal, is it?

You work in an office. If your boss asks you to work everyday, how would you feel?

We have a different job, but we also feel tired and want to rest.

This is what it comes down to: domestic workers being given the sort of consideration that we want for ourselves.