2008 Mar-Apr

Day Off Campaign
(From TWC2 AGM proposals on activities in the coming year)

TWC2 will work to achieve a weekly day off for all domestic workers, guaranteed by law. Time for rest and recreation is a right that should be enjoyed by every human being: there is no justification for denying it to domestic workers.

No worker should be put under pressure to give up her day off, whether in return for payment or not. Threats by employment agencies or employers to send home a worker who refuses to give up her right to a day off are entirely unacceptable. A right defined in law will make it easier to eliminate such practices.

During time off, workers must be free to leave and to return to their place of employment; this time is theirs to use as they wish, providing that it is in accordance with the laws of the land.

There have been objections that there are families that need the presence of a domestic worker all day and every day: for example, to care for an elderly invalid. No other workers providing care are required to have no time off. Ways of providing for such cases of genuine need should be explored.

We issue an open invitation to institutions and individuals who agree with the goal of a weekly day off for domestic workers, guaranteed by law, to join hands with us and work to bring it about.

Note: TWC2 and HOME are co-operating with UNIFEM-Singapore on a campaign of public education in support of a regular day off for all domestic workers. It will be formally launched on 1st May. Please look out for reports in the media and for information that will be sent out about activities in the campaign.

Some members have already volunteered to work on the campaign; if you’d like to join in, please e-mail, write or call the TWC2 office. There’ll be a series of activities between May and December.

TWC2 is joining efforts with our partners, but we’ll also be making our own distinctive contribution through the research we’ve undertaken and experience we’ve gained through working on this issue since 2003. This is something to which every member and supporter can contribute.

There is already a small day off section on our website. This is being expanded as a campaign tool:

http://wwwtwc2.org.sg/site/advocacy/days-off-campaign.html
 
 
Male Migrant Workers

In different parts of Singapore, there are male workers from other countries who sleep outside each night. They tend to get together in familiar areas, with others of their own nationality. The following report describes an effort mounted recently by a group of people, including individuals from One Singapore (a local anti-poverty group) and TWC2, who got together to take action to support one group of these workers.

What they are doing is of immediate help to a large group of workers from southern India, but it is to be hoped that raised public awareness of their position might encourage more sympathetic attitudes to other men in similar conditions elsewhere in the country. A couple of positive newspaper articles have appeared on the question (‘For them, this is Home’, Theresa Tan and Melissa Sim, Straits Times, 18/3/’08 and ‘Free meals for Indian workers stranded in S’pore’, Debbie Yong, My Paper, 4/4/’08). The second noted that people interested in volunteering or making a donation could contact TWC2, and gave our contact details.

At the time of writing, $16,500 has been donated for food for the workers. This is very impressive. The generosity of the contributors and of those who have given up time, often early in the morning, to help physically with the practical running of the breakfast programme, deserves our deepest appreciation. 

‘Rouge’, the Sunday night Channel 5 programme compered by Eunice Olsen, is due to devote a segment to Cuff Road on 20th April.

The Breakfast Programme: Cuff Road

When did it start?
18th March 2008 at Sutha’s Restaurant, $2 per meal with coffee and Indian pancakes. 

How did it start?
On March 2nd 2008, a group of individuals from various backgrounds came together at midnight to visit Cuff Road having heard stories of foreign migrant workers sleeping rough. The group met 50-60 South Indian men sleeping at Cuff Road. We then came together to discuss the next step:  plans of action.

What happens now?
The men have various documents – mostly Special Passes. This means they are either needed to stay in Singapore assisting in investigations or awaiting insurance payouts. Most already have lawyers.

The men sleep outdoors for various reasons. Those awaiting insurance payouts are allowed to stay with their employers, but their working relationships with them may be lukewarm. We know that there are some employers who are often verbally abusive and this creates a negative living environment. Under these conditions, the men opt to sleep outside if they have no money to pay rent, just for peace of mind.

Those on insurance payouts have experienced a work-related injury that means they will need to visit doctors for medical examinations. As they are foreigners, they do not have Medishield or Medisave like us Singaporeans, with which to meet the medical bills. Hence, they’d have pay out of their own pockets and this often is a question for many of them who do not have cash. However, some of their lawyers will give money for medical exams and when the insurance payout (Work Injury Compensation) is released; the lawyers will be reimbursed through that. This often helps the lawyers too, who do not want the workers to miss their medical appointments due to lack of money. If that happens, it delays the resolution of their cases.

Those on Special Passes issued by the Immigration Checkpoints Authority are immigration offenders who have overstayed or been illegally deployed. The police would jail and cane those who have overstayed their social visit passes regardless of whose fault it was. The men in this position at Cuff Road, to our understanding, have been duped by agents into coming to Singapore without an In-Principle Approval (IPA) which allows them access here to work (they will then get their Work Permits at MOM). These men are often needed here to give statements and stand witness to errant employers - hence the police may need them. They do not have the options of those in injury cases, who have the possibility of accommodation to go back to. These men will often borrow money to rent places or otherwise, sleep outdoors.

In our experience, these men face the worst case scenarios. Their Special Passes do not allow them to work: hence, should they want to get employers interested in hiring them, they will need a letter from their Investigating Officers who will then direct them to MOM’s Temporary Job Scheme. The process they go through is often longer and sometimes the stress of coping with bureaucracy can lead these men to opt for illegal employment (ali baba work) in order to sustain themselves temporarily. They will each purchase an open ticket back to their hometown and when their cases have gone to court and justicehas been brought upon their employers/agents, their Investigating Officers will then inform them and repatriate them.

How does the breakfast programme help?
Kofi Annan once said at a meeting of government representatives and officials at the UN headquarters, “….A hungry man cannot think beyond his next meal… This has devastating consequences for the economic and social development of society as a whole.”

The men at Cuff Road have had kind souls provide meals on weekdays for lunch and dinner except Thursday evenings. They shared with us during our initial discussions that on weekends, they have friends who are able to buy them a meal. Their friends are presumably work-permit holders. We found out that breakfast was not a meal they’re accustomed to. The breakfast program was created to begin from 7am till 9am (often later too) at Sutha’s. The meals provided are those that the men are familiar with – Indian cuisine. Sutha’s agreed to administer the meals at their premises and funds are raised to pay for these meals. The aim was to have the men eat with dignity at a dining space before beginning their day.

What else do they need?
They need premises to access the internet: being able to turn to Skype or emails would help to fill their days. Often, there isn’t much to do besides visiting their investigating officers, lawyers or doctors. Reading materials such as newspapers or books written in Tamil would be good too. The men are very interested in current affairs and keep themselves abreast of news happening in India. Donations of clothes or haversacks are also welcome. We’re hoping that a nearby church will provide showering facilities but there has been no response at the time of writing.

Sha Najak

HOME Needs a Staircase!
As there is very little accommodation for the neediest male migrant workers, such as those at Cuff Road, TWC2 was pleased to hear that the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) had  acquired premises of three stories able to house approximately 50 workers at Lavender Street (15 minute walk from Mustafa shopping centre in Little India).

HOME spokesperson, Jolovan Wham, writes: ‘We managed to convert the use of the place from a shop house to a welfare home after many exchanges and appeals to the authorities, who were afraid that the workers would cause trouble to others in the vicinity.

With the change of use of the place, we were told by the authorities that we would need to comply with new fire safety regulations, and this involves the building of an additional staircase and other fixtures to ensure the place is safe to live in that it does not pose a fire hazard to residents. However, all these come at a cost, which will set us back by approximately $50,000, according to the architect's estimates. Habitat for Humanity has kindly offered to renovate the place for us for free but will not be able to take on this additional cost. 

We are looking for means and ways to raise funds for this and would be glad for any form of assistance.’

As of mid-April, about half the target had been reached.

HOME also hopes to rent out the ground floor as commercial premises, which will help the welfare home to cover its costs.

Donations and offers of help can be sent to HOME’s registered address at 304 Orchard Road, #06-22 Lucky Plaza, Singapore 238863. Please make out any cheque to H.O.M.E., cross it and attach a note to say it is for the staircase appeal.

A Weekend to INTEGRATE

INTEGRATE brings together a burst of flavours from across Asia through the lives of migrants in Singapore. Come be part of it!

First showcased in 2006 at The Substation and Timbre, this is the second time Migrant Voices is presenting INTEGRATE, which will now be held at Post-Museum, in Rowell Road.

With the partners, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME), as part of the Labour Day celebrations for 2008, Migrant Voices will present works done largely by work-permit holders (foreign workers) through past workshops including paintings, drawings, writing and even photographs. Music and drama performances will hold your attention while film screenings in between will inform you of just why we should INTEGRATE as one united people.

For more information, please visit www.migrantvoices.org.