Jonathan Koh / Reporter
Wallace Woon/Photographer
Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME’s) opening of its new resource center and legal helpdesk promises to give the pursuit of justice for migrant workers a more forceful legal bite.
13 JUNE 2009 — HER palms were scabbed and peeled – the result of spending over three hours daily, hand-washing all the clothes in the household with strong corrosive detergent.
(Photo: Foreign workers at the open house of HOME’s new legal helpdesk and resource centre.)
Ms Jink Lauron, a 31-year-old is not allowed to use the washing machine. The Filipino maid said: “My employer doesn’t care about my physical condition.”
The physical agony did not just stop there. She found it difficult to manage the workload presented by the sprawling four-storey house. There were times when she had to forego sleep whenever her employers invited their friends for overnight mahjong.The employers expected her to remain awake to refill drinks and serve food for the guests. To top it off she found herself under constant monitoring from the CCTV cameras installed in the house.
Unwilling to put up with the distress any longer, she fled from her Singaporean employers two weeks ago to a Humanitarian Organization for Migrant Economics (HOME) shelter.
Mr Lauron’s tale of being overworked and treated inhumanely is not uncommon, certainly not the first nor the last, and neither the worst.
(Photo: HOME’s legal helpdesk/resource center local on Everitt Road is decorated with banners like these.)
HOME houses other domestic workers in the shelter who have not been paid their wages, while some have suffered under the abusiveness of their employers. And that is where welfare organizations like HOME step in to help.
One country, two different sets of laws
Mr Amarinda Singh, a legally-trained professional who works pro-bono on both Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and HOME’s legal helpdesk, recounts an incident in which a foreign worker from Tamil Nadu had met with a serious accident.
The worker had been run over by a lorry and suffered a crushed leg. Put on months of medical leave, the company kindly paid for his medical expenses.
However, when his work permit expired, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) refused to extend his special pass. This meant that the worker had to cease receiving medical treatment and could not receive the money from the civil action suit leveled against the errant lorry driver.
“We went to ICA and MOM and they were just bouncing us off to each other,” Mr Singh said, “honestly, I think there is a different set of laws being applied to locals and foreign workers.”
Legal helpdesk for foreign workers
With an IT Learning Centre and a Language Learning and Lifeskills already established by HOME to empower the domestic workers with IT skills and basic language proficiency, a legal helpdesk and resource center will be the right way forward.
Ms Bridget Lew, founder of HOME, said that “many cases we see here have legal implications. We are aiming to help foreign workers uphold their legal rights.”
There have been cases where many employers received fines for allowing workers to work in unsafe conditions and at premises where they are not supposed to work in, but as compensation to the workers was not legally enforced, Ms Lew informs The Online Citizen that many of the workers return home penniless.
She likens it to “pure injustice”, adding that most foreign workers are too poor to afford legal recourse. The hiring of a full-time lawyer and the efforts to coordinate a pro bono panel of lawyers by HOME signals a major step forward in its advocacy attempts to pursue justice for foreign workers.
The newly opened resource center has a library that stocks over 300 items related to migrant issues on abuse, discrimination, public policy.
Said Mr Singh: “there is a need for something like this for migrant workers, who are vulnerable, defenseless and don’t know anyone in Singapore,”
He also added: “Legal aid is not open to the migrant workers; only Singaporeans would qualify. So if [migrant workers] have problems with employers, most of them would not know how to go about helping themselves.”
Mediation center for employers
The centre will also double up as a mediation center where employers can engage their foreign workers freely alongside HOME staff when there is a need for arbitration in a neutral setting.
Reverend Yap Kim Hao, a Pastoral Advisor to the Free Community Church, graced the opening ceremony. He is gratified that the government is supporting the cause to help migrant workers.
(Photo: There is joy amidst the gloom for these foreign workers.)
He said: “although Singapore is a migrant society, Singaporeans tend to treat migrant workers different.”
The open house also featured a showcase of dances put up by Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers who are now staying at the HOME’s Katong shelter.
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
Poor foreign workers. The govt doesn’t want to help them cuz they are inconsequential. They don’t affect votes etc.
But such a pragmatic govt will not be able to properly take care of its own people also. This pragmatism cuts both locals and foreigners, just that at least locals can take care of themselves, not foreigners.
SIgh.
Singapore is now a foreign workers’ HUB???
As someone else put it earlier, Singapore has many set of standards and laws. The best standard of course only apply to the PAP, its cronies, & elites. The worst standard apply to the PAP political opposition. As for foreign workers, maybe somewhere in between, but still much lower than the standard applied to normal Singaporean.
Its great that legal recourse is being given to the cheated and abused foreign workers.
But what about our local workers and opposition politicians who have had their pants sued off? Will any legal recourse ever be given to them, will any lawyers step forward? The law society?
Maybe not.
My forefathers were FW too.They worked hard but never complain.
Whatever you do ,do not paint a picture as if the FW s or maid here are all treated badly .Good to provide free legal aid and even IT courses for those who need help.But never spoil them.Do not be naive and start thinking local employers are bad as some of these FWs can make stories and allegation just because they think they can make use of our Authority’s foolishness to get a special pass to continue to stay and work here.They know they can do it easily too as there are also naive group who would listen to their interesting allegation and join them in their fight.
Whilst I agree that those local employers who ill treat these FWs should be punish and that those FWs should be given help ,I also feel that we should let those FWs know that this is not a piece of land with gold.
During the last few topics when some group claim that FWs are not having proper accommodations,,I had propose to give priority to those humaniarian volunteers to take in the FWs to stay with them to make them feel at home.Has any volunteer done that?
I have once got a maid who work less than 3 month ,ran away to HOME and had gave the reason to the maid agent that I speak Penang Hokkien to my penang guest.,and not her homeland language when she was around.Just because she think that we speak bad about her.She does no cooking,washing,sweeping and her only duty is just to make sure my late father do not fell down from the bed or from the chair and to buy food for him when I am not at home.
For those FT or FWs who want an easy life,recommend them to those places that they can make money more easily ,provided they fit the bill.
“Although Singapore is a migrant society,Singapore tend to treat migrant workers different.”How different?care to elaborate?
what about “opposition politicians who have had their pants sued off”?
They asked for it. They always have lawyers to fight for them. And money from don’t know where. Why worry about them?
Ministry Of Manpower Double Standards.
Issue 3228981
Read The Truth At : SGCOMPLAINS.COM
6) propap on June 17th, 2009 4.28 am
“”what about “opposition politicians who have had their pants sued off”?
They asked for it. They always have lawyers to fight for them. And money from don’t know where. Why worry about them?”"
#6 has proven this Blog is all encompassing of diverse views. Bravo!
To Kuching Kurak:
#9 has proven that some people like yourself don’t know how to tell what sarcasm when it comes under such an obvious nick like “propap”.
Sigh. Can we stay on topic? The issue is with foreign workers being abused and laws are not enforced to protect them and this is DISGUSTING!
I empathise with agongkia….
The article said – “Reverend Yap Kim Hao, a Pastoral Advisor to the Free Community Church, graced the opening ceremony. He is gratified that the government is supporting the cause to help migrant workers.”
How was the government involve in this organization was not mentioned.
Hi thumos,
The Government’s lax enforcement of labour laws led to the need to establish such an organisation to provide legal advisory for foreign workers. The Government’s role is indeed pivotal in such development.
agongkia> the point isn’t about spoiling the foreign workers or demonising employers. it’s about seeing the foreign workers as human beings, and to treat them as human beings.
11) Zheng Zheng
Staying with the topic has always been challenging to some posters here. They barge into any topic and rant about the same things over and over and over again.
Someone should enlighten them there is a thingy called ” Title” at the top of the posts usually in bold and of a bigger font size.
there’s no need to talk about individual abuse cases. just look at the people being ferried to and from work in the back of lorries, most of which don’t even have roofs. it’s really surprising there hasn’t been an accident yet. (or has there?) for the love of jupiter, they’re not called CARGO. they’re called PEOPLE. have you ever even seen dogs being transported that way?