Some 200 Chinese nationals gather outside MOM over
unpaid wages
SINGAPORE: Some 200 Chinese nationals working for three
construction companies gathered at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
building at Havelock Road on Monday morning over employment
matters, such as unpaid wages.
Police were called in after about 130 of them refused to move on to
the ministry's Kim Seng Road office as advised.
The ministry said the workers were part of the same group
interviewed at its Kim Seng Road office on Friday. They had their
work permits revoked two weeks ago after their employers breached
labour laws.
The companies had apparently failed to pay the foreign worker levy.
They had also failed to produce documents and their foreign workers
for verification. In such a situation, employers are required by
law to repatriate them within a week.
At least one worker told Channel NewsAsia he had paid over S$5,000
to work in Singapore for one year. But he had only been here for
four months and now has to return to China, barely getting back
what he paid.
The ministry added that the actions of these foreign workers were
unproductive, and only served to delay the resolution of their
claims. It urged them to cooperate and work with MOM officers,
rather than break the law.
It warned that if these workers gather at MOM again without prior
appointments and without valid reasons, MOM will immediately refer
them to the police.
MOM said workers can be assured that early intervention measures by
MOM to investigate errant employers is to help workers sooner
rather than later and that MOM is committed to seek a fair
resolution to their disputes.
Upon receiving reports of salary arrears, MOM will first need to
establish the facts of the case before exploring whether workers
and their employers can reach a mutually acceptable
settlement.
Such investigations cannot be completed overnight and will take
some time. Workers whose work permits have been terminated and are
still needed here in Singapore to assist in investigations will be
issued special passes to do so.
As long as workers are working and living here in Singapore, MOM
said they must abide by and respect Singapore's laws or risk being
dealt with accordingly, if they break them.
- CNA/yt
