Anxious over unpaid wages, some migrant workers go on job hunts, others mull returning home

Anxious over unpaid wages, some migrant workers go on job hunts, others mull returning home Labour chief Ng Chee Meng says more than 80 companies have stepped forward with close to 400 job vacancies. SINGAPORE: By Saturday, the 10,000 Indian rupees that Mr Prakash's father sent him from India will have run out. "After that ends, I'm not sure what to do. I'll see how. I might have to take on loans," said the migrant worker, who was employed by KPA Engineering. He has not been paid for about four months and is owed roughly S$7,100 (US$5,500). Mr Prakash has worked in Singapore for more than two decades. Now, he is planning to return to his hometown of Trichy in Tamil Nadu - and does not intend to come back. "I've been here for 21 years. Now I just want to see how life would go back home," he told CNA in Tamil on Friday (Jun 26). A lingering leg injury has made it difficult for him to find another job in the construction industry. For now, he is seeking medical advice on whether he is fit to travel, while waiting to recover his unpaid wages. "I don't know what processes there are. If I go back home, since my salary case is ongoing, will the money be sent to my bank account? This is something I have to ask (the Ministry of Manpower)," he said. Others are choosing a different path. Of the eight KPA Engineering workers CNA spoke to on Friday, more than half said they had already begun searching for new jobs - some shortly after their employer became uncontactable weeks ago. Several said they had found companies willing to hire them, pending approval documents from the authorities. Earlier this week, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC) said they have found 150 job vacancies for the affected workers. Labour chief Ng Chee Meng said on Friday that more opportunities have since emerged. "We have received interest from over 80 companies with close to 400 vacancies, and our unions are sending in more referrals," Mr Ng said in a Facebook post, adding that job placements will begin next week. About 400 workers with unpaid wages are also eligible for S$200 in cash and vouchers to help with daily expenses, provided they sign up as MWC members. Authorities are relocating the workers to a single lodging facility to better coordinate support, Mr Ng said. The Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management was also on-site on Friday to help workers lodge salary claims. "We will make sure no one is left behind in this process," he added. More than 100 workers employed by KPA Engineering and SK Industries had earlier turned up at the Ministry of Manpower’s service centre at Bendemeer seeking help after going unpaid for months. Their employers are believed to be out of the country. Public records showed that one of the directors of KPA Engineering, Singapore permanent resident Ramu Palani Velu, is also a director at SK Industries. He is listed as a director for five other companies in Singapore, including VVR Plant Engineering, which also has workers who have gone unpaid for months. CNA has contacted Mr Ramu's companies for comment, but has not received a response. SEARCH FOR JOBS For many, finding a new job is the immediate priority. Mr Subramanium Ajithkumar had just returned from a job interview at another construction firm when CNA met him at his dormitory in Tuas. He said his work permit, originally due to expire in June, had been extended by a month by KPA Engineering without his knowledge. When asked why, he said his boss told him that there was still some work to be done. "He said there was some urgent work and asked me to support for about a month, and the company will prepare the salary for me for that month," said Mr Ajithkumar. The promise went unfulfilled when his employer became uncontactable soon after. The new company is willing to hire him, Mr Ajithkumar said, but he must wait for his current permit to expire in early July. "But the company has asked me to find out what the procedures are from MOM's side. Will they accept if the company applies for an (In-Principle Approval) letter," said Mr Ajithkumar. According to the MOM website, companies require an In-Principle Approval (IPA) to bring migrant workers into Singapore. Employers will receive an IPA letter when their workers' work permit applications are approved. Mr Ajithkumar estimates that about 90 per cent of the affected workers are looking for jobs and do not intend to return home. Among them is Mr Ramasamy Ganesan, who has already secured a job with another construction company. "We were going to work until Saturday, then we stopped on Sunday … Immediately after that, I applied to another company," he said, adding that he had previously worked at the firm he applied to. He, too, is waiting for the IPA letter to be ready and approved. Others, like Mr Haque Md Aynul, are pinning their hopes on the job vacancies identified by the labour movement and the migrants' rights group. The 54-year-old first came to Singapore for work in 2000 before going back to Bangladesh in 2018. He returned to Singapore after a failed business venture and had been with KPA Engineering for about six months. DAILY EXPENSES A GROWING CONCERN Beyond job prospects, workers say they also worry about covering daily expenses. Those CNA spoke to are awaiting the S$200 payout from authorities - half in cash - but say the amount will fall short. "It's not enough, but what can we do? At least they (the authorities) are giving something. If they too don't take care of us, then what will be our plight?," Mr Samanan Santhoshkumar said in Tamil. "I can't send the S$100 back home. It's not even enough for me to give back the money I borrowed. I borrowed S$1,000 from friends here. "I will pay back the small debts of S$5, S$10 with the S$100 and use the remaining to drink tea or buy something to eat," he added. For now, many rely on three meals a day provided by the Ministry of Manpower, as their savings dwindle. With no work, their days at Tuas View Dormitory have been reduced to waiting. "Even if we want to go outside, we need money," Mr Haque said. "Last time, the bus fare was 50 cents, 70 cents. Now bus fare is minimum S$2." This sentiment was echoed by another worker who wanted to be known only as Sanjay. "I will need money even if I want to meet my relatives and friends who are nearby," said the 25-year-old. "On Sunday, if my friends come over, they will give some cash for my expenses or bring food that they cooked," he added. Some say the relocation to another dormitory could disrupt the support they currently rely on. "We've already been here for so long. Here, if we need cash, we can ask our friends for a small amount. But if we go to a new place, we might not know the people there. They might not be so willing to help," said Mr Samanan. "Best is if we can stay here and the authorities can arrange a company for us to work at. And while we work, we can claim back the money we are owed."