‘No worker should face this alone’: 240 foreigners owed up to 2 months’ pay; MOM investigating

Being owed unpaid salary means an employer has not paid wages that a worker has already earned. This can include regular pay and overtime pay for extra hours worked. The issue matters because workers rely on wages for food, housing and family support. Delayed payment can quickly create serious hardship.

The affected workers in this case have claims involving unpaid salaries and overtime pay. The Migrant Workers’ Centre is helping them file those claims with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, or TADM. This gives workers a formal route to seek recovery of money they say they are owed.

MOM is investigating Process Maintenance Solutions and Jurong Technical & Construction. It said enforcement action will be taken if breaches of employment laws are established. While claims are handled, NTUC, MWC and MOM are arranging accommodation, meals, financial help, job matching and other immediate support.

The problem affects close to 240 migrant workers in Singapore’s process sector. Desmond Choo said the workers had not received their pay for up to two months. The scale matters because delayed wages affect a large group at once, rather than being an isolated dispute involving only one worker.

The workers came from Bangladesh to take process-sector jobs in Singapore. NTUC senior executive Jeremiah Khoo said some had paid $12,000 just to get to Singapore. That amount makes a long payment delay especially difficult, because workers may still need to recover recruitment and travel costs while supporting households abroad.

MOM and NTUC are working with the Migrant Workers’ Centre to understand the workers’ needs and provide support. MWC and MOM’s Assurance, Care and Engagement Group met 230 workers on Oct 19 and 20. Around 90 workers were receiving daily meals, while salary claims and job assistance were being arranged.

The two companies named in the case are Process Maintenance Solutions and Jurong Technical & Construction. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower, or MOM, is investigating both companies over salaries owed to their migrant workers. The investigation matters because non-payment of wages may breach employment laws and can leave workers without money for basic needs.

Other organisations are also involved. NTUC is coordinating support, while the Migrant Workers’ Centre is helping workers with claims, accommodation and employment assistance. TADM is handling the dispute-management route for unpaid salary claims. MOM’s Assurance, Care and Engagement Group met affected workers with MWC on Oct 19 and 20.

MOM said it takes a serious view of non-payment of salaries. It will take appropriate enforcement action if breaches of employment laws are established. At the same time, MOM is working with MWC and TADM on salary claims, accommodation and alternative employment arrangements for the affected workers.

The immediate response focuses on keeping workers safe and supported while their wage claims are addressed. NTUC, MWC and MOM are arranging centralised accommodation, financial assistance where needed and help with salary claims. They are also supporting workers who need new employment or a temporary transition.

MWC is working with employment-agency partners to find suitable jobs. TADM is helping with the process for unpaid salary claims, including overtime pay. Meals are being provided through the Migrant Workers’ Assistance Fund, and about 90 workers were receiving daily meals. A token sum may also be provided if employers cannot pay.

The support is still developing. MWC and MOM’s Assurance, Care and Engagement Group met 230 workers to understand their needs. MOM said it is working with MWC and TADM on accommodation and alternative employment arrangements. Workers can also call MWC’s 24-hour helpline for assistance in different languages.

Workers with unpaid wages can file salary claims through the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, known as TADM. The process matters because it gives affected workers a formal way to pursue money they say they earned, rather than leaving them to negotiate alone with employers.

The Migrant Workers’ Centre is assisting the workers in filing claims with TADM. The claims involve unpaid salaries and can include overtime pay. MWC is also helping workers with immediate needs, including meals, accommodation and employment transitions, while their claims are being addressed.

The article does not give a timeline or say how much each worker may recover. MOM is working with MWC and TADM on the claims and said enforcement action will follow if employment-law breaches are established. Workers can call MWC’s 24-hour helpline for guidance in different languages and are urged to seek help early.

The workers face two possible outcomes if the wage problem continues. If their employers cannot pay, a token sum will be provided through the assistance fund, according to the video accompanying Choo’s post. This offers limited short-term help while the workers’ claims and employment options are considered.

A separate possibility concerns workers who cannot secure another job in Singapore. Jeremiah Khoo said they may have to return home. Before that happens, MWC and employment-agency partners are working to find suitable employment and provide transition assistance. MOM is also supporting alternative employment arrangements.

The article does not say how many workers will receive the token sum or return home. Their longer-term outcome depends partly on salary-claim processes and job matching. In the meantime, NTUC, MWC and MOM are providing accommodation, meals and financial assistance where needed, while workers can seek multilingual help through MWC’s helpline.

Unpaid wages are especially damaging when workers have already spent heavily to obtain a job. NTUC said some of these workers paid $12,000 just to get to Singapore. If wages then stop for up to two months, they may struggle with daily essentials while still facing the financial pressure created by that initial cost.

The workers came from Bangladesh, and NTUC said families depend on their income. That means a missed paycheque can affect people beyond Singapore. The article also notes that about 90 workers were receiving daily meals, showing how unpaid wages can quickly create immediate needs such as food and accommodation.

Support is being provided through meals, financial assistance, accommodation, job matching and salary claims. MWC is helping workers approach TADM, while MOM investigates the companies. The case shows why early guidance matters, especially for workers facing both personal hardship and responsibilities to families at home.