HOME calls for reforms beyond appreciation coins to honour migrant workers

SINGAPORE: The Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) has called for deeper reforms to recognise the contributions of migrant workers in Singapore, moving beyond symbolic gestures such as tokens of appreciation. In a Facebook post on Wednesday (30 July), the group questioned whether society truly values migrant workers, despite celebrating their heroic acts in emergencies. “We cheered when they saved children from a fire, and we lauded them when they lifted the driver from the sinkhole, but are we truly appreciating the labour of our migrant workers?” the organisation asked. The statement comes after several migrant workers who rescued a driver from a Tanjong Katong sinkhole and others who saved children from the River Valley shophouse fire were awarded an appreciation coin by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

Government Recognition of Heroic Acts

In April, four migrant workers who helped rescue people trapped during a fire at 278 River Valley Road on 8 April received an ACE appreciation coin from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). In a Facebook post on 9 April, MOM commended the quartet, saying their “quick thinking and bravery made all the difference.” On 27 July, another group of migrant workers was presented with  ACE appreciation coin by Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash. The coin serves as a token of appreciation for migrant workers who demonstrate courage, initiative, or public-spiritedness in times of need. Dinesh praised the workers’ actions, calling them “a very good example of how our migrant workers help society in general.” He added that migrant workers not only build Singapore through construction but also “step forward and make themselves counted when it’s important.”

HOME: Beyond Symbolic Gestures to Real Reforms

While acknowledging the recognition, HOME emphasised that true solidarity with migrant workers should go beyond symbolic tokens. The organisation argued that if Singapore truly values the contributions of migrant workers, it should review and implement a minimum wage for all workers, including migrant workers. Many currently earn an average of S$19 a day despite working in high-risk environments such as construction sites and shipyards. Their wages have stagnated for decades despite rising living costs and hefty recruitment fees. HOME also called for greater job mobility, noting that migrant workers cannot presently change employers without their employer’s consent. This restriction, it said, traps workers in exploitative situations and discourages them from reporting abuses for fear of retaliation and sudden repatriation, particularly when they are already burdened with recruitment debt. “Migrant workers should be able to change jobs without the consent of their employers, by giving clear notice periods,” HOME said. The organisation further reiterated the need to ban the transport of workers on the back of lorries, citing numerous fatalities and injuries over the years. Between 2011 and 2020, 58 workers died and 4,765 were injured in road traffic accidents while being ferried this way. In 2023, more than 50 community organisations signed a joint statement calling for a ban. “We must value the lives, safety, and dignity of migrant workers by providing safer transport options for them,” HOME stated. In addition, HOME urged the government to create pathways to residency for long-serving migrant and domestic workers. Currently, Work Permit holders are not eligible for permanent residency, even though many have dedicated decades of service to Singapore and often spend more time here than in their home countries. HOME called for a review of eligibility criteria to allow these workers to put down roots. “We believe that solidarity for our migrant workers extends beyond the giving of tokens. True solidarity for migrant workers involves respecting their humanity and dignity,” the organisation concluded.