Transient Workers Count Too - TWC2

21/08/2026

Volunteer roles available! 🙌🫶

When migrant workers are in crisis, TWC2 is who they call.
Our volunteers make sure that no worker faces their problems alone.

If you’d like to get involved, join us next month at our September learning session, to find out more 👉 https://twc2sep2026.eventbrite.sg/

📅 Tuesday 8 Sep 2026
⏰ 7.30pm - 8.30pm
📍 1C Rowell Road, S207958
🚄 Farrer Park MRT Exit C

Sign up here 👉 https://twc2sep2026.eventbrite.sg/

Available roles:
❤️ Meal Programme (TCRP) volunteer
❤️ Office casework support volunteer
❤️ Legal support volunteer
❤️ Communications volunteer
❤️ Research volunteer

19/07/2026

14/07/2026

Join us this Friday to learn more about migrant labour laws and enforcement in Singapore🔥

📅 Fri, 17 July 2026
⏰ 7.30pm – 9.00pm (reg. from 7pm)
📍 The Arts and Civil Space, CT Hub 1
Hosted by Function 8

Register here: https://f8eventregistration.subscribepage.io/

CHANGING WORLDS SERIES #2

Last month, more than 100 migrant workers turned up at the Ministry of Manpower seeking help for unpaid wages and housing arrangements. We have invited Alex Au to speak about these important issues this Friday, 17 July 2026 at 7.30pm at The Arts & Civil Space, CT Hub 1, 2 Kallang Avenue, #03-16, Singapore 339407.

Alex Au was first involved in civil society as a gay activist in the 1990s. Then he segued into socio-political commentary through blogging before becoming active in Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), an organisation dedicated to improving conditions for migrant labour. Alex is currently the vice-president of TWC2.

You are welcome to attend the talk. Drop us an email at: [email protected]

06/07/2026

Migrant workers do difficult and uncomfortable jobs in Singapore, to support their families back home. We only hope that they are paid fairly for their work.

Over the last few years, TWC2 has seen a rising number of migrant workers who have not been paid properly. In 2025 alone, we assisted 882 workers with their salary claims.

But no matter how many individual workers we assist, more workers will find themselves in need of help, unless their systemic vulnerabilities are addressed.

We sincerely urge Singapore Ministry of Manpower to make improvements to the Employment Act as it undergoes a review this year, and hope that existing laws will be better enforced so that fewer migrant workers will end up in this situation.

Read our proposed amendments to the Employment Act, together with HOME: Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, Here With You, and Workers Make Possible 👇
https://tinyurl.com/EAAmendments

A week after the last complaint, news of the workers approaching the MOM Services Centre en masse broke.

03/07/2026

All eyes are on the Singapore Ministry of Manpower to see how it learns from this incident, as the dust begins to settle around the 400 unpaid migrant workers.

As senior The Straits Times columnist Dawn Tan asks:

"How did so many workers end up going unpaid before the problem came fully into view? ...The question is whether our labour protection system is better at reacting to wage theft than preventing it."

Currently, Singapore's Employment Act is undergoing its first review since 2018 and it is THE chance to improve our labour systems.

TWC2, along with HOME: Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, Here With You, and Workers Make Possible have submitted a joint report of proposed amendments to the Act.

Keep an eye out for more updates on the review.

Many thanks to ST for such clear and incisive journalism. Read the full commentary 👇

The question is whether our labour protection system is better at reacting to wage theft than preventing it. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

26/06/2026

Many thanks to RICE Media for interviewing us about the structural factors behind migrant workers' unpaid salaries.

Why don't migrant workers speak out sooner? How is it possible that so many workers face this problem despite Singapore's employment laws? Read the full article below 👇

It seems to be a happy ending for all, but the question remains: will all these workers ever receive the full amount of what they were owed?

25/06/2026

Long before the crisis escalated, MOM was already alerted about salary issues from KPA Engineering.

The company has a history of not paying their workers properly. Across 2025 and 2026, TWC2 helped 6 workers with salary issues from this company.

So why were things allowed to reach this point?

The burden of wage theft should not fall on workers who have to struggle to prove their claims – often while navigating debt, family obligations, and a foreign environment.

Instead, a centralised wage protection scheme should allow the authorities to automatically detect when employers fail to pay their workers on time.

Since Covid-19, most migrant workers have to be paid via bank transfer. These transactions are easily trackable, and it should be automatically flagged when workers have not been paid.

We shouldn’t have to wait for a crisis to occur before taking action.

10/03/2026

The ugly road to justice for migrant workers - and how you can help 👇

Did you know? Employers sometimes 'punish' workers who file injury or salary claims.

During their claims, most migrant workers are not allowed to work. Without an income, many of them are forced to borrow money to cover basic expenses.

This leaves them extremely vulnerable to abuse.

At TWC2, we’ve seen some employers weaponising food and housing in ways that make life even harder for workers pursuing justice.
👉 Meals provided were extremely poor in nutrition, quality, and taste
👉 Made to travel long hours just to collect meals (e.g. 2h from Tuas to Sembawang)
👉 Forced to move hotels daily, only being told their next check-in location as late as 9pm each night

Here's where your support is critical.

While workers pursue their claims, employers are responsible for their food and housing - but not transport. Workers often borrow money to cover basic expenses.

TWC2's dedicated pocket of transport funds helps them get to medical appointments, MOM meetings, and essential appointments. With more workers coming to us for help, this fund is expected to run out within the year.

If you can, please consider supporting the fund so that we don't have to turn away those in need.

💌 Your donation gives workers the dignity and stability they need during an already difficult time: https://www.giving.sg/donate/campaign/twc2r26

20/02/2026

This Ramadan, we’re raising $20,000 to help migrant workers get to essential appointments – so they can pursue their salary and injury claims with dignity.

If you think this is a worthy cause, please help us to like and share this post – and consider donating! 🙏👉 https://www.giving.sg/donate/campaign/twc2r26

Bangladeshi workers make up 74% of those who seek help at TWC2, and many are in great financial distress: owed months of salary, burdened with high recruitment debts, and unable to support their families back home. Some are forced to choose between missing critical appointments or borrowing more money just to afford the bus/train fare.

FareGo, TWC2’s dedicated pocket of transport funds, ensures that workers can show up for medical visits or MOM appointments without sinking deeper into debt.

Your donation allows migrant workers in need to receive up to $50/month for transportation. Funds from this campaign will be ringfenced in our accounts to provide financial assistance for our Bangladeshi Muslim clients.

To those observing, may you and your loved ones have a blessed Ramadan! 🌙