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Employment dispute: 224 workers accepted settlement following MOM's intervention

Employment practices Foreign manpower

224 PRC workers who had employment disputes with their employers Zhonghe Huaxing Development Pte Ltd and China Nuclear Industry Huaxing Construction Co. Ltd have accepted a settlement, following intervention by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). With the settlement of the dispute, most of the workers (171) have decided to continue working in Singapore while the rest (53) have decided to return to China. Two remaining workers who declined to accept the settlement would have their claims adjudicated by the Labour Court.

Background of Case

2.   On 30 December 2008, some 200 PRC work permit holders approached the Ministry for assistance over their employment disputes with their employers.  The key issues involved salary disputes from September to November 2008, and the workers' unhappiness with the employers for attempting to revise certain employment terms.

3.   After MOM's intervention on 30 December, about 100 of them accepted the terms of settlement with the employers and returned to work the next day.

4.   Some 100 of them, however, returned to MOM over the following three days expressing that they had additional issues to raise with the ministry. After MOM's further intervention and clarification with these remaining workers, another 98 also accepted the settlement yesterday. The case has thus been resolved with all but two of the 226 workers accepting the settlement.

Advisory to Workers

5.   Workers who have disputes or grievance with their employers are advised to report the matter to the Ministry, and allow the matter to be mediated or adjudicated in the Labour Court. They should not take the matter into their own hands. MOM and the police would not hesitate to take firm action against them if they were to violate any laws.