Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Govt eyeing better standards at factory-converted dorms

SINGAPORE — Following calls by the Migrant Workers’ Centre, the Government is looking to tighten the rules governing factory-converted dormitories to ensure acceptable living conditions for these workers.

Migrant workers at the factory-converted dormitory operated by ASL Shipyard. Over the past year, the MOM had taken steps to educate operators on basic housing requirements, urging them to meet standards. Photo: Robin Choo

Migrant workers at the factory-converted dormitory operated by ASL Shipyard. Over the past year, the MOM had taken steps to educate operators on basic housing requirements, urging them to meet standards. Photo: Robin Choo

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

SINGAPORE — Following calls by the Migrant Workers’ Centre, the Government is looking to tighten the rules governing factory-converted dormitories to ensure acceptable living conditions for these workers. 

Minister of State (Manpower) Teo Ser Luck said on Monday (Aug 1) that the Manpower Ministry (MOM) was considering the centre’s suggestions, and stressed the importance of taking care of these workers’ needs. However, he pointed out that the economic climate and cost pressures on operators could result in shortfalls at these facilities.

His comments came three days after the Migrant Workers’ Centre called for standards to be set for such dormitories — as has been the case for larger institutional housing — after it found unpleasant living conditions during visits to such facilities, such as unhygienic quarters and inadequate laundry facilities. 

Speaking to reporters after a visit to a factory-converted dormitory run by shipyard operator ASL Shipyard on Pandan Road, Mr Teo said there must be “certain rules, certain guidelines (and) certain parameters” for such housing options, and the standards that could be set for such smaller dormitories “cannot be too far away” from those governing larger ones.

He added that MOM would “set some conditions where it is general enough”, and other conditions would be considered where necessary. 

Minister of State (Manpower) Teo Ser Luck in an FCD. Photo: Robin Choo/TODAY 

Under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act passed last year, operators of large dormitories — housing 1,000 or more workers — are required, among other things, to provide social and recreational facilities, and have quarantine plans in place in the event of an infectious disease outbreak.

For factory-converted dormitories, there are about 1,000 of them here housing some 80,000 foreign workers, and their operators are legally obliged to provide “a safe and secure living environment”.

In the past year, MOM officers visited about 90 per cent of the factory-converted dormitories here, Mr Teo said, and some operators had “big” gaps to fix in meeting even the current standards, but the majority abided by the rules. 

The ministry told TODAY that enforcement action was taken against about 150 of the 850-odd such dormitories it inspected. The errant ones, found to be overcrowded and with poor housekeeping, took corrective action later.

Over the past year, MOM had also taken steps to educate operators on basic housing requirements, urging them to meet standards and providing them with a self-audit checklist, among other things. 

With some businesses having concerns about incurring costs, the MOM is closely watching the sectors facing economic challenges, particularly those that have to set up dormitories to house migrant workers.

Mr Ang Kok Leong, executive director of ASL Shipyard’s parent company, ASL Marine Holdings, said that while there was cost pressure given the stiff competition in the shipbuilding industry, the firm could not afford to compromise the safety and welfare of its workers because it affects productivity and the consequences would also be very high.

Mr Teo is scheduled to meet the operators of factory-converted dormitories at a seminar on Aug 24 to discuss dormitory management issues and the need for tighter conditions governing them.

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.