Work pass privileges suspended after S'pore Ambulance Association failed to pay at least 15 Covid-19 vaccinators

• Singapore Ambulance Association and a recruitment firm had been under investigation by the authorities
• Vaccinators and nurses filed complaints against them after they were not paid
• After almost three months, MOM has suspended the work pass privileges of two men linked to the Singapore Ambulance Association
• The company said it would be paying the workers, except for those who had made complaints to the authorities
• MOM encouraged other vaccinators who have not been paid to approach the authorities

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has suspended the work pass privileges of two men associated with Singapore Ambulance Association, which had failed to pay at least 15 Covid-19 vaccinators their salaries.

In a joint statement, MOM and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) said on Wednesday (Sept 15) that two individuals, Mr Eugene Tok Yong Fa and Mr Whey Zhen Hui, who are both linked to the company, will be held accountable for the non-payment of the salaries.

TODAY reported in July that two companies that hired people to work as Covid-19 vaccinators and nurses — Singapore Ambulance Association and Megamanpower — were being investigated by the authorities after a group of these workers complained that they had not been paid over a month’s worth of salaries.

Recruitment agency Megamanpower had been hired by Parkway Shenton healthcare group to supply manpower after the latter won a Ministry of Health contract to provide Covid-19 vaccination services.

Workers were later told that Megamanpower and Singapore Ambulance Association were working together to provide the service to Parkway Shenton.

In response to queries from TODAY, Parkway Shenton said that it would be helping the affected workers by paying their salaries out of goodwill, even though it had already paid its subcontractors.

TODAY had spoken to six affected workers, who were owed up to S$4,000 each in unpaid salaries. Some of the workers have confirmed that they have been offered goodwill payments by Parkway Shenton.

MOM and TADM's statement said that as of Monday, all 15 vaccinators had their outstanding payments “settled” by Parkway Shenton. They encouraged any other unpaid vaccinators to come forward.

MOM said that it does not condone Singapore Ambulance Association's irresponsible behaviour.

“Based on our enquiries, we will be holding the following individuals accountable for the current situation: Mr Eugene Tok Yong Fa and Mr Whey Zhen Hui,” MOM and TADM said. “MOM will suspend their work pass privileges as well as for all their associated companies.”

They added that action may also be taken against a third individual, Dr Tan Ying Zhou, pending further investigations.

In a business profile of the company taken from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, Mr Whey and Dr Tan are shareholders of the group.

TODAY understands that Mr Tok is also linked to the company.

WHAT HAPPENED

The vaccinators, most of whom are registered nurses, applied for the job when Megamanpower placed an advertisement in February this year seeking vaccinators and nurses to be supplied to Parkway Shenton.

When the vaccinators and nurses signed the employment contract, they noticed that Singapore Ambulance Association was named as their employer.

Some of the workers had told TODAY that they were confused by this, but when they asked about it, they were told by staff members from Megamanpower that the two companies were working together or even “pretty much the same” entity.

In June, the workers were then told by a representative of Singapore Ambulance Association that it was terminating their contracts and would pay them for work done up until June 8.

The vaccinators told TODAY that they had not been paid for their salaries in the month of May and the first week of June.

Almost three months on, four vaccinators whom TODAY followed up with said that they still had not been paid by Singapore Ambulance Association.

MISSED FINAL PAYMENT DEADLINE

MOM and TADM said that they had set a final deadline of Sept 11 to Singapore Ambulance Association to respond on the payment.

“Given that Singapore Ambulance Association has been uncooperative and persisted in not making payments after more than two months of engagement, TADM and NTUC have worked behind the scenes to assist the 15 affected vaccinators.” 

Responding to queries from TODAY, Parkway Shenton's chief executive officer Edmund Kwok said that its contract with Megapanpower had ceased in early June and the payment for all their invoices had been made.

“We are sad to hear that a small group of the vaccinators have still not been paid, and fully empathise with their predicament.

“Out of goodwill, Parkway Shenton will help these affected individuals and pay them the salaries due to them by the rightful parties while MOM resolves the ongoing dispute between them and the agency,” he said.

WHAT THE EMPLOYERS SAY

Responding to queries from TODAY, Singapore Ambulance Association said that it has paid some of the vaccinators the salaries they are owed, but will not do so for those who had attempted to pursue the matter through TADM.

It said that the payments “will not apply to the minority of the contractors who ill advisedly chose to pursue the issue through TADM despite our explanation that we were taking all necessary steps to make payment”.

“This was in any event an inappropriate forum for the independent contractors who were not employees.” 

It added that ​​there is an “ongoing dispute” between itself and Megamanpower as subcontractors.

“(We have) been engaging in amicable negotiation with Megamanpower through solicitors to resolve the dispute.” 

As part of the process, funds will be advanced to Singapore Ambulance Association to be paid to the workers who are owed their salaries.

The company also claimed that “a number of contractors” have already been paid but that some are still experiencing a delay in processing payment.

“We have apologised to them for this and explained that the delay arose from circumstances beyond (our) control, whereas the independent accountant administering the payments contracted Covid-19, resulting in admission to an isolation ward.” 

It added that it expects the payments to be completed by Thursday.

When contacted, a Megamanpower representative reiterated that it had already paid Singapore Ambulance Association the workers’ salaries.

“If Singapore Ambulance Association is not paying, and I have already gone to MOM, and given my statement and evidence to them… I really cannot do anything,” he said. “I’ve already done my part in paying.”

WORKERS RELIEVED TO GET SALARIES

Most of the vaccinators who spoke to TODAY have been promised the goodwill payments by Parkway Shenton. They said that they went to Singapore Mediation Centre on Monday to resolve the matter, and would be compensated the equivalent of what they are owed in seven to 10 working days.

For former vaccinator Kenneth Wong, who is owed about S$1,700, the news came as a relief.

“The main underlying issue is still the (errant) agency… If this situation doesn’t get resolved, there will be this kind of situation again in other companies,” the 21-year-old student said.

Another former vaccinator, Ms Shahira Maszlan, was happy that she would receive the S$3,100 that was owed to her, but she thinks it is “unfair” that Parkway has had to pay double to resolve this situation.

“Something has to be done towards Singapore Ambulance Association for what it did to us,” the 24-year-old said.

However, another vaccinator, a senior staff nurse who declined to be named, said that she still has not received more than S$4,000 owed to her.

She did not reach out to TADM or the authorities, but had waited for the company to update her on her owed salary.

“(Singapore Ambulance Association) asked me to wait and not to file any complaint,” she said. “I will call them and if they will not give the specific date and time (for repayment), then I will submit my claims to TADM.”