ENHANCING FOREIGN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS � WELFARE THROUGH EFFECTIVE POLICIES AND PROCESSES: CASE OF BANGLADESHI WORKERS

Abstract

The number of foreign workers in Singapore has increased over the years, especially in industries where local labour is rare. As such, foreign labour policies in Singapore have evolved over the recent decades in response to changing demand-supply conditions and policy priorities. This Dissertation examines the adequacy of existing policies and processes in protecting the welfare of the foreign workers in two main aspects of welfare: Wages and Safety. The focus of this Dissertation is on the timelines of wages received by the foreign workers and the environment created to ensure the safety of the foreign workers. Moreover, owing to operational considerations such as language difficulties and resource constraints, this Dissertation is conducted on one specific group of foreign workers: Bangladeshi Workers. The research methodology used in this Dissertation seeks to examine the success of existing policies and processes and explore areas to be improved to enhance the well-being of foreign workers. A review of literature sets the foundation to formulate the questionnaires and interview questions. A total of 50 out of 57 responses were collected from the foreign workers as 7 of the questionnaires distributed were either incomplete or unusable. An interview was conducted with one employer and one Non-Government Organization (NGO) respectively to enhance the understanding of the problems and nature of interactions they have with the foreign workers. The data and information collected were analyzed and discussed. The relatively low response rate from the foreign workers and figures which are not disclosed by the authorities constitute the main limitations of this Dissertation. Finally, recommendations such as the involvement of trade unions to represent the foreign workers, the breakdown of pay slip to increase transparency of deduction and mandatory introduction classes before their employment were made to enhance the welfare of the foreign workers in Singapore construction industry.