- Joined
- Jul 24, 2008
- Messages
- 33,627
- Points
- 0
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Workers move out after wage pledge
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Tagore Lane stand-off resolved after Tipper Corp promises to pay salaries owed to them </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Nur Dianah Suhaimi
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
</TD><TD vAlign=bottom>
Workers outside their new dormitory in Kranji yesterday, after moving out of their former living quarters in Tagore Lane. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->It was a classic stand-off. The 180 foreign workers, having being let down by the subcontractors, wanted to see the money owed to them.
Tipper Corporation, the marine company that had used the subcontractors, having now taken over and secured new living quarters, insisted that the men vacate the old premises in Tagore Lane.
Then the boss stepped in, promising the men, all Bangladeshis, they would get their money 'by hook or by crook'.
Yesterday's stand-off was then resolved, as the men - who had not been paid their salaries for up to three months by the subcontractors - agreed to go to their new dormitory in Kranji.
Tipper Corp said the landlord had given the men till yesterday to move out.
The mess started a week ago when one of the two subcontractors who hired the men told them there was no more work, and they would not be paid.
Last Wednesday, meal deliveries stopped and the electricity and water supplies were cut off.
Yesterday's stand-off began at 3pm when two buses were sent to Tagore Lane to transport the workers to Kranji.
But the workers' bags were not packed and laundry was still hanging on clothes lines.
The buses waited.
At about 3.30pm, several Tipper Corp directors turned up but failed to persuade the men to move.
Then, Tipper Corp's director Loke Siew Fai gave this order: 'Tipper is a responsible company. The workers will get their money by hook or by crook.'
One worker, Mr Md Monir Hossain Abdul Jabbar, 34, later said: 'He has given us his word. I hope he keeps his promise and pays us.'
Said Mr S.M. Mojiburrahman, 38: 'Before this, the subcontractor made many promises but we never got our salaries.
'We don't know if this time round, Tipper is going to stick to its promise.'
Still, within minutes, the men had their bags packed and boarded the buses.
By 5pm, the last of the workers had left the Tagore Lane living quarters.
Before yesterday, earlier talks between Tipper Corp and the workers had resulted in a stalemate.
Mr Loke told them last Thursday he would find them jobs but made no promises on the outstanding salaries. He said his company would meet the subcontractors and officials from the Manpower Ministry tomorrow to determine how much each worker is owed. [email protected]
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Tagore Lane stand-off resolved after Tipper Corp promises to pay salaries owed to them </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Nur Dianah Suhaimi
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>

</TD><TD width=10>


Workers outside their new dormitory in Kranji yesterday, after moving out of their former living quarters in Tagore Lane. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->It was a classic stand-off. The 180 foreign workers, having being let down by the subcontractors, wanted to see the money owed to them.
Tipper Corporation, the marine company that had used the subcontractors, having now taken over and secured new living quarters, insisted that the men vacate the old premises in Tagore Lane.
Then the boss stepped in, promising the men, all Bangladeshis, they would get their money 'by hook or by crook'.
Yesterday's stand-off was then resolved, as the men - who had not been paid their salaries for up to three months by the subcontractors - agreed to go to their new dormitory in Kranji.
Tipper Corp said the landlord had given the men till yesterday to move out.
The mess started a week ago when one of the two subcontractors who hired the men told them there was no more work, and they would not be paid.
Last Wednesday, meal deliveries stopped and the electricity and water supplies were cut off.
Yesterday's stand-off began at 3pm when two buses were sent to Tagore Lane to transport the workers to Kranji.
But the workers' bags were not packed and laundry was still hanging on clothes lines.
The buses waited.
At about 3.30pm, several Tipper Corp directors turned up but failed to persuade the men to move.
Then, Tipper Corp's director Loke Siew Fai gave this order: 'Tipper is a responsible company. The workers will get their money by hook or by crook.'
One worker, Mr Md Monir Hossain Abdul Jabbar, 34, later said: 'He has given us his word. I hope he keeps his promise and pays us.'
Said Mr S.M. Mojiburrahman, 38: 'Before this, the subcontractor made many promises but we never got our salaries.
'We don't know if this time round, Tipper is going to stick to its promise.'
Still, within minutes, the men had their bags packed and boarded the buses.
By 5pm, the last of the workers had left the Tagore Lane living quarters.
Before yesterday, earlier talks between Tipper Corp and the workers had resulted in a stalemate.
Mr Loke told them last Thursday he would find them jobs but made no promises on the outstanding salaries. He said his company would meet the subcontractors and officials from the Manpower Ministry tomorrow to determine how much each worker is owed. [email protected]