Two China workers arrested after standoff at construction site

[M.Bison]

Two China workers arrested after standoff at construction site

By Sara Grosse/Alice Chia | Posted: 06 December 2012 1600 hrs

Two China workers perched atop crane escorted down on Thursday have been brought down from the crane by SCDF officers. (Photo: TODAY/Sara Grosse)

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested two workers from China for unlawfully remaining on top of construction cranes at a construction site in Jurong and intentionally causing alarm.

The Ministry of Manpower says the two men, Mr Zhu Guilei and Mr Wu Xiaolin, were unhappy with their employer Zhong Jiang (Singapore) International Pte Ltd over salaries.

Since 6.30am, the workers were seen on top of the construction cranes at a work site near No 31, Jurong Port Road.

The workers remained on separate cranes, which are about 10 storeys high.

By afternoon, the heat was noticeable. Still, the workers did not get down from the cranes.

The Police Crisis Negotiation Unit was activated to get the two men down to safety.

Shortly after 2pm, SCDF officers were seen climbing up one of the cranes.

After some coaxing, one of the workers began to make his way down.

The second worker continued to stay on top of his crane for the next hour.

After it started to rain, SCDF officers began climbing up the second crane.

Eventually, the second worker got down from the crane at about 3.30pm.

Both men were seen being escorted by SCDF officers after they reached the foot of the crane.

The two workers had previously approached the Ministry of Manpower and claimed they had outstanding salaries owed to them.

However, the MOM said the workers did not have the necessary documents to support these claims.

MOM officers had asked them to return with the documents so they could investigate. The workers had agreed to do so.

Police said if convicted, the workers can expect to face imprisonment, fine or both.

On the incident, the Migrant Workers' Centre called for more outreach with migrant workers so that they can be made aware of channels of help available to them.

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Chairman of Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC) said: "We have contacted the Ministry of Manpower about the case and on our hope that they are given a fair opportunity to air their grievances. In the meantime, we are confident that MOM will be able to achieve an outcome, with the workers and their employers, which is satisfactory to all concerned.

"We would like to assure the workers that the MWC will monitor the developments in this case and will step in to assist them if the need arises. We are gravely concerned about the interests and welfare of our migrant workers, and would like to reiterate our call to them to abide by established channels of assistance, either through MOM, MWC or any other migrant organisation set up to champion their welfare, and not to take matters into their own hands."

- CNA/ck/de

 

[TIE Interceptor]

Chinese workers protest again

December 7, 2012 - 12:50am

By: Shaffiq Alkhatib Elizabeth Law

TNP PHOTO: Mohd Ishak

Two men, both Chinese nationals, were arrested yesterday after climbing up separate tower cranes over an ongoing pay dispute with their employer, Zhong Jiang (Singapore) International.

Mr Zhu Guilei, 24, and Mr Wu Xiaolin, 47, had climbed the 10-storey tall cranes located at a construction site at Jalan Buroh near Jurong Port Road.

The general workers had told the Ministry of Manpower on Wednesday they had quit and were planning to return home. They claimed they were owed outstanding salaries but did not have documentation to support it.

Mr Zhu came down at around at 2.30pm and Mr Wu followed suit about an hour later.

The police said the two men have been arrested for unlawfully remaining at the place and intentionally causing alarm. If convicted of the offence, they can be jailed and fined.

Read the full report in The New Paper on Friday (Dec 7).

 

[TIE Interceptor]

Chinese workers stage new protest in Singapore

Thursday, 06 December, 2012, 5:05pm
Agence France-Presse in Singapore

One of two construction workers protesting working conditions stands on top a crane at a building site in western Singapore. Photo: EPA

Two crane operators staged a high-rise protest at a construction site in Singapore on Thursday, its second industrial incident involving mainland Chinese workers in less than two weeks.

The workers, reportedly demanding payment of back wages before their return to China, perched themselves on top of separate cranes before agreeing to come down after hours of negotiations with rescuers, an AFP photographer said.

The crane protest came 10 days after a work stoppage by Chinese bus drivers erupted at a transport firm – Singapore’s first industrial strike since 1986.

The protest came as four drivers accused of instigating the November 26-27 strike at state-linked transport firm SMRT appeared in court.

Liu Xiangying, 33, Gao Yue Qiang, 32, Wang Xianjie, 39, and He Jun Ling, 32 appeared in handcuffs and told the court they would engage defence counsel.

Twenty-nine other drivers have already been fired and sent back to China and one has been sentenced to six weeks in jail after pleading guilty to involvement in an illegal strike.

Activist groups have expressed outrage over the crackdown on the bus workers.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement on Thursday calling on Singapore to drop the charges against the four drivers and put an end to pay discrimination.

The striking drivers complained they were being paid less than Malaysian colleagues for the same work.

“Singapore defies basic labour rights by criminalising migrant workers for a work stoppage and threatening them with prison terms, fines, and deportation,” said Phil Robertson, HRW deputy Asia director.

“As a country that depends on migrant workers, Singapore should recognise it’s playing with fire by permitting private and state-owned companies to discriminate based on the nationality of the workers,” he added.

Involvement in an illegal strike in Singapore is punishable by a maximum one-year jail term and S$2,000 (US$1,640) fine, or both.

Last week’s bus strike highlighted the country’s heavy dependence on migrant labour to drive its economic growth amid a labour shortage resulting from falling birth rates.

 

[4 Strings]

Arrested PRC workers had contacted MOM before acting on their own

Published on Dec 06, 2012

Police on Thursday arrested two workers from China who had allegedly climbed up to the top of two ten-storey high tower cranes in a Jurong worksite in protest over a wage dispute with their employer. -- PHOTO: AP

By Goh Shi Ting

Police on Thursday arrested two workers from China in connection with a case of unlawfully remaining at the place and intentionally causing alarm.

This after both men had allegedly climbed up to the top of two 10-storey high tower cranes in a Jurong worksite in protest over a wage dispute with their employer.

Preliminary findings by the Ministry of Manpower showed that the two workers, Zhu Guilei and Wu Xiaolin, had approached its customer relations officers on Wednesday.

They had claimed that they had outstanding salaries owed to them by employer Zhong Jiang (S) International but did not have supporting documents.

 

[OrNeeKu]

More trouble time ahead.

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng thought they would be left high n dry up there?

 

[Hudson]

Moral of the story - In Rome do what the Romans do.

Most sinkies are balls-less. Not happy? Can always quit but cannot go on strike or do standoff.

 

[M.Bison]

Two China workers charged with criminal trespass

By Alice Chia | Posted: 07 December 2012 1957 hrs

The two chinese workers, Wu Xiaolin (left), 47, and Zhu Guilei, 24, who perched themselves atop two tower cranes were charged in court on Dec 7, 2012, with criminal trespass. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

SINGAPORE: Two workers from China who sat on top of two construction cranes for hours on Thursday have been charged in court with criminal trespass.

Zhu Guilei, 24, and Wu Xiaolin, 47, were offered bail of $10,000 each.

As of 9.30pm, Channel NewsAsia understands that they have not been bailed out and are held in remand at Changi Prison.

They said in court that they intend to claim trial but won't be engaging counsel.

Both men will be back in court on December 12 for a pre-trial conference.

The two are accused of unlawfully remaining on the cranes for about nine hours at a worksite at Jurong Port Road with intent to alarm the project manager of their employer with threatening behaviour.

The maximum penalty for criminal trespass is three months' jail and a fine of $1,500.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Manpower Ministry said its checks have shown that the two workers did not have any salary owing to them.

An MOM spokesperson said the salary dispute between the employer and the two workers was also resolved not long after they were brought down from the cranes.

After the workers were brought down, MOM said one of its officers asked why they had not gone back to the Ministry with their supporting documents to substantiate their claims.

To this, one of the workers is said to have told the officer that going to MOM to lodge claims was "troublesome".

It has been reported that the two workers had gone to the Ministry a day earlier to claim they had outstanding salaries owed to them.

However, MOM officers told them to return with necessary documents to support their claims, so that the issue could be investigated.

MOM said it is also investigating whether the company has breached any statutory provisions under the Employment Act.

- CNA/de

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng said to that monkey: kwa simi lanjiao!ai siopak ha? lai lah! kia lu ah?

 

[Raibura]

They should be put away for good in a monkey cage.

 

[TIE Interceptor]

Bail likely for two construction workers charged with criminal trespass

By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 12 December 2012 1800 hrs

Crane in Jurong Port Rd. (Photo: Sara Grosse)

SINGAPORE: Two construction workers from China who were charged in court with criminal trespass are likely to be bailed out within the next two days.

Lawyer Ravinderpal Singh, who will represent both men pro-bono, told this to reporters on Wednesday after a pre-trial conference.

He said Wu Xiaolin, 47, will be bailed out on Thursday, while Zhu Gulei, who is 24, will be bailed out on Friday.

Bail has been set at S$10,000 each.

Their bailors are representatives from the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) - a non-governmental organisation.

The lawyer said HOME had also approached him to take on the case, and that he was appointed on Tuesday.

The two had perched atop a tower crane last Thursday over an alleged wage dispute.

Both men were charged last Friday.

They are accused of unlawfully remaining on two construction cranes at a worksite at Jurong Port Road with the intent to cause alarm to the project manager of their employer by displaying threatening behaviour.

The two men had previously gone to the Ministry of Manpower claiming that their employer owed them salaries.

They were told to come back with documents to support their claim.

Wu and Zhu had indicated in court last week that they intend to claim trial but their lawyer told reporters on Wednesday that this has yet to be confirmed and that he will need to take further instructions from his clients.

The pair will appear in court on 3 January 2013 for another pre-trial conference.

For criminal trespass, the men could be jailed three months and fined.

- CNA/jc

 

[Maximilian Veers]

Migrant workers' group bails out two Chinese workers in crane protest

Published on Dec 12, 2012

The two construction workers from China charged with criminal trespass for protesting on top of two tower cranes at a worksite will be bailed out by migrant workers' group Home. Wu Xiaolin (left) is expected to be released today while Zhu Gulei, 24, will be out tomorrow. --ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Khushwant Singh

The two construction workers from China charged with criminal trespass for protesting on top of two tower cranes at a worksite will be bailed out by migrant workers' group Home.

Wu Xiaolin, 47, is expected to be released today while Zhu Gulei, 24, will be out tomorrow. Their bail was set at $10,000 each.

The two will also be represented for free by Mr Ravinderpal Singh.

The lawyer told reporters that he was approached by Home, or the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, yesterday. He was unable to say if the two men intend to plead guilty.