Long before He even started work in Singapore, in fact, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) was aware of the concerns raised by the SMRT bus drivers, he said, citing a petition submitted to the ministry in 2010 by a group of Chinese bus drivers, two of whom were among the group of four (including He) who were first arrested and charged for their involvement in the strike.
This carried some 185 signatures, raising concerns about living conditions, disparities in compensation and bonuses and the fact that SMRT held on to the passports of the drivers throughout their two-year stints, only returning them when they finished their contracts and were sent home.
Despite this, he said, the MOM only assisted the drivers with the issue of passport withholding, more or less neglecting the remaining issues that were raised. Full story
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MOM spent $272,000 to buy a total of 472 Herman Miller designers chairs for its staff in 2011- Asiaone.com
