Circuit-breaker violations: Revoking work passes is harsh and disproportionate

14 April 2020

HOME notes with great concern that 24 work pass holders have been permanently barred for allegedly flouting circuit breaker measures. Considering that these were first-time violations (in the absence of information to the contrary), HOME considers these measures to be harsh and disproportionate, and urges MOM to weigh the seriousness of the violations against the workers’ plight amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

In contrast to the sanctions meted out to these workers, Singapore residents who have flouted the enhanced safe distancing measures have only been issued $300 fines or written advisories. It is unclear to us why work pass holders are punished so much more severely. If the intention is to “send a clear signal of the seriousness of the offense”, as MOM has said in its statement, surely these standards should be applied evenly across everyone regardless of nationality and residential status.

Many workers have outstanding loans due to the high recruitment fees they pay to come here, and are sole breadwinners of their families, who are even more vulnerable during the Covid-19 pandemic. The poor everywhere in the world are being hit hardest by Covid-19, and denying these low-wage workers all possibility of current and future employment here will intensify their suffering in this time. Many of their home countries are also not allowing citizens to return at this point in time, and these workers will find themselves stranded. Even when they manage to fly home, interstate and local transportation might not have resumed in countries like India where the lock down is being extended, and as most workers hail from rural parts of the country, they might have to make the staggering journey home on foot.

HOME understands the importance of the circuit breaker regulations, and have been doing our part to urge workers to comply with them. Breaches cannot be taken lightly, regardless of who they are by. However, it is important that the government’s response is fair and proportionate to all who live here and have a shared social responsibility to contain this virus. Given the chaos in workers’ lives at the moment, as well as the measures that prevent them from leaving their dormitories, it is unclear that these punishments will be communicated widely enough to act as deterrents either.

It is our view that better communication about the measures, in workers’ native languages, and improved living conditions, will go a much longer way in supporting workers to comply with the measures, rather than such punitive actions. We have heard from numerous workers that communication about various matters has been uneven across dorms. Many of them are experiencing anxiety, confusion and despair as the situation in dorms escalates every day, and are not receiving timely updates about the rules, the number of cases, and the availability of medical care, amongst other things.

MOM can consider appointing some workers in each dormitory as circuit-breaker ambassadors, who can educate and monitor their peers with regard to the enhanced measures. Our experience shows that peer learning and leadership are highly effective strategies in influencing group norms.

When workers are found to be in breach of the rules, we ask that officers give them a chance to explain their circumstances. There are realities we might not be able to see from where we stand, and listening to their perspectives will enable us to better conceive of ways to ensure compliance.

This is a period where we have to create shared ownership of the challenges that lie ahead of us, so that all communities feel empowered to do their part. Seeing that they are being treated more harshly than everyone else, on the contrary, will only exacerbate the sense of despair and disempowerment the migrant worker community is currently feeling.