THE Migrant Workers' Centre's (MWC) suggestion is unlikely to work in practice ("Workers urged to report bosses demanding kickbacks"; yesterday).
Most workers are willing to pay kickbacks to get a job, so long as they get the expected salary regularly and can stay in employment.
Only when there is a serious dispute, like over the non-payment of salary or the likelihood of retrenchment, will workers try to seek redress and highlight the kickback issue. So, the workers are willing abettors, too.
The MWC's other suggestion that fines collected from the convicted parties be paid to the workers is not a good idea,
as the same can then be argued for every other court case, including where Singaporeans are involved.
The authorities should, instead, crack down on errant employment agents who adopt unscrupulous practices ("Some who employ foreign workers still demand kickbacks"; Monday).
Agents pay employers to hire the workers, so it is these agents who have tempted the employers to demand kickbacks.
In the marine industry, there have been cases of senior human resource managers receiving kickbacks from agents.
In the construction sector, where kickbacks are not uncommon, some companies register as construction firms but, in effect, are acting as recruitment agencies, as they do not do any construction work but supply manpower to bona fide construction firms instead.
Ultimately, it is vigilance on the part of the authorities, as well as rigorous enforcement, that can bring results in the effort to stamp out the practice of giving and receiving kickbacks.
N. Nagesh
Most workers are willing to pay kickbacks to get a job, so long as they get the expected salary regularly and can stay in employment.
Only when there is a serious dispute, like over the non-payment of salary or the likelihood of retrenchment, will workers try to seek redress and highlight the kickback issue. So, the workers are willing abettors, too.
The MWC's other suggestion that fines collected from the convicted parties be paid to the workers is not a good idea,
as the same can then be argued for every other court case, including where Singaporeans are involved.
The authorities should, instead, crack down on errant employment agents who adopt unscrupulous practices ("Some who employ foreign workers still demand kickbacks"; Monday).
Agents pay employers to hire the workers, so it is these agents who have tempted the employers to demand kickbacks.
In the marine industry, there have been cases of senior human resource managers receiving kickbacks from agents.
In the construction sector, where kickbacks are not uncommon, some companies register as construction firms but, in effect, are acting as recruitment agencies, as they do not do any construction work but supply manpower to bona fide construction firms instead.
Ultimately, it is vigilance on the part of the authorities, as well as rigorous enforcement, that can bring results in the effort to stamp out the practice of giving and receiving kickbacks.
N. Nagesh
