40 firms offer jobs to about 400 workers affected by unpaid salaries linked to air-con company
SINGAPORE - The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has found 40 firms with about 150 vacancies for unpaid migrant workers employed by an air-con servicing company, said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng. On June 24, Ng said the NTUC’s Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) has assisted about 400 worker
By Christine Tan
SINGAPORE - The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has found 40 firms with about 150 vacancies for unpaid migrant workers employed by an air-con servicing company, said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng.
On June 24, Ng said the NTUC’s Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) has assisted about 400 workers involved in the case, so far.
Affected workers will also be given $100 cash and $100 FairPrice vouchers each to meet their near-term needs, he added, after a visit to Tuas View Dormitory where most of the workers are staying.
On June 22, over 100 migrant workers had turned up at a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) office claiming they had been owed at least two months’ salary by their employers.
They are employed by either KPA Engineering, a company that provides air-conditioner maintenance services or its related firm, SK Industries. MOM is investigating both companies for possible breaches.
Noting that job placement for the workers will be critical, Ng said in the next few days they will try to ensure that all the affected workers can be matched.
Ng added: “The practice of abandoning the workers and not paying salaries is not something the NTUC will stand (by) without acting upon. Employers must be responsible, and I’m glad that many employers have come forward to assist these migrant workers.”
He said: “I understand they still owe agency fees, and some of them are in debt.”
Ng said the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) and the tripartite partners are working to contact the employers involved in the case.
But he added: “I understand that they may not be in the country.”
Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash, who was also at the dormitory, said the workers’ stories were heart-wrenching, as their unpaid salaries have taken a toll on them and their families.
He said MOM will be moving affected workers when their term in the dormitory ends to the MOM Onboard Centre at Sengkang.
On the financial assistance given to migrant workers, Dinesh said: “The numbers may be modest at this point in time, but it’s useful to allow them to tide over these few days - to top up their phones, so that they can call their loved ones, because some of them really don’t have much money in their pockets.”
He added that MOM takes a very serious view of the employers allegedly involved in this case. Investigations are currently in its nascent stage, and MOM will take the necessary actions once investigations are done, he added.
When asked if this was the worst case of worker abandonment here, Ng said this was not an issue of numbers, but of migrant workers’ lives and livelihoods.
Noting that many migrant workers are under a mountain load of debt, Ng said he read from The Straits Times’ latest report that some of the affected workers had to borrow money at home for their children to go to school.
He added: “On the specific numbers, let us finish, and then we can do a proper case study and learn the proper lessons through this.”
On June 24, in a packed cinema hall within Tuas View Dormitory, Ng spoke to around 200 affected workers with the help of Tamil and Bengali interpreters. When asked how many months’ salary they were owed, workers raised their hands with most saying three months’ worth, while some said four months’ worth.
And when Ng asked how many of them wanted to continue working in Singapore, almost every hand shot up.
Ng reassured them the authorities would take care of them and try to recover their salaries to the best of their abilities.
Dinesh also addressed the men in a mix of Tamil and English, emphasising that MOM views this case very seriously. He said MOM will conduct investigations and mete out the necessary punishments.
Staff from MOM, MWC and TADM were present to address workers’ queries and to lodge any remaining salary claims.
Ng and Dinesh, along with MWC staff members, gave out bags of lunch - curry rice, with vegetables, fish or chicken - to the workers.
On June 22, multiple employees of KPA Engineering told ST they had not been paid for at least two months, and had been unable to contact the recruiting agent.
They had found out several days ago the company had shuttered. An employee of a new firm at the company’s listed address said KPA Engineering vacated the unit in September 2025.
KPA Engineering and SK Industries share a common director, who is linked to five other firms providing air-con, plumbing and building services. The affected workers said the man is uncontactable.
Most of the affected workers are from India and Bangladesh and are housed at the dormitory. They initially had food provided by an external caterer hired by their employers, but that stopped as the caterers claimed they were not paid.
MWC has been providing meals for affected employees.
TADM said the affected workers are allowed to seek new employment while their complaints are being addressed. Workers are usually issued with a Special Pass which allows them to legally remain in Singapore to resolve issues like salary disputes and employment transfers.