Migrant worker groups urge Government for timeline to stop transporting workers in lorries

While such rules are “strong steps forward” and address real concerns on the ground, they do not address the root cause of accidents, said the statement.

The groups said the lack of proper restraints such as seat belts increases the risk of injuries during collisions or abrupt stops, and added that the original equipment manufacturers of lorries have stated that lorries are not designed to carry passengers.

“Our workers deserve to be transported safely, as their contributions are integral to Singapore’s growth and prosperity, and their lives and continued employment are essential to their families,” said the statement.

The push for safer transport for migrant workers has been a long-standing topic of discussion and has been raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) for more than two decades.

In 2000, then-Nominated MP Gerard Ee asked if the Government would consider a ban. In 2021, the matter was brought into the spotlight after two workers died and more than were 30 injured after four lorry accidents that year.

Earlier this month, Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) renewed a call in Parliament for the ban, suggesting that the authorities plot a road map to achieve this and implement other safety measures in the interim.

In response, Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said the Government is equally concerned about improving the safety of worker transport, but added that a ban without considering ground-level concerns is not a realistic solution, as the practice of ferrying workers in lorries cuts across industries and companies of varying sizes.

Dr Khor added then that a wider shift to mandating the use of buses will likely exacerbate an existing shortage of bus drivers, and will be challenging for smaller enterprises to employ full-time drivers.

Earlier this year, The Straits Times reported that private bus operators are struggling with a shortage of bus drivers, with many not being able to re-hire workers they laid off during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, with several schools and travel agencies being affected by the shortfall.

Reception to switching from lorries to buses for ferrying workers has been lukewarm, too. Construction companies ST spoke to in 2021 said the option was not realistic, and would increase the cost per worker by as much as 80 per cent.

While acknowledging the extra costs in switching from lorries to buses, Dr Chok said there is “no morally defensible reason to continue this practice”, and that there is a need to commit to a timeline and direct resources to make the switch in the future, if human lives are indeed valued.

“Right now, workers safety and lives are treated as an externality, but these factors must be costed into the business model of hiring and transporting workers because human lives matter,” said Dr Chok.