Remember some time back we reported that local radio DJ Daniel Ong and former Miss Universe Singapore Jamie Teo were charged for underpaying their workers when they were the tow kays of Twelve Cupcakes?
In case you don’t remember, or you never follow the news, here’s a summary of what happened:
- Daniel Ong and Jamie Teo were the founders of Twelve Cupcakes.
- They founded the pastry company in 2011, now there are 35 outlets across Singapore.
- In 2016, they sold the pastry company to an Indian tea company for $2.5 million.
- While Ong and Teo happy happy count money, the new tow kay who took over the company realised that these 2 tow kays allegedly have been underpaying their workers whose salaries were between $2,000 and $2,600 a month.
- Then the new tow kay also very what de lor. Initially they paid workers the reduced salary. But later they allegedly changed tactics.
- First, they pay their workers full salary first, then later allegedly make the workers pay back a portion of their salary in cash so as to conceal their offence – maybe because they see the old tow kays already underpaying their workers liao. Walao can like that one meh??? Is it they think MOM stupid? But sorry lor, you do bad things confirm one day will kena catch one hor.
- So yes lor, in the end, the new tow kay also got kena charged – to which they also pleaded guilty earlier this month.
- Then MOM continue to dig some more, they found out that allegedly, on top of underpaying the workers, Ong and Teo also did not pay their workers on time sia.
- Tsk tsk. Anyway if found guilty, both Ong and Teo could be jailed for up to a year, fined up to $10,000, or both.
- One week ago, Teo pleads guilty to underpaying foreign workers.
Don’t know about you lah, but lao niang, read the news also feel sibei unjust for the workers for being ill-treated like that.
Tia gong the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) also decided not to 袖手旁观 (sit there and do nothing) liao. They decided to unionise the workers, represent them and help them speak up and cham siong with the management, and make sure the management is fair to the workers and don’t chut anymore stunts to ill-treat them liao.
But of course is not using violence lah.
According to their Facebook post, the union say it will “work with the management to educate on the fair employment legislation and practices, and their responsibilities and care towards their employees’ welfare”.
You can read the full Facebook post below:
https://www.facebook.com/FdawuSingapore/posts/4095739850436400
This is a good lesson to teach all employers – Treat your workers well, local or foreigners alike. Don’t chut stunt secretly thinking nobody will find out and you can take advantage of workers because they macam blur blur and nobody protect them. Now you know hor, got union watching you.
In the end you kena news headline and whole world knows about it, you ownself sia suay yourself.
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