SINGAPORE: For some time now, part-time delivery rider Alvin Lim has noticed fellow riders who he suspected were foreigners working illegally in food delivery.
Last September, the 33-year-old tried to take matters into his own hands.
“At that time, there were so many of them — around five to six riders — just at Serangoon Nex on a daily basis. They were all riding e-bikes.”
“One other rider from Serangoon called the police on one of them, and a report was taken. We also submitted all the information to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM),” he said, claiming that they were here on student passes.
“Even after the police report, they continued operating, but became more cautious. They started hiding their faces and avoided going to Nex,” said Mr Lim, then adding that they have reappeared in recent weeks around the area.
He is not alone in feeling frustrated over the issue. Speaking to CNA, several platform workers expressed their outrage over the lack of action taken against these foreigners illegally performing delivery jobs.
There is a sense of resignation and helplessness – reports to the authorities did not stem the tide of these workers, and led them to believe that it was impossible to stop them from competing with them for the same pool of delivery jobs.
“What’s there to be angry about? Can’t control this. Many drivers have complained before and they are finally doing something,” said one delivery rider who wanted to be known only by his surname Chow.
CNA has reported the illegal use of delivery accounts from as early as 2023, when it found multiple listings on online marketplace Carousell advertising Deliveroo and foodpanda rider accounts for sale.
On Friday (Jul 4), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said that a trilateral workgroup is being formed to address the issue.
The workgroup will involve Grab Singapore, MOM and the Ministry of Transport (MOT), who will work with NTUC and its affiliated associations.
The group will collectively address platform workers’ challenges and safeguard their well-being in view of the rapidly evolving economy, MOM and MOT said in a joint statement on Friday.
It will be overseen by Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Transport Sun Xueling, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, and Grab Group Managing Director of Operations Yee Wee Tang.
Only Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) are allowed to work as delivery riders for companies like Grab, Deliveroo and foodpanda.
NTUC noted in its press release that foreigners who perform delivery jobs without work permits create illegal or unfair competition for delivery workers, directly impacting their earnings.
Apart from this tripartite effort, a group of delivery food riders will be meeting privately with Workers’ Party secretary-general Pritam Singh in the following days too, according to some gig workers who reached out to CNA.
STRONG COMPETITION FOR LIMITED JOBS
With less people ordering food delivery now compared to the past when the economy was doing better, Mr A Kenji, a delivery rider for six years, felt that illegal riders have also increased competition in the space.
“It feels like there are only 50 pieces of cake but 200 people fighting for them.”
“This undercuts fair competition and drivers’ earnings down for everyone else,” he said. “We are trying hard to feed (our) own family so when this kind of people start to break (the) law it is difficult for us.”
Other delivery riders echoed his sentiments, saying that it is unfair to have to compete with foreigners working illegally.
“I do the work and work from morning to evening and I have to split with illegal workers, do you think that is fair?” Ms Tracy Chan, a full-time food delivery rider of five years, asked.
Asked how they knew that these riders were working illegally, delivery riders said they suspect that some had “borrowed” existing accounts from legitimate account holders, and in exchange, given them a cut of their earnings.
Ms Chan, 55, told CNA in Mandarin that accounts that go dormant for a long time and suddenly become active could indicate fraudulent…
In Singapore, part-time delivery riders express frustration over illegal foreign workers competing for jobs, with reports of these individuals operating under student passes. A trilateral workgroup involving the National Trades Union Congress, Grab, and government ministries is being formed to address the issue and safeguard the interests of legitimate workers.
Explain It To Me Like I’m 5: Delivery riders in Singapore are upset because some foreigners are working illegally in food delivery jobs, making it harder for them to earn money, and a new group is being formed to help address this problem.
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