Twelve cupcakes opened by local djs allegedly exploits foreign workers

[Scrooball (clone)]

http://therealsingapore.com/content...-local-djs-allegedly-exploits-foreign-workers

Dear The Real Singapore,

I believe many Singaporeans would be aware of this brand call "12 Cupcakes" in Singapore. Spanning over Asia like Malaysia, Taiwan and now, setting up in Hong Kong (based on Daniel Ong's Twitter), the "local brand" cakery is making its presence felt with at least 12 outlets around the island. Business is brisk and there is always a shortage of working staff (based on their advertisement in hiring workers). However, recently, I visited a few of their outlets in town and spoken with some staff and realized that many of them are being exploited.

You see, I was buying my usual dozens at this outlet in the middle of Town and spoken with the friendly Outlet Supervisor (who was a Pinoy). I was curious as to why I keep seeing the same person serving me almost everytime I visit the store. It was only then that I realise that the working hours for a regular staff is as such:

Full Time Foreigner: 12 hours a day, 6 days a week with 1 day off

Full Time Local: 8 hours a day, 5.5 days a week with 1.5 days off

Which means these Foreign workers are only earning $3 an hour!

And a further chat reveals that some of the baking staff, whom are foreigner are subjected to working hours of the same and having to shuttle between 2 outlets at the same day. Their pay? Below a $1000.00 (from what a certain PRC baker told me).

Just to confirm that the above was correct, I then went to another outlet in the East and spoken with another Outlet Supervisor and the Kitchen team. I was shocked when the Pinoy Supervisor dragged me to a corner and started complaining to me about the working conditions. I was even more shocked that the workers accepted such a lowly pay with lengthy hours. While a shop generally generates $1k - $3k in sales daily, based on what this supervisor had said, the Kitchen staff who are foreigner are earning around $850.00.

According to MOM ruling, it is stated that the maximum working hours is 44 hours. Anything more than that would warrant overtime pay. Now, this same supervisor told me that there was no such thing as overtime pay unless it is approved by management, and it is only when you are required to work during their break days.

I then asked if the staff know their break days at the beginning of the month (as stipulated by MOM guidelines) and was told that they only know their break days on a "Saturday" before the week proper.

This is worrying. While Singaporeans are fighting against jobs that are given to Foreigners, will anyone actually want to work under such conditions? 6 days a week and 12 hours each day for a meagre pay of around $1,500 per month?

I hope that Singaporeans do the right thing and vote for equal rights with your dollars.

The company is expanding, at the expense of the workers?

PS: This article is written at the request of the Foreign Worker working in 12 Cupcakes after an intensive interview with the foreign staff.



Vettel

TRS contributor



Editor's Note: This article has been forwarded to TAFEP and Twelve Cupcakes for clarifications. No response as of yet. Anyway, we doubt they are doing anything illegal. Unlike other Developed Nations, Singapore does not have any functional worker's union (NTUC is not a Worker's Union) or minimum wage laws to protect the rights of workers.

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

TWELVE CUPCAKES CEO RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS OF EXPLOITATION OF FOREIGN WORKERS

http://therealsingapore.com/content...onds-allegations-exploitation-foreign-workers

Dear The Real Singapore,

I refer to one of your reader's complaint letter: "TWELVE CUPCAKES" OPENED BY LOCAL DJS ALLEGEDLY EXPLOITS FOREIGN WORKERS".

This is daniel ong. CEO and founder of twelve cupcakes . I'm in Hong Kong now, but I do see a need to revert .

I think the real caption to this should be..." Is TRS being fair? " .

You write us a message at 9am in the morning , and say you will publish this at night if we don't revert. We see that you go against your word and publish it at 10am... Without finding out the facts.

You do so without finding out the REAL truth, and also not finding out whether your info is right or wrong. It's pretty obvious from your lack of research that you don't care about right or wrong, you just care about sensationalizing a story. But I guess as people who run such a website , you don't really care about credibility to what you wrote as long as you have readership.

All your facts and figures are wrong btw, And I will be granting other more credible sites interviews and insights to the real truth. Would love to speak to reporters who bother to find out both sides of any story. The truth will prevail. And I'm not worried. Lets just say, after the truth is known, your credibility will be at stake here, and the embarrassment of your baseless and unresearched article will be the main focus. I'm appalled at how unprofessional you guys are. But I keep forgetting you are not a news agency. You don't need ethics.You are just some guys behind computer screens running a website.

To clear the air, For the record, our foreign workers earn more than what you claim . They don't work 12 hours a day like what you said. They arn't disgruntled like what you described. They are paid OT for the extra hours they work as stipulated in written contracts with them, unlike what you so baselessly state.

Our foreign work force accounts for less than 10% of our workforce. They work for 11 hours a day. Of that there's 1.5 hours of break, and of the 9.5 hours of work they do everyday, we pay the OT past the 44 hour mark in accordance to MOM guidelines. Infact, you probably didn't know that their work in a kitchen is usually done in half a day, leaving a lot of time for downtime.

Our foreign workforce want to work more, and earn more in the time that they are here. Back in their homelands, they would earn far worse wages with longer work hours.

Here's a screamer for you, I'd like to state the fact that twelve cupcakes is one of the best places to work in Singapore! Higher starting salaries than most companies, great promotion prospects ... And....

We are one of few FnB companies that have such great perks.

- 8 hour work days

-paid lunch time (mon to Thursday)

-anything more is OT pay(X1.5)

-5.5 days unlike some companies who do 6 days.

-$150 incentive EVERY month for EVERY employee for staying healthy and being on time.

-year end bonuses

-great work environment where you are encouraged to have fun, tell jokes and laugh.

-all HR benefits in accordance to MOM guidelines.



Why don't you write about that? Oh wait, that's not sensational enough. Ahhhh...And that's the truth.

I'm writing now btw not because I think I need to answer your baseless allegations... But because people are entitled to the truth and the REAL story, unlike the content on your website.

I also won't be bothering with going to the lawyers as well because I'm nice like that. And I really believe in karma.

Anyways, have a Nice life anyways and lift what you'd like from this email to "suit " your article. We have done nothing wrong, we are steadfast, we love our staff to bits... And judging from how many staff have written to me to express their solidarity... I think twelve cupcakes has done a fantastic job.

"Happy food by happy people for happy people" ...and I intend to stay true to it. May you find joy in what you do, and thank you so much for patronizing twelve cupcakes!



Daniel ong
CEO
Twelve cupcakes pte ltd

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

OUTLET SUPERVISOR WORKING AT TWELVE CUPCAKES CLAIMS THAT THE CEO IS LYING

http://therealsingapore.com/content/outlet-supervisor-working-twelve-cupcakes-claims-ceo-lying

Dear The Real Singapore,

I am writing in as you have published an article of my workplace and my employer, Twelve Cupcakes. I would like to say Thank You to the Singaporeans who understand our situation, and also Thank You to the Singaporeans who are holding xenophobic views on us.

I am currently working as an Outlet Supervisor at Twelve Cupcakes. Yes, I come from The Philippines and gotten the job due to an agent who recommended me. When I signed the contract, I was told that I am under a different contract from the locals. I am expected to work 12 hours a day, and 6 days a week. My OFF will be planned and roster by the company. I am lucky, I earn more than $1,300 a month. Being a University Graduate in my hometown, I was from Central Luzon State University, I want to get a better paying job and being a supervisor is really a big thing in my country. My family were happy I found a job.

When I went in on the first day, I saw things that were different from what my agent and the HR Manager told me. Yes, the job was simple and easy. All I had to do was to take care of the outlet that I was given, and make sure that the money is correct, and every day I have to deposit the money into the bank.

During my off day, I cannot sleep and rest as my handphone is always receiving messages from the company. The company uses whatsapp to communicate with all of us supervisors and my phone keep ringing even when I am on off. When I tell the management, the locals were not happy. But they do not understand we only have 1 day to ourselves, unlike the locals who have 1 and a half days off. We ask the HR Manager as he is a fellow countryman of ours and he just say the locals and the foreigners are different.

Things got worst when the company keep telling us that we are expected to work hard for the company. When we do not have good sales figures or many leftover cakes, the management does not scold us, but then there will be sarcastic remarks made. The locals also isolate away from us, treating us like 2nd class workers. We were even made to work during our Off sometimes as the company said it will pay us OT as and when. But we do not want OT, we want our off. We are not machine.

After working for a few months, I befriended a China baker at my outlet. After a while, she told me that she did not have enough money as she only earned $800 a month. Occasionally when I went to other outlets, the same amount was told to me by the China baker at that outlet. I cannot understand why their pay is different from ours but just keep quiet. I needed the job.

Today, I read what my CEO have to say online (as my part-timer show me) and we know what is right and what is not true that our boss have said online.

I have never received more money than what they have told me even if I work longer hours with the company. There is no 8 hours work shift. On Mondays, we have to attend a meeting at around 10.30am or 11am, and then head back to our outlets. Our outlet closed at around 9pm at the earliest. How can it be 9 hours? The job is not as fun as what my boss said. If he comes and you are chatting with your colleagues, you get scolded. They have cameras to monitor your every movement.

I know that there are people out there who say we deserve it as the company never point a gun at us to sign the contract. But tell me, if you are in our shoes, do you even know what is the local labour law? Thanks to The Real Singapore website, we now know that anything after 44 hours, we can get higher pay due to overtime.

I cannot wait to see my November pay cheque. All these months I have been cheated by Twelve Cupcakes being exploited as a foreign worker.

I want to say thank you to Vettel. Because of what you wrote today, you have made the management spoke to us about this matter and we were informed not to speak to TRS over this matter.

To the Singaporeans, I hope that you all can understand that the China bakers come here to seek a better life, told that they have good pay and prospect, only to find out that their basic pay is $800 a month, and not the thousands that they were promised. Do you think it is fair if your boss do the same thing to you?



Estrada

TRS contributor

 

[nutbush]

who cares...

i only see that the wife is a babe...:p

 

[nitefly]

OUTLET SUPERVISOR WORKING AT TWELVE CUPCAKES CLAIMS THAT THE CEO IS LYING

http://therealsingapore.com/content/outlet-supervisor-working-twelve-cupcakes-claims-ceo-lying

Dear The Real Singapore,

I am writing in as you have published an article of my workplace and my employer, Twelve Cupcakes. I would like to say Thank You to the Singaporeans who understand our situation, and also Thank You to the Singaporeans who are holding xenophobic views on us.

I am currently working as an Outlet Supervisor at Twelve Cupcakes. Yes, I come from The Philippines and gotten the job due to an agent who recommended me. When I signed the contract, I was told that I am under a different contract from the locals. I am expected to work 12 hours a day, and 6 days a week. My OFF will be planned and roster by the company. I am lucky, I earn more than $1,300 a month. Being a University Graduate in my hometown, I was from Central Luzon State University, I want to get a better paying job and being a supervisor is really a big thing in my country. My family were happy I found a job.

When I went in on the first day, I saw things that were different from what my agent and the HR Manager told me. Yes, the job was simple and easy. All I had to do was to take care of the outlet that I was given, and make sure that the money is correct, and every day I have to deposit the money into the bank.

During my off day, I cannot sleep and rest as my handphone is always receiving messages from the company. The company uses whatsapp to communicate with all of us supervisors and my phone keep ringing even when I am on off. When I tell the management, the locals were not happy. But they do not understand we only have 1 day to ourselves, unlike the locals who have 1 and a half days off. We ask the HR Manager as he is a fellow countryman of ours and he just say the locals and the foreigners are different.

Things got worst when the company keep telling us that we are expected to work hard for the company. When we do not have good sales figures or many leftover cakes, the management does not scold us, but then there will be sarcastic remarks made. The locals also isolate away from us, treating us like 2nd class workers. We were even made to work during our Off sometimes as the company said it will pay us OT as and when. But we do not want OT, we want our off. We are not machine.

After working for a few months, I befriended a China baker at my outlet. After a while, she told me that she did not have enough money as she only earned $800 a month. Occasionally when I went to other outlets, the same amount was told to me by the China baker at that outlet. I cannot understand why their pay is different from ours but just keep quiet. I needed the job.

Today, I read what my CEO have to say online (as my part-timer show me) and we know what is right and what is not true that our boss have said online.

I have never received more money than what they have told me even if I work longer hours with the company. There is no 8 hours work shift. On Mondays, we have to attend a meeting at around 10.30am or 11am, and then head back to our outlets. Our outlet closed at around 9pm at the earliest. How can it be 9 hours? The job is not as fun as what my boss said. If he comes and you are chatting with your colleagues, you get scolded. They have cameras to monitor your every movement.

I know that there are people out there who say we deserve it as the company never point a gun at us to sign the contract. But tell me, if you are in our shoes, do you even know what is the local labour law? Thanks to The Real Singapore website, we now know that anything after 44 hours, we can get higher pay due to overtime.

I cannot wait to see my November pay cheque. All these months I have been cheated by Twelve Cupcakes being exploited as a foreign worker.

I want to say thank you to Vettel. Because of what you wrote today, you have made the management spoke to us about this matter and we were informed not to speak to TRS over this matter.

To the Singaporeans, I hope that you all can understand that the China bakers come here to seek a better life, told that they have good pay and prospect, only to find out that their basic pay is $800 a month, and not the thousands that they were promised. Do you think it is fair if your boss do the same thing to you?



Estrada

TRS contributor

1. No one force her to sign the contract as she rightly put it.
2. I see it is between the agent and her problem. It is really not the company's problem
3. Since she agreed the employment, why complain?
4. Most Chinese Nationals will say they earn less. It is just chinese way of modesty. The $800 data point is unreliable.
5. On hind sight, she felt unfair because she got less than the rest, and she felt discriminated. But she'd forgotten she is doing far better than she was in her own home town.
6. Most Pinoy will use Singapore as step stone to elsewhere. So take it as invested opportunity
7. When she go to the America/Europe etc, it is the same. I advice her to look at the contract before she sign next time.
8. Remember don't choose retail or service line if one like comfort. It is a same tough job everywhere around the world.
9. All agent the same. So do your due diligent before you move your log stock and barrel over to the next country.
10. The reason why Pinoy are employed every where in the world is because they are willing to take competitive remuneration, friendly and hardworking.
11. Given a simple job of cause this level of pay.
12. Her money could be paying of the agent that gotten her this job. Better find out.

So I think for this case, Estrada as a Pinay, being lazy, is a trouble making, and is really just an outlier case. A lot of hard working Pinoy/nays and good ones either make it to USA, Europe, some returned home after many years manage to build their own bangalow and some married a Bangala husband. Even better ones married rich whites.

In case all things fail, here is my advice to Estrada,
Huwag kang mag alala. Singapore "Akong" gahment will bahala you. Go MOM and complain, the answer will be, there is no minimum wages in Singapore. TQ.

 

[Extremist]

12 reasons why The “Real” Singapore bullies 12 Cupcakes

Posted by madmonk on November 26, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Note: Articles do not necessarily represent the views of the editorial team and/or the editor.



In traditional TRS fashion, we’d like to say that this article was contributed by “Fei Ke Noos, 23, professional journalist”.



1. Alex Tan didn’t get a complimentary birthday cupcake from them (Alex is one of the alleged owners of TRS)



2. They were unable to plagiarise the secret recipes and publish them



3. Slow news day – y’know, Singapore being so boring and all…



4. They found only 11 cupcakes in a box



5. They didn’t carry strawberry flavoured ones. The type that bruises easily



6. Unlike schools, not every cupcake was a good cupcake.



7. It is part of a larger scheme to make cupcake prices fall in time for Christmas



8. Unlike 12 cupcakes, they were unable to create anything original of their own



9. They secretly hate things that are sweet



10. There are actually things that are fluffier than their fabricated news



11. Because they just hate damn cupcakes!!



12. Because Daniel Ong is actually doing something with his life





The Real Singapore is a site that lifts material from other web pages, even mainstream media sites, without permission and passes it off as their own. It has no respect for original work and frequently inaccurately twists articles and titles to suit their agenda.

 

[danielsim]

pinoys complaining again. hard to believe what they say over here. his story seemed to be self-centered and one to gain sympathy. they work in most of our F&B sectors as supervisors or managers, and most of them are very nasty to those who are below them. i've seen some scolding openly in the cafe/restaurant irregardless of any onlookers, enjoying the whole process throughout.

 

[laksaboy]

12 reasons why The “Real” Singapore bullies 12 Cupcakes

Posted by madmonk on November 26, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Note: Articles do not necessarily represent the views of the editorial team and/or the editor.

....

The Real Singapore is a site that lifts material from other web pages, even mainstream media sites, without permission and passes it off as their own. It has no respect for original work and frequently inaccurately twists articles and titles to suit their agenda.

What, you mean Five Stars And A Moon has no agenda of its own?

http://www.fivestarsandamoon.com/12-reasons-why-the-real-singapore-bullies-12-cupcakes/

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

The Pinoy should be thankful to find work with her Mickey Mouse uni degree.

I couldn't even find the ranking of a Pinoy uni in the world uni rankings.

 

[singveld]

if we give the foreigner good working condition, even the local want to work.
if we give them good working condition, more of them will want to come to singapore.

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng replies: i dun welcome foreign workers - not happy all balek kampong! MOM law applies to Singaporeans only! Singaporeans means born in Singapore citizens. ALL new citizens, PR, FT, FW are considered foreigners!

 

[garlic]

This twelve cupcakes has to be the most overhyped food of all. Tried it once, did not finish it and threw it away.. too sweet for my liking. This falls into the category of overpriced food not worth a second try. Also, you need to jog 4km+ to burn away a single cupcake.. go figure...

Regarding the exploitation of the workers. Nothing compared to N.S.....

 

[lianbeng]

This twelve cupcakes has to be the most overhyped food of all. Tried it once, did not finish it and threw it away.. too sweet for my liking. This falls into the category of overpriced food not worth a second try. Also, you need to jog 4km+ to burn away a single cupcake.. go figure...

Regarding the exploitation of the workers. Nothing compared to N.S.....

lianbeng agrees with u. u know how much sugar, butter, eggs n flour go into the production of a standard cupcake or not? plain flour 1kg + eggs 5 + butter 250g + sugar 500-600g = 12 cupcakes (coz the standard mould for cupcakes is 12 slots). not forgetting those creamers that they top up the cupcakes with and those chocolate rice, rainbow-coloured rice, caramel glazing, etc...

 

[laksaboy]

This twelve cupcakes has to be the most overhyped food of all. Tried it once, did not finish it and threw it away.. too sweet for my liking. This falls into the category of overpriced food not worth a second try. Also, you need to jog 4km+ to burn away a single cupcake.. go figure...

Regarding the exploitation of the workers. Nothing compared to N.S.....

You're not the target demographic. Zhar bor of all ages love these kind of pastries... it's right up there along with their love for shoes and handbags.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Mention Daniel Ong and first image that comes to mind is I want to gangbang his wife....

 

[pillowtalk]

12 reasons why The “Real” Singapore bullies 12 Cupcakes

Check out no.1 and 8. LOL.


In traditional TRS fashion, we’d like to say that this article was contributed by “Fei Ke Noos, 23, professional journalist”.



1. Alex Tan didn’t get a complimentary birthday cupcake from them (Alex, ex-RP/SPP politician is one of the alleged owners of TRS)



2. They were unable to plagiarise the secret recipes and publish them



3. Slow news day – y’know, Singapore being so boring and all…



4. They found only 11 cupcakes in a box



5. They didn’t carry strawberry flavoured ones. The type that bruises easily



6. Unlike schools, not every cupcake was a good cupcake



7. It is part of a larger scheme to make cupcake prices fall in time for Christmas



8. Unlike 12 cupcakes, they were unable to create anything original of their own



9. They secretly hate things that are sweet



10. There are actually things fluffier than their fabricated news



11. Because they just hate damn cupcakes!!



12. Because Daniel Ong is actually doing something with his life





The Real Singapore is a site that lifts material from other web pages, even mainstream media sites, without permission and passes it off as their own. It has no respect for original work and frequently inaccurately twists articles and titles to suit their agenda.

Source: fsaam

 

[laksaboy]

Re: 12 reasons why The “Real” Singapore bullies 12 Cupcakes

Oh look, here's another PAP shill copy-pasting from Five Stars And A Moon over the cupcake story.

 

[bushtucker]

i'm not sure if we are supposed to sympathise the sinkie employers or the FTrash workers.

 

[Gostan]

Never even bother with local brand.... I only know C Cup.

 

[Annunaki]

Alex tan zhixiang this puah kar chng Kia and his TRS aka the real shit again. Also cannot understand why Daniel ong this type of 打手枪 hand-gun face can get this type of hot wife. Knnbccb to both.