Best to keep your hands to yourself sometimes
STELLA: I recently joined Ink Singapore, two weeks ago, as a TAD Controller but I have resigned. Within this role, I report to Sandy Fong, Group Production Manager and Mark Ramayah, Group Publisher. I am writing in regard to a few incidents that have crossed the line involving two of the staff from Ink Singapore; Mark Ramayah and Leo Refuerzo. These incidents have caused me emotionally distressed and I am resigning as a result of them. I believe I reserved the rights to make you aware of these to ensure no one else has to endure this in the work place at Ink Publishing. The following are incidents that I believe have crossed the line and what I did about them.
Incident One:
On the 18th of July, Mark gave a squeezed to my arm saying the introduction I had just now was awesome. What I did in regard to the incident: Nothing, as this was first time anything like this happened.
Incident Two:
On the 23rd of July, William Laycock from the Jetstar Melbourne team requested for interlining airlines and Mark came in to sit with me. I was moving the mouse and he placed his hand over my hand, without my permission.
Incident Three:
On the 25th of July, I went to the sales team and Mark would say “I like your hair”, “What are you doing for this weekend?”, “Who is your boyfriend?” I said to Mark that the salesperson sitting next to him, Adrian, was my boyfriend. Because Mark wants to listen to what he likes, and they both joined this “fun” and laughed together with the whole team, Mark even congrats to Adrian with a hand shake.
Incident Four:
On some occasions when I was reporting to Mark, he said “You belong to me”, he wanted me to sit very close with him for discussion and give pat onto my arm. I did tell Sandy and Mark that I do not want to sit with him. However, Mark said I am under his payroll, he pays me so I have to sit next to him to work as a team. Sandy said Mark has informed the Managing Director, Mr Ricketts that I would be sitting next to him. I told Melvin Chee, the HR manager on the 31st July that I did not want to sit next to Mark. He advised me to sit with Mark for the time being and I did not mention about the harassment but saying the sales team are noisy and will make me lose my focus as I need to be meticulous about keying in the flight dates, routes and PSC number etc. Later I did tell him that Mark did touch my hand. I asked him how the sitting arrangement is like and he told me he doesn’t mind where we sit and I am not under Mark’s payroll. I told him I don’t feel it is appropriate to sit next to him like why would he want to touch my hand. Melvin said he would have a chat with Mark and would want to try and sit there first.
Incident Five:
Leo has been coming to my desk for Adobe software issues and he would always say “Can I sit beside you”, “Can you sit beside me”, call me “Baby Girl” and even touched my hand.
Incident Six:
On the 31st of July, Mark came to my desk again and gave a pat onto my shoulder. Leo came to my desk again and he touched my hand.I said the following to Leo “Can you stop touching me?” Sandy heard it as she was just next to Leo and he said he didn’t touch me and I said “You are touched me” and he walked away. Mark brought up about Leo, saying Leo won the 2013 Ink Award and he is very popular, happily married with children, how could he touch me and how could I scold him when I did not. He wanted me to stop being sensitive. Mark was also furious that I brought this case up to Melvin and he said the HR is not able to help me and that I don’t bite the spoon that feeds and wanted me to apologise to him and Sandy. As I was told by Mark Ramayah that touching and giving shoulder pats is acceptable in Ink Singapore because Ink Singapore follows the culture from UK as Ink Singapore is a UK MNC and I need to accept their culture. But I am Asian. I am Chinese. I have my own culture. I came to Ink Singapore to work, not to let people touch or molest. This is Singapore, the Far East, not the UK. We follow the law in Singapore.
Seeking Advice:
I seek advice from friends outside who referred me to the police, where the police informed me that it wasn’t because this is Singapore, the Far East and this not UK and it is called “Molesting” and wanted me to lodge a report. I didn’t go into work on Friday or contact them, even Sandy called me and I did not answer, as I was too emotional distressed, as I felt threatened by what Mark has told me, sad and disappointed.
I do not mind the hard work where I have to go back home and work long hours just to get design works done or even working on the TAD system as I was passionate about this new job but it really makes me feel sad, disappointed, threatened and emotionally distresses after all these experiences that I have encountered. I don’t wish to take this matter any further and the purpose of this email is to make you aware of what is happening in the work place so that it doesn’t happen to anyone else.
Redwire Times Singapore cannot verify the allegations made in this letter.
