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SINGAPORE: Expanding the progressive wage model (PWM) to more sectors, as well as granting those who work in essential services higher payments under an income supplement scheme, were some of the suggestions made by the members of Parliament (MP) of the Popular Action Party (PAP) on Tuesday (September 1).
Support for local workers remained a recurring theme on the second day of the debate on the president’s speech.
State Minister of Health Koh Poh Koon called for PWM to be expanded at a faster pace and universalized in all sectors to protect more workers from stagnant wages.
PWM refers to “pay scales” designed to increase the wages of low-wage workers by enhancing their skills and improving productivity. It was first implemented in the cleaning industry in 2015, before expanding into the security and landscaping sectors in the following year.
While the wages of the 78,000 workers in these three sectors have increased by roughly 30 percent between 2013 and 2018, the number of workers represents only 15 percent of those in the lowest 20th percentile of the wage ranges. said Dr. Koh, who is also the deputy general secretary of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC).
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The PWM will be activated for the elevator and escalator maintenance sector in 2022, and how to implement the model in the waste management sector is being discussed. Still, Dr. Koh said more can be done.
“In recent years, SkillsFuture Singapore has produced a comprehensive map of the competency framework for many jobs. Taking advantage of these skill tiers, we should now move towards universal PWM in all lower-paying jobs. ”
The government “must be prepared to use more regulatory levers to widely implement” the model, Dr. Koh said, adding that it is clear that waiting for the market to respond on its own will not produce results.
A sectoral wage benchmark could be explored as a first step for sectors where there are currently no regulatory levers to require a PWM, he suggested, adding that this can be done by leveraging various data sources, such as the Ministry of Hand’s occupational wage. of Work (MOM). poll.
In sectors with “a more diverse employment landscape,” such as food services and retail, these benchmarks can also help “catalyze more companies to embark on improving the livelihoods of low-wage workers. “, said.
Dr Koh acknowledged that while it may not be the best time to raise wages during a global health and economic crisis, authorities should start looking into the matter.
“I hope the tripartite partners can come together now to conduct an in-depth study on the universal implementation of PWM in more sectors, so that we can move faster in this regard when the economy recovers after COVID-19,” he said.
“If we really want to build a more inclusive society and reduce the income gap, the pace of PWM implementation in more sectors must accelerate.”
Dr. Koh also highlighted the importance of strengthening the Earned Income Supplement Plan (WIS) so that the incomes of low-wage workers can keep up with the rising cost of living.
The scheme was recently improved, with qualified income increased to S $ 2,300 per month and the maximum pay increased to S $ 4,000 per year, allowing more low-wage workers “to experience strong real wage growth,” he said.
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Marine Parade GRC MP Mohd Fahmi Aliman, who is also a director of NTUC, urged the government to consider providing a higher WIS payment to workers in essential services to “recognize their social value.”
Many of these workers “took a brave step” and continued their work as a vanguard during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, adding that without their hard work, Singapore would have completely stalled.
“This pandemic has made us rethink the social value of many jobs that society has not always considered important, such as cleaning, security agents, waste management workers and building maintenance personnel,” added the deputy for the first time , who noted the support provided to these workers so far.
While more essential workers will be eligible for the special Workfare payment, a recently announced S $ 3,000 cash payment for low-income workers, many of them also have their income and retirement funds supplemented by the WIS.
“While this effort is to be applauded, let us not rest on our laurels and continue working to improve the WIS scheme to benefit more workers and their families and strengthen our social safety net,” he said.
Jurong GRC MP Tan Wu Meng, who also spoke in support of frontline workers, asked if there can be more Singaporean healthcare workers in public hospitals.
“May I ask the government, how often does the Ministry of Health compare the salaries of our nurses and allied health workers in the public and private sector? Can we pay more to our allied nurses and healthcare workers? ” he said.
EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR YOUNG AND OLDER SINGAPOREANS
MPs also spoke out for young Singaporeans who may need help finding work.
Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo, who is the deputy general secretary of NTUC, said that younger Singaporeans venturing into the job market right now face “the most difficult financial and social circumstances.”
“Because the COVID-19-induced recession is unprecedented in scale, depth and duration, we can reasonably expect the negative impact to last longer. This makes improving labor mobility paramount, ”he said.
“We have to invest significantly to safeguard the future of the COVID-19 generation of young Singaporeans.”
Choo suggested giving loan repayment relief to students at private educational institutions, encouraging companies to convert internships into permanent positions, as well as granting grants or loans to those who want to stay or return to school.
MacPherson MP SMC Tin Pei Ling stressed that today’s youth can face many disruptions in their life, and asked how the government could meet their aspirations.
“This Government has to weigh different interests, listen to the people, and find balanced solutions that care for older generations, while creating space for younger generations to shape this nation into one they can be proud of. call home, ”he said. .
One of many MPs to speak for Singaporeans who feel the warmth of foreign workers, Ms Tin said the government should formulate a plan to help young adults in Singapore’s workforce take on potential leadership positions, beyond arming them with academic and technical qualifications. abilities.
“If we can find a way to cultivate a critical mass of Singaporean talents who are not only technically skilled but also with leadership skills and insight, the ecosystem will be much healthier and more competitive,” he said.
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State Minister for Defense Heng Chee How focused his speech on older workers and the challenges they could face as more companies lay off workers.
NTUC’s undersecretary general warned against layoffs and age hiring, saying older workers who were laid off from their jobs will have a harder time finding a new job.
“For mature workers who are displaced or facing severe pay cuts, the road ahead will be difficult as they seek to maintain themselves and meet family commitments,” he said, urging the Ministry of Social and Family Development to consider a second tranche. from the COVID-19 Support Grant and Temporary Aid Fund to provide some relief to displaced workers.
Deputy Joan Pereira asked for more social assistance, including family counseling, for the interspersed class.
“I hope that MOM can work with the Ministry of Social and Family Development to receive alerts in case of job termination. We could proactively send materials to affected employees and families or contact them, checking to see if they need help getting through difficult times, ”he said.
HELP FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED AND OTHERS
Other issues raised Tuesday include whether enough help is provided to the self-employed.
Nee Soon GRC MP Derrick Goh pointed to comments from residents who perceive the Self Employed Income Relief Plan (SIRS) as unfair, adding that some do not fully understand why their applications were rejected. .
The first MP cited the example of the authorities who use the value of the house as a criterion. As a result, some may not qualify for SIRS as eligibility is tied to the annual value of the homes in which they live.
While using “means tests” to identify those in need of help is logical, Mr. Goh said it could be a “powerful tool” given that COVID-19 relief “is not a normal government plan.”
“It must be recognized that it will exclude residents whom the relief measure was intended to help,” he said.
“Additional data points could have been used proactively to identify those that fall into the ‘should help’ category, so a part of this relief measure could be considered, given this challenging period.”
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Meanwhile, in a speech focusing on Singapore’s foreign labor policy, Bukit Panjang’s SMC MP Liang Eng Hwa asked how Singapore can reduce its dependence on foreign labor for jobs that are unwanted by the locals.
Construction is an area, he noted. In addition to changing the tender system for public construction projects to emphasize more productive construction methods, he also asked whether the Changi Airport T5 project needs to go ahead.
Mr. Liang pointed to a new operational landscape in which air travel will be greatly reduced in a post-pandemic world, while airlines can consolidate and “focus” on cheaper locations.
“Are our assumptions and parameters still valid in the new permanently modified configuration? Are the risks now too high to go ahead with this huge investment? “, I ask.
“Can we work within our four existing terminals, regenerate new value propositions and optimize with what we already have? Maybe we can still go ahead with the new runway, but do we need another terminal building? “
Mr. Liang said he hopes the government will review its decision because such mega-projects “consume large numbers of migrant workers and displace the most urgent demand from other construction projects.”
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