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SINGAPORE: Singapore could implement a universal minimum wage with S $ 1,300 as a base, even as it explores sectoral improvements under the government’s “minimum wage plus” approach, opposition leader Pritam Singh said on Monday (Oct 12).
This “parallel effort,” with the base salary subject to periodic review, could be considered by the new Tripartite Task Force on Low-Wage Workers, Singh said in a Facebook post.
The term “minimum wage plus” has been used by members of the Cabinet, including Human Resources Minister Josephine Teo and Chief Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, to refer to Singapore’s progressive wage model (PWM), which aims to increase workers’ wages as their skills and productivity improve.
In Singapore, PWM is mandatory for the cleaning, security and landscaping industries, but not for other sectors.
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“The government’s minimum wage plus the sectoral approach includes other aspects such as sectoral productivity and career progression, all of which cannot be objectionable,” said the head of the Workers’ Party, who is also a member of Parliament for Aljunied.
“The problem with this sector approach to the minimum wage is that it takes too long to implement. It has been eight years, with three sectors covered.
“This is too much for Singaporeans working outside of these sectors. How long should they wait?” Mr. Singh said.
The new tripartite working group, which was announced on Sunday, appeared to stick to the sectoral approach of “minimum wage plus” to help workers, Singh said.
He referred to earlier Facebook posts made by Ms. Teo and the General Secretary of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), Ng Chee Meng.
Ms Teo said on Sunday that wage growth had been supported by the PWM, “which sustainably raises workers’ wages in some sectors in conjunction with productivity.”
“In sectors where PWM is mandatory, it is important to maintain continued wage growth. We want to expand PWM to cover more workers while protecting their employability,” Ms Teo said.
Separately, Ng also said on Sunday that the new working group would allow NTUC to “push forward the development of mandatory PWMs in more sectors.”
“The task force would also allow tripartite partners to study other approaches to improve wages and well-being for low-wage workers, such as through sectoral or occupational wage benchmarks for sectors where it is most difficult to implement PWM.” added Mr. Ng.
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On Monday, Singh said: “A universal minimum wage for the Singaporean worker is not just a moral imperative, it is an act of national solidarity, one that is even more relevant in today’s economic environment.”
“I hope that employers, companies, unions and the Government consider this issue as one that goes far beyond dollars and cents, but as a fundamental basis of our national solidarity,” he added.
