A Task Force Will be Formed to Raise Wages of Low-Income Workers in S’pore

Unless you’re Jeff Bezos or one of those who were recently added to the list of Singaporean billionaires, you’ve probably felt the economic impact of Covid-19.

Employees who’ve been lucky enough to keep their jobs have had to take pay-cuts and no-pay leave to keep their company afloat.

Here at Goody Feed, for example, our boss literally pays us in peanuts, even though we work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Boss: At least they’re sugar-coated, right?

I guess. 

Fortunately, the gahmen has recognised the dire circumstances that many employees have found themselves in, and is committed to help.

A Task Force Will be Formed to Raise Wages of Low-Income Workers in S’pore

A new task force will be formed to devise ways to raise the wages of low-income workers, as well as to push productivity growth.

National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) chief Ng Chee Meng announced the move in Facebook post on Sunday (11 Oct), after a meeting with Manpower Minister Josephine Teo and president of Singapore National Employers Federation Robert Yap.

Ng said the task force would also work out ways to further expand the Progressive Wage Model (PWM).

Through a partnership with businesses, Ng aims to raise productivity in a way that “foster(s) a win-win for employers and workers.”

According to Minister Teo, discussions for a task force to help senior workers was held two years ago.

But with the impact of Covid-19, Minister Teo was told by DPM Heng Swee Keat that it’d be a good time to set up a similar task force for low-income workers.

“As we work towards recovery of our economy, this is also a good time to ensure our lower-wage workers too can emerge stronger from the crisis brought about by Covid-19”, she said.

Lower-Wage Workers Hit Especially Hard By Pandemic

According to The Straits Times, lower-wage workers have been hit especially hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Those not in professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) jobs reportedly made up 49.2% of locals who were retrenched in the second quarter of the year, up from 36.1% in the first quarter.

And those who managed to keep their jobs have seen their salaries fall significantly.

ST reported that one-quarter of low-wage workers aged 35 to 44 have had to take pay cut as a result of the pandemic, with more than half of them getting a 30% decrease.

In fact, according to DBS Bank, customers who were low-income workers – those who earn less than $3,000 per month – made up nearly half of customers who experienced a pay cut.

This is why the authorities are scrambling to come up with ways to raise the wages of workers in this income group.

Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos is swimming in a pool of his own money somewhere in the world.