The Government has decided to introduce a licensing regime which will require employers to pay cleaners a starting salary of no less than $1,000. It has done the right thing.
The PAP will not admit that this is akin to setting a minimum wage, which it has always resisted. Nevertheless it is a positive development for workers in Singapore especially those in the low-income groups. The SDP welcomes the policy change.
There, however, remain concerns. First, $1,000 is still not fair wage. Given that the cost of living in Singapore is one of the highest in the world, a salary of $1,000 is not sufficient for workers to survive on.
In addition, the entry-level salary should be legislated across the board as a national wage law where no Singaporean employee will be allowed to be paid anything less than the minimum wage. The proposed measure of the licensing regime that will be introduced in Parliament next month leaves out workers who are not in the cleaning service industry and who are still not paid a living wage.
Third, the idea to legislate a minimum wage should be made at the hourly level. This will enable part-time workers to be covered.
The SDP has recommended that the minimum wage start at $7 per hour. This will work out to at least $1,232 per month for workers who work the standard full-time of 44 hours a week. Under such a plan, part-time workers will also be assured that they are paid no less than the mandated minimum amount.
The SDP calls on the Government to legislate a minimum wage law and not handle the important matter of workers’ wages in a half-hearted and piecemeal manner like the current proposal.
The SDP has campaigned for minimum wage for more than a decade because we believe in investing in our people. We are glad to see the PAP finally coming round to the idea even though much more needs to be done.
Singapore Democrats