Cleaners working for accredited companies can look forward to better wages under the Progressive Wage Model, following an announcement made by the Government today on enhancements to the voluntary Clean Mark Accreditation Scheme.
According to a media release jointly-issued by the Ministry of Manpower, National Environment Agency and Singapore Workforce Development Agency, one of the enhancements to the scheme requires companies to pay their resident cleaners progressive wages that are in line with the higher productivity, standards and skills expected of accredited companies.
The Government also said it would take the lead to support the scheme by sourcing optimally and engaging only accredited companies for new cleaning contracts call from 1 April 2013.
This follows the Tripartite Cluster of Cleaners (TCC) announcement a day earlier where it recommended putting into place a Progressive Wage Model for cleaners in three sub-sectors within the cleaning industry, and NTUC’s Building and Facility Management Services’ seeking the Government’s support for the PWM.
The TCC, comprising representatives from the government, Labour Movement and employer groups, recommended $1,000 as the entry-level basic wage for cleaning jobs in offices and commercial buildings as well as the F&B establishment sector, and $1,200 in the conservancy sector.
The National Environment Agency will roll out the enhancements to the voluntary Clean Mark Accreditation Scheme from 1 November 2012.
For a start, NEA will work with its cleaning contractors to facilitate them to be accredited under the scheme including PWM for its cleaners, enabling 600 cleaners to enjoy higher wages before the contracts expire over the next two years.
The NEA introduced the voluntary Clean Mark Accreditation Scheme in June 2010 to recognise companies that deliver high standards of cleaning through the training of workers, use of equipment to improve work processes, and fair employment practices.
Today, there are 61 service providers accredited by NEA with the Clean Mark Silver Award.
