When the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the private security industry was launched in 2014, security officers were introduced to the idea of having higher wages through better skills and productivity.
Since the model was made mandatory in September 2016, private security officers across Singapore have seen their basic monthly wages increase from the average $600 to $800 to at least $1,100 today.
Security officers are also better skilled from the training requirements they have had to meet in order to climb the wage ladder.
The implementation of the PWM, however, would not have been possible without the strong partnership with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Police Licensing Regulatory Department (PLRD) through the Security Tripartite Cluster (STC) Committee.
“MOM and PLRD have been close partners with us since even before the PWM was introduced, such as when the grading for security agencies and the individual identification cards for security officers were introduced. Since then, the work of raising the standards in the private security industry has been explored constantly,” said USE Executive Secretary Steve Tan.
Even after the PWM was made mandatory, MOM, PLRD and USE are still working together to publicise and ensure compliance with the licencing conditions.
“Until today, understanding amongst service buyers of PWM is low, especially on the reason why we need to implement the PWM. We are happy with this important first step we have taken as an industry, but we now need to keep our focus on the buyers, especially in the residential sector, who are primarily the weakest link,” said Mr Tan.
Their work according to Mr Tan is not over, as the union, together with MOM, PLRD and industry partners will continue to revisit and improve the model.
The Security Industry Transformation Committee (SITC), co-chaired by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore National Employers Federation and the Labour Movement, with members from the industry, will steward an Industry Transformation Map for the security industry by end of 2017.
“It is a good thing that we have had two or three years’ experience of working together in the STC. Many of the STC partners are involved in the SITC, and we are also welcoming new partners. I think it is going to be an exciting period of time.
“The PWM was about setting wages right in the industry. It was an important first step. The SITC now has to work on the next step, which is to transform the industry as a whole to becoming manpower lean and yet improving vastly on security outcomes through leveraging technology,” Mr Tan added.
Nominated by Union of Security Employees
