Up to 3,000 local workers in the waste management sector stand to benefit from better wages, careers, skills and productivity.
This comes after an agreement by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), and NTUC to expand the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) to the sector.
Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad announced the PWM at a visit to SembWaste on 26 January 2021.
He was accompanied by NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Koh Poh Koon, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Zainal Sapari, NTUC Operations & Mobilisation Director Fahmi Aliman, and SNEF Deputy Honorary Secretary Felix Loh.
The waste management PWM will provide workers with a clear career progression pathway to earn higher wages, while they improve on their skills and productivity – components that are also found in the PWM for cleaning, security, landscape, and lift and escalator sectors.
Mr Zaqy said that the service waste management workers provide is vital and Singapore cannot take them for granted.
“For the essential work they do, I think it is really important that we lend them our help, uplift them, and be inclusive to groups like these. And I am glad that employers, despite the challenging economic climate, have come in support [of the PWM],” he said.
One worker who will benefit from the PWM is Aziman Tohid, a 56-year-old Service Leader from SembWaste.
Mr Aziman was one of the many workers who have benefited from SembWastes' own internal PWM. He believes that an industry wide implementation will benefit more workers, and that he will also recommend others looking for a job to join the sector
He said: "For people who are looking for a job now, I think this new programme [PWM] will encourage more people to train and learn which is better for themselves."
To oversee the implementation of the PWM, the tripartite partners also formed the Tripartite Cluster for Waste Management (TCWM), chaired by Mr Fahmi.
He said: “The timing is right for us to now look at the details and what we can put together for this sector to help uplift low wage workers in this industry.”
The TCWM will be co-chaired by Mr Felix Loh and will include representatives from service buyers, service providers, unions, and government agencies.
The TCWM aims to issue its recommendations for the PWM in the second half of 2021.
Dr Koh added that the PWM for the waste management sector was not something that arose out of a vacuum.
He said: “The tripartite partners, especially the Labour Movement, has been working with industry for the past couple of years, that culminated in today's announcement.
“And I think what we want to do through this whole process is really looking at making every job a better job in this sector, making every worker a better worker. And by matching a better worker to a better job, we make a company a better company, so that we can get three wins for the tripartite partners, by having a more vibrant economy.”
