The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) recognizes that contract workers under the low-wage sectors do not have a career progression in place for them. To give a guideline for these workers, NTUC initiated and introduced PWM in June 2012, to help workers to achieve sustainable real wage increase and to improve productivity through skills training and use of technology.
The PWM is built upon existing initiatives such as the Workfare Income Supplement, National Wage Council recommendations for low-wage workers and all social transfer programmes in Singapore. It is sustained through productivity and unlike the minimum wage, PWM is not based on single legislated wage. Instead, PWM builds a route map of career progression and wage milestones which the workers can aim to achieve. Through collaboration with the industry players and agency partners, it is possible to help workers to achieve their wage milestone more quickly.
These wage milestones are determined by the unions and industry bodies in consultation with relevant government agencies and stakeholders such as service buyers and providers. Factors taken into consideration include skills requirements, work quality and standards, sector productivity, general employment and wage conditions.
To earn better wages, you will have to constantly upgrade your skills and be more productivity. You are strongly encouraged to attend courses related to your scope of work to upgrade your skills so as to progress upwards in the wage ladder. You may approach your employer to discuss your training plan.
The Workfare Training Support (WTS) scheme is available for workers to train and upgrade.
Companies stand to benefit when they adopt PWM, helping them to map out a clear progression path for their workers to skill upgrading. Together with a transparent and fair performance appraisal system, PWM aims to empower companies to identify gaps in the areas of wages, skills, productivity and career progression. With the identification of the gaps, PWM allows companies to better make use of manpower with the manpower crunch today, as well as ensure competitive wages that commensurate with larger job scopes and higher productivity levels. With the model, companies will also be able to invest in and have a better skilled workforce, thereby increasing productivity and sustaining wage increases.
As a company, the Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP) funding grant is available to support companies to embark on the PWM.
The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the cleaning industry was first introduced in 2012 by the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners (TCC). PWM aims to provide a pathway for cleaners’ wages to progress with training and productivity improvements. The recommendations are as follows:
3 sub-sectors of the most common types of cleaning jobs
Starting basic wage level of at least $1,000
Higher wages pegged to higher skills, productivity and job responsibilities
The PWM was also introduced as a criterion under the National Environment Agency's (NEA) Enhanced Clean Mark Accreditation Scheme.
In 2013, the Government took the lead by only engaging accredited businesses for new cleaning service contracts called from 1 April. In 2014, licensing for the cleaning industry was made mandatory where cleaning companies are required to meet certain requirements such as the adoption of PWM and sending workers for mandatory training courses.
In 2016, PWM for the cleaning industry was reviewed to maintain its relevance to the cleaning sector. The changes are as follows:
Yearly adjustments to PWM wages from 2017 to 2019
Schedule of Increases from 2020 to 2022
PWM Bonus from 2020
For more information:
Report and recommendations by the TCC
Licensing for the Cleaning Industry
MOM - Cleaning Companies Encouraged to Adopt Enhanced Clean Mark Accreditation Scheme
Advertorial for service buyers of cleaning services
Cleaning PWM Brochure - English & Chinese (Mar 2020)
Cleaning PWM Brochure - Malay & Tamil (Mar 2020)
Recommendations on the Review of the Progressive Wage Model for the Cleaning Industry (7 June 2021)
The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for Security Industry was introduced in 2014 by the Security Tripartite Cluster (STC). The recommendations are as follows:
Starting basic wage level of at least $1,100
Higher wages pegged to higher skills, productivity and job responsibilities
The PWM was implemented as a licensing condition under the Police Licensing and Regulatory Department (PLRD) licensing regime for private agencies from 1 September 2016.
After monitoring industry movements, changes in shift patterns and streamlining of manpower requirements, PWM for the security industry was reviewed in 2017 and the changes are as follows:
Yearly adjusts to PWM wages from 2019 to 2021
Schedule of Increases from 2022 to 2024
Removal of Overtime Exemption from 2021
In 2018, the PWM training and emplacement requirements for the security industry was reviewed. The recommendations include:
Placing stronger emphasis on skills and competencies for progression criteria
Facilitating entry of good quality candidates seeking to join the security sector
Updating the prescribed PWM job functions for better clarity and effectiveness
For more information:
Report and recommendations by the STC
Advertorial for service buyers of security services
Advertorial for security personnel
The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the landscape maintenance sub-sector was announced in 2015 by the Tripartite Cluster for Landscape (TCL) and came into effect in June 2016. The recommendations are as follows:
Starting basic wage level of at least $1,100
Higher wages pegged to higher skills, productivity and job responsibilities
The PWM was incorporated as a mandatory requirement for landscape companies applying to be on the Landscape Company Register which is administered by the National Parks Board.
Enhancements to the PWM were announced in 2018 and the changes are as follows:
Yearly adjustments to each PWM basic wage level from 2020 to 2022
Schedule of Increases from 2023 to 2025
Mandatory PWM Bonus from 2020
For more information:
Report and recommendations by the TCL
Advertorial for service buyers of landscape services
Tripartite Advisory for Landscape Sector Sustainability (COVID-19) (13 August 2020)