Minister of State for Manpower, Brother Dinesh Vasu Dash
Tripartite partners, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
Thank you for joining us this morning to appreciate our PWM workers and to witness the launch of our PWM comic book.
Acknowledging our PWM Workers
Singapore may be a small city-state, but our daily lives depend on many dedicated workers who keep our homes, workplaces and public spaces clean, safe, green and running smoothly.
On behalf of NTUC and our tripartite partners, let me express our sincere appreciation to all our PWM workers – from cleaning, security, landscape maintenance, lift and escalator maintenance, waste management, retail, food services, and most recently, pest management. To the 150 PWM workers here with us today: thank you for your hard work and dedication. Please join me in giving them a round of applause.
Acknowledging our Tripartite Partners
Caring for workers has always been at the heart of NTUC’s work. Since introducing PWM in 2012, NTUC has worked closely with our tripartite partners to roll out PWM across 8 sectors and 2 occupations, with pest management announced just a few days ago as the latest addition.
Significance of PWM
What makes PWM meaningful is that it is not just about setting a wage floor.
PWM links wages to skills, productivity and career progression. As workers upskill, they can take on greater responsibilities and move into higher-value, better-paying jobs.
Take the cleaning sector as an example. When the Cleaning PWM was implemented in 2014, the minimum basic wage for a general cleaner was $1,000 per month.
From 1 July this year, the basic wage for an entry-level general cleaner has increased to at least $2,080. This is more than double the starting point. The PWM wage ladder will continue to provide workers with clear progression in the years ahead.
At the same time, wage growth must be sustainable for employers. This is why each tripartite cluster takes a pragmatic approach – setting wage and skills ladders while finding ways to improve productivity. Workers, too, should be supported and encouraged to embrace lifelong learning, so that they can remain relevant, resilient and ready to progress.
Challenges Remain
While we have made much progress, there is still more we can do together.
NTUC recently commissioned a survey involving 1,500 PWM workers. While workers continue to view PWM positively, the findings highlighted one key concern: access to training.
More than 50% of respondents cited time constraints as the top reason for not going for more training or skills upgrading, including loss of income from taking time off work, insufficient leave, and commitments outside work.
PWM sets training requirements that match job roles and wages. At the same time, we must make it practical for workers to attend training. Employers and service buyers, especially in outsourced sectors, can support workers by allowing them to train during working hours, with proper scheduling and planning.
I therefore encourage employers and service buyers to support workers in building higher skills and competencies, so that they can be more productive and progress further in their careers. Employers can tap support schemes such as the NTUC Company Training Committee Grant. Our e2i colleagues are also here today, and employers can find out more from them at their booth later.
Investing in workers’ training benefits everyone, including service buyers. As artificial intelligence and technology continue to change jobs, we must work together to redesign work and adopt outcome-based contracting and progressive procurement practices, so that workers and businesses can transform together.
PWM Comic Book to Build Public Empathy
Today, we are also launching a PWM comic book that shines a light on the experiences and aspirations of our PWM workers. These stories are drawn from real workers’ journeys, hopes and everyday contributions.
The title, Please Watch-over Me, is a play on the PWM acronym. It reminds us that PWM watches over our workers, just as our workers watch over our daily lives.
Special thanks to Mr Johnny Lau for working with my team to bring these stories to life. I hope the comic book will help more Singaporeans see the people behind PWM – their pride, their perseverance, and their contributions to our shared daily life.
Closing
In closing, our PWM workers may not always be in the spotlight, but their contributions are felt in our daily lives. Let us continue to honour their work – through our words, our actions, and the respect we show them every day.
Thank you.
