June 15, 2021

International Justice Day for Cleaners and Security Guards is celebrated annually on 15 June. Started 30 years ago, this Union Network International (UNI) Global Union event commemorates the struggles of these essential yet lowly-paid workers. The COVID-19 global pandemic highlighted once again that the role of cleaners is of paramount importance to society. As the government works on measures to improve the circumstances for these workers, 15 June serves as an occasion for us to show our solidarity and appreciation for their efforts in keeping our community safe and clean.

Introduced in 2012, Singapore’s Progressive Wage Model (PWM) aims to increase the salaries of low-wage workers who are Singaporean citizens or permanent residents by improving their skills and productivity in the cleaning, security, and landscaping sectors. This tripartite effort by the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), and the government was first implemented in the cleaning sector in 2015, raising the minimum wage and enforcing an increment of wage with increasing skill levels. However, did adopting the PWM enhance working conditions for cleaners?

In their article, ‘Singapore’s restructuring of low-wage work: Have cleaning job conditions improved?’(The Economic and Labour Relations Review, 2018), Associate Professor Irene Ng (NUS Department of Social Work), Yi Ying Ng (NUS Department of Social Work graduate, Social worker), and Poh Choo Lee (NUS Department of Social Work graduate, Social worker) tackle the question by narrowing in on the food and beverage industry. They conduct interviews with cleaners, their supervisors, and managers to determine each party’s response to the PWM and the factors influencing its effectiveness in bettering the cleaners’ work experience.

These interviews reveal that while the effects of the PWM are generally positive, the success of the PWM in improving working conditions can be hindered by employers’ lack of sensitivity towards the workers’ needs. While the salary requirements are adhered to, workers’ rights such as sick leave, break times, and benefits are often neglected by employers. As businesses often face persistent cost pressure from high rent, manpower is reduced, which overworks the cleaners despite observing the PWM.

To tackle the friction between business costs and the welfare of low-wage workers, the researchers advise that legislative changes must be made at a steady rate to ensure that balance is struck between economic development and supporting low-wage work. With greater compassion from employers and Singapore’s ongoing efforts in restructuring, the PWM lends itself to a positive outlook for low-wage work.

Read the full article here.